Monday, November 30
Sioux Falls, S.D.
12 P.M.
Gonzaga University
vs
University of South Dakota
Photo by: Dave Eggen, Inertia
Zags Face (RV) South Dakota Monday
11/29/2020 5:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Final game of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic
SIOUX FALLS, SD – The Gonzaga women's basketball team is set to face (RV) South Dakota Monday, Nov. 30 at 12 p.m. PT in the final game of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD.
21/20 GONZAGA (0-1) vs. (RV) SOUTH DAKOTA (0-1)
NOV. 30 | 12 P.M. PT | SIOUX FALLS, SD | SANFORD PENTAGON
LIVE STREAM **Fee Required | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga faces RV/RV South Dakota in the second and final game of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic Monday, Nov. 30 at 12 p.m. PT.
- This will mark the first meeting in program history between Gonzaga and South Dakota.
- Monday marks the 17th time GU has played on Nov. 30 and the second-straight season. The Zags carry a 9-7 overall record on the date. Last season, GU defeated Middle Tennessee in the second game of the Gulf Coast Showcase, defeating the Lightening 62-50 to advance to the championship game.
- For the second time in program history, the Bulldogs are ranked in the preseason Associated Press Poll. Gonzaga debuted at No. 21 in the AP poll earlier this month. Gonzaga also touts a No. 20 ranking in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll; it marks the third time in history GU has been ranked in the preseason coaches poll and the second-straight season.
- The Bulldogs return three starters and nine letter winners from last season's squad that claimed the Zags' fourth consecutive West Coast Conference regular season title.
- In 2019-20, Gonzaga rose to its highest regular-season national ranking ever, securing a No. 11 AP and No. 10 ranking in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. Prior to the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zags were predicted as high as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and were expected to host the First and Second Rounds for the first time since the NCAA changed hosting rules for the tournament in 2014-15.
- Gonzaga returns 79.1 percent of its scoring and 79.2 percent of its rebounding from last season.
- Gonzaga returns as one of the top defensive teams in the nation from a season ago. In 2019-20, the Bulldogs ranked third in the nation in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 51.9 points per game.
- The Bulldogs won 28 games last season, including a 17-1 mark in WCC play to tie their own record for wins in a conference season. It was the fourth-straight 25+ win season and 12th 25+ win season in the last 13 seasons.
SERIES NOTES
- This will be the first meeting all-time between Gonzaga and South Dakota.
- The Bulldogs carry a 4-4 record against current Summit League members.
- The last time the Zags faced an opponent out of the Summit League was on Dec. 21, 2017 when they defeated Western Illinois 80-65.
SCOUTING THE COYOTES
- South Dakota is currently receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today/WBCA Coaches Polls. Last season, USD finished ranked #17/11, respectively.
- The Coyotes return 10 letter winners and three starters from last season's squad that finished 30-2 overall with a 16-0 mark in conference play. USD claimed both the regular season and Summit League tournament titles, and it was poised for its second-straight NCAA Tournament prior to the cancelation of the tournament due to COVID-19.
- South Dakota was selected this season to repeat as Summit League champions.
- Senior forward Hannah Sjerven was selected as the Summit League Preseason Player of the Year. Saturday against South Carolina, Sjerven finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, three blocks and two assists. Fellow senior Chloe Lamb was also selected to the preseason first team; Lamb finished with 18 points, four rebounds and two assists against USC.
- Sjerven is also the reigning Summit League Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-3 forward boasts a 6-foot-5 wingspan and led the Yotes in blocked shots a year ago with 63.
- In their only game of the season thus far, the Coyotes battled South Carolina, falling 81-71 on Saturday, Nov. 28. Four players finished in double figures, led by Lamb with 18. The Yotes shot 43 percent from the floor but struggled from long range, hitting 2-of-16 attempts to shoot 12.5 percent. South Dakota dished out 15 assists and committed just eight turnovers in the loss.
SHARING THE ROCK
Gonzaga opened the season with 20 assists, with seven players registering at least one assist and four players dishing out three or more. Townsend led the charge with a career-high seven assists, besting her previous mark of five. Last season, Gonzaga recorded 20 assists on five different occasions, dishing out a season-high 25 in an 80-45 win over Texas Southern. The Bulldogs finished with at least 15 assists in 19 games a season ago.
PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
GU's strong core of senior returners continued on from where they left off last season. The Bulldogs three returning starters (Jenn Wirth, LeeAnne Wirth and Jill Townsend) combined for 38 of GU's 72 points and 14 of the Zags 29 total rebounds. The Wirth twins and Townsend combined to shoot 16-of-28 from the floor (57.1 percent) and nine of GU's 20 assists.
WALKER MAKES A SPLASH
Cierra Walker lived up to the hype as an outside shooter as the redshirt senior hit 4-of-6 attempts from long range in her Zag debut. The Vanderbilt transfer added seven rebounds to tie for game-high honors.
21/20 GONZAGA (0-1) vs. (RV) SOUTH DAKOTA (0-1)
NOV. 30 | 12 P.M. PT | SIOUX FALLS, SD | SANFORD PENTAGON
LIVE STREAM **Fee Required | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga faces RV/RV South Dakota in the second and final game of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic Monday, Nov. 30 at 12 p.m. PT.
- This will mark the first meeting in program history between Gonzaga and South Dakota.
- Monday marks the 17th time GU has played on Nov. 30 and the second-straight season. The Zags carry a 9-7 overall record on the date. Last season, GU defeated Middle Tennessee in the second game of the Gulf Coast Showcase, defeating the Lightening 62-50 to advance to the championship game.
- For the second time in program history, the Bulldogs are ranked in the preseason Associated Press Poll. Gonzaga debuted at No. 21 in the AP poll earlier this month. Gonzaga also touts a No. 20 ranking in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll; it marks the third time in history GU has been ranked in the preseason coaches poll and the second-straight season.
- The Bulldogs return three starters and nine letter winners from last season's squad that claimed the Zags' fourth consecutive West Coast Conference regular season title.
- In 2019-20, Gonzaga rose to its highest regular-season national ranking ever, securing a No. 11 AP and No. 10 ranking in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. Prior to the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zags were predicted as high as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and were expected to host the First and Second Rounds for the first time since the NCAA changed hosting rules for the tournament in 2014-15.
- Gonzaga returns 79.1 percent of its scoring and 79.2 percent of its rebounding from last season.
- Gonzaga returns as one of the top defensive teams in the nation from a season ago. In 2019-20, the Bulldogs ranked third in the nation in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 51.9 points per game.
- The Bulldogs won 28 games last season, including a 17-1 mark in WCC play to tie their own record for wins in a conference season. It was the fourth-straight 25+ win season and 12th 25+ win season in the last 13 seasons.
SERIES NOTES
- This will be the first meeting all-time between Gonzaga and South Dakota.
- The Bulldogs carry a 4-4 record against current Summit League members.
- The last time the Zags faced an opponent out of the Summit League was on Dec. 21, 2017 when they defeated Western Illinois 80-65.
SCOUTING THE COYOTES
- South Dakota is currently receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today/WBCA Coaches Polls. Last season, USD finished ranked #17/11, respectively.
- The Coyotes return 10 letter winners and three starters from last season's squad that finished 30-2 overall with a 16-0 mark in conference play. USD claimed both the regular season and Summit League tournament titles, and it was poised for its second-straight NCAA Tournament prior to the cancelation of the tournament due to COVID-19.
- South Dakota was selected this season to repeat as Summit League champions.
- Senior forward Hannah Sjerven was selected as the Summit League Preseason Player of the Year. Saturday against South Carolina, Sjerven finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, three blocks and two assists. Fellow senior Chloe Lamb was also selected to the preseason first team; Lamb finished with 18 points, four rebounds and two assists against USC.
- Sjerven is also the reigning Summit League Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-3 forward boasts a 6-foot-5 wingspan and led the Yotes in blocked shots a year ago with 63.
- In their only game of the season thus far, the Coyotes battled South Carolina, falling 81-71 on Saturday, Nov. 28. Four players finished in double figures, led by Lamb with 18. The Yotes shot 43 percent from the floor but struggled from long range, hitting 2-of-16 attempts to shoot 12.5 percent. South Dakota dished out 15 assists and committed just eight turnovers in the loss.
SHARING THE ROCK
Gonzaga opened the season with 20 assists, with seven players registering at least one assist and four players dishing out three or more. Townsend led the charge with a career-high seven assists, besting her previous mark of five. Last season, Gonzaga recorded 20 assists on five different occasions, dishing out a season-high 25 in an 80-45 win over Texas Southern. The Bulldogs finished with at least 15 assists in 19 games a season ago.
PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
GU's strong core of senior returners continued on from where they left off last season. The Bulldogs three returning starters (Jenn Wirth, LeeAnne Wirth and Jill Townsend) combined for 38 of GU's 72 points and 14 of the Zags 29 total rebounds. The Wirth twins and Townsend combined to shoot 16-of-28 from the floor (57.1 percent) and nine of GU's 20 assists.
WALKER MAKES A SPLASH
Cierra Walker lived up to the hype as an outside shooter as the redshirt senior hit 4-of-6 attempts from long range in her Zag debut. The Vanderbilt transfer added seven rebounds to tie for game-high honors.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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