LAS VEGAS – The No. 25/25 Gonzaga women's basketball team takes on North Alabama in its final non-conference matchup Dec. 21 at 2:30 p.m. inside the South Point Arena in Las Vegas.
 
#25/25 GONZAGA (4-2) vs. NORTH ALABAMA (1-6)
DEC. 21 | 2:30 P.M. | SOUTH POINT ARENA | LAS VEGAS
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THE TIP-OFF
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team concludes its non-conference schedule Monday at 2:30 against North Alabama in the final game of the Holiday Hoops Classic, hosted by South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
- GU earned a 78-66 victory over Eastern Michigan on Sunday afternoon to open the Holiday Hoops Classic. Four players finished in double-figures, led by Jenn Wirth with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Jill Townsend added 11 points and 10 boards. Melody Kempton added 13 points while Kaylynne Truong chipped in 11.
- The Bulldogs first played in the tournament during the 2009-10 season. That year, the Zags faced back-to-back ranked opponents in No. 6/5 Baylor and No. 13/11 Texas A&M. GU fell to Baylor 70-49 and narrowly lost to Texas A&M 80-76.
- GU's second appearance in the tournament was during the 2011-12 season; that year, Gonzaga finished 2-0 to take the title. That season, the Zags defeated Georgia 71-68 followed by an 82-76 victory over Dayton.
- Monday marks 12th time in program history that the Zags have taken the floor on Dec. 21, and GU carries an 8-3 record on the date. In fact, Gonzaga has won the last seven times it has played on Dec. 21.
- 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 42 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 mark the first time in program history the Zags have faced North Alabama.
- Monday's game will also mark the first time GU has faced any opponent out of the Atlantic Sun Conference, which includes: Bellarmine, Florida Gulf Coast, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Lipscomb, North Alabama, North Florida and Stetson.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
- North Alabama is fresh off its first win of the season with a 72-57 victory over Tarleton State in its first game of the Holiday Hoops Classic. Three players finished in double-figures for the Lions, led by 24 points from Jaida Bond.
- With the win, UNA is 1-6 on the season after dropping its first six contest to Austin Peay, Missouri, Purdue, West Virginia, Samford and Murray State. The Lions average 70.6 points per game shooting 41.6 percent from the floor and 26.4 percent from long range. North Alabama pulls down an average of 35.4 rebounds per game while dishing out 14.3 assists per game. The Lions add 6.7 steals, 2.4 blocks and 17.0 turnovers per game.
- Three players average double-figures for North Alabama while six players average at least seven points per contest. Bond, along with Jaila Roberts average 12.9 per game each, while Macey Lee adds 10.9 points per game. Sakyia White averages a team-best 7.3 rebounds per contest, while Roberts adds an even 7.0. Roberts also leads the team in assists with 41 on the season to average 5.9 assists per game; that number also ranks second in the ASUN.
- North Alabama was selected to finish sixth in the ASUN in the coaches poll and fourth in the media poll released in late October. Senior Olivia Noah was the only player to be selected Preseason ASUN All-Conference. Currently, Noah ranks fifth on the team in scoring at 8.9 points per game and fourth in rebounding at 3.0.
 
SHATTERING THE GLASS
[Dec. 20] After Gonzaga's first contest against then-No. 1 South Carolina, the Bulldogs weren't satisfied with their effort on the glass. The Zags secured just 29 rebounds after averaging 37.1 rebounds per game a season ago with a +6.6 rebounding margin. The Zags responded in a big way as they have grabbed at least 35 boards in each of their last five games including at least 40 rebounds each of the last three games. Dec. 20 against Eastern Michigan, Head Coach Lisa Fortier said one of the keys to victory would be a decisive rebounding advantage. GU did just that as it hauled in 49 rebounds, the most since it recorded 50 rebounds against Pepperdine on Feb. 20 last season, while limiting Eastern Michigan to 27.
 
MISS CONSISTENT-LEE
[Dec. 20] LeeAnne Wirth has emerged as one of the most consistent Zags of the season. The senior from Mesa, Ariz., averages 8.2 points per game and 5.0 rebounds, but as Fortier says, she's consistent, steady and with few outliers. "[LeeAnne] is someone who averages 8 to 10 points not because she has a 20-point game and then a two-point game," Fortier said. "Whatever that mathematical term is where you have a bunch right there at 8, 9, 8, 7, 10 and 11. That's what she is. She is steady and consistent." She's also shooting 51.2 percent from the floor, which ranks third on the team.