SPOKANE, Wash. – The No. 25/25 Gonzaga women's basketball team face Montana Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. inside the McCarthey Athletic Center for its only non-conference home contest of the season.
#25/25 GONZAGA (2-2) vs. MONTANA (1-1)
DEC. 13 | 2 P.M. | SPOKANE, WA | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
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THE TIP-OFF
- After two weeks on the road to open the 2020-21 season, Gonzaga returns to the McCarthey Athletic Center for its only home game of the non-conference season.
- This series dates back to the 1980-81 season with Gonzaga first faced Montana in Missoula. The Griz won the first 10 meetings in the series between 1981 and 1993 before GU picked up its first win on Jan. 6, 1994 with a 70-62 victory in Spokane. Montana currently leads the series 17-14, but Gonzaga has won the last seven straight meetings.
- Gonzaga bounced back in a big way on Tuesday, running past Wyoming 89-50.
Jenn Wirth led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds, her first double-double of the season, while
Cierra Walker added 12 points on a perfect 4-of-4 from long range.
LeeAnne Wirth chipped in 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks. As a team, the Zags shot 60 percent from long range and 55 percent for the game, their top shooting performance of the young season.
- Sunday marks just the fifth time in program history that the Bulldogs have played on Dec. 13. Gonzaga has an unblemished 4-0 record on the date
- For the second time in program history, the Bulldogs were ranked in the preseason Associated Press Poll. Gonzaga debuted at No. 21 in the AP poll and at 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.
- Currently, Gonzaga is ranked 25th in both the AP and Coaches polls. The Bulldogs have now been ranked or receiving votes for 41 consecutive voting weeks, dating back to Dec. 3, 2018.
- 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 32nd meeting between Gonzaga and Montana. The Griz lead the series 17-14, but Gonzaga has won the last seven meetings.
- In the last meeting, the Bulldogs defeated UM 76-52 in the home- and season-opener on Nov. 7, 2018.
- The two programs met annually from 1987-2012 but took a brief hiatus from 2013-17. Montana dominated the series early, winning 10-straight contests to open the series from 1981-93, but the Zags have won the last seven and nine of the last 11.
SCOUTING THE GRIZ
- Montana is 1-1 on the season, with a win over North Dakota (86-72) in Missoula and a loss at Utah State (81-74) in Logan, Utah.
- The Griz average 80.0 points per game shooting 44.9 percent from the floor and 37.8 percent from long range. UM adds 38.5 rebounds per contest and 19.0 assists per game.
- Three players average double-figures for the Griz, led by Carmen Gfeller at 23.5 points per game (that also leads the Big Sky Conference) shooting 63.3 percent from the floor. Sophia Stiles adds 13.0 points per contest to go along with a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game, while Abby Anderson adds 11.5 points per game.
- Montana returns three starters and four letter winners from last season's team that finished 17-13 overall with a 12-8 mark in Big Sky play, good for a tie for fourth place. This season, the Griz added eight newcomers. Of the newcomers, three are transfers and five are freshmen.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME
Gonzaga entered this season owning the eighth longest active Division I home winning streak at 18 games, and this will be the first home game for the Zags since a 53-46 win over Santa Clara on Feb. 15, 2020. On Sunday, it will have been 302 days since GU took the floor in an official game inside The Kennel.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Currently, Gonzaga leads the WCC and ranks 30th nationally in field goal percentage at 47.4 percent. The Zags also claim the top spot in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.41.
