Saturday, February 29
Portland, OR
2 P.M.
Gonzaga University
at
Portland
Photo by: Matt Villareal
#11/10 Gonzaga Closes Regular Season at Portland Saturday
2/25/2020 2:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Bulldogs searching for 17th WCC win, which would tie program record
#11/10 GONZAGA (27-2, 16-1 WCC) at PORTLAND (18-10, 11-6 WCC)
FEB. 29 | 2 P.M. | PORTLAND, ORE. | CHILES CENTER
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga secured the outright West Coast Conference title Feb. 20 with a 75-47 victory at Loyola Marymount, the 16th regular-season title in program history.
- Gonzaga improved to 27-2 overall Saturday following a 64-50 victory at Pepperdine to match its program-best start. The only other season GU stared 27-2 was during the 2004-05 season. That year, GU strung together a program-best 23-game win streak and finished the season 28-4 overall with an unblemished 14-0 mark in WCC play. The Bulldogs advanced to the second round of the WNIT, losing at Missouri State 85-66 to end the season.
- A win Saturday at Portland would set a new program record for the best start in history with a 28-2 overall record. A victory would also match Gonzaga's best WCC record at 17-1; the last time GU posted a 17-1 mark in WCC play was during the 2017-18 season.
- With the 53-46 victory over Santa Clara on Feb. 15, the Zags finished undefeated at home for the fourth time in program history and the first time since the 2013-14 season; it also marks the seventh undefeated home conference slate in program history. GU is currently on a 16-game win streak inside The Kennel, the longest streak under Head Coach Lisa Fortier. GU has not lost a game inside McCarthey since Feb. 16, 2019.
Previously, GU's top mark under Fortier was 12 straight home wins, which occurred from 11/7/18-2/14/19.
- Gonzaga set a new program record Tuesday as it moved up three spots in the USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches Poll to No. 10. It's the highest program ranking ever. The Zags rank 11th in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, released on Monday, which ties the program record in that poll. The Bulldogs broke into the Associated Press Top 25 poll at No. 23 following a 76-70 overtime loss at Stanford on Nov. 17.
- Saturday will mark the fourth time in program history that Gonzaga has played on Leap Day, or Feb. 29. It's the first time since the 1995-96 season that GU has taken the floor on the date; in the last game, Gonzaga fell to Portland 77-60 in the WCC Tournament. The Zags carry a 1-2 overall record on the date.
- Gonzaga leads the nation in attendance percent capacity at 94.87 percent. That's an average of 5,692 fans inside the McCarthey Athletic Center every game. This season alone, Gonzaga has had six sellouts, including four of the last five home games.
- The Bulldogs also rank inside the top five in the nation in scoring defense; Gonzaga limits its opponents to 51.6 points per contest to lead the WCC and rank third in the nation.
- Gonzaga is also among the top three-point shooting teams in the nation. At 39.7 percent shooting from long range, Gonzaga ranks second in the nation. Two players shoot over 40 percent from long range, led by Kaylynne Truong at 44.4 percent, while eight total Zags shoot at least 30.0 percent from beyond-the-arc.
- The Zags also rank inside the top 30 in the nation in field goal percentage. At 44.7 percent shooting from the floor, GU ranks 27th nationally and second in the WCC.
- Gonzaga returns two starters and seven letter-winners from last season's squad that claimed the Zags' third consecutive and 15th overall West Coast Conference regular season title.
- In 2018-19, the Bulldogs advanced to their third-straight NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Second Round.
SCOUTING THE PILOTS
- Portland carries an 18-10 overall record on the season with an 11-6 record in WCC play, good for fourth place in the current standings.
- As a squad, the Pilots average 70.4 points per game shooting 45.3 percent from the floor. UP leads the league in both categories.
- Three players average double-figures for Portland, led by freshman post Alex Fowler at 17.8 points per game; that mark also leads the WCC. Haylee Andrews adds 16.2 points per game (3rd in WCC), while Kate Andersen averages 14.2 points per contest. All three players shoot over 48 percent from the floor, led by Fowler at 54.4 percent which ranks 34th nationally.
- Portland adds 35.4 rebounds per game, led by Fowler with 7.9 per contest to rank fourth in the WCC. Andrews adds 5.5 rebounds per game while Keeley Frawley adds 4.5.
- Since the programs last met on Dec. 29, 2019, Portland has strung together two win streaks of four or more games. The Pilots are currently on a four-game win streak and have won five of their last six contests.
- Portland ranks in the top four in the conference in 10 categories, and it leads the WCC in four: scoring offense, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage defense and assists.
- In the last meeting, Gonzaga overcame a 20-point first-half deficit to defeat Portland 62-57 at home. Portland raced out to a 26-12 first quarter lead and extended that lead to as many as 20 points in the second quarter. GU outscored the Pilots 38-20 in the second half to claw back and claim the win. Jill Townsend netted 18 points, Jenn Wirth added 14 and Katie Campbell finished with 12.
SERIES REVIEW
- OVERALL: Gonzaga leads 54-26
- HOME: 28-9, Gonzaga leads
- ROAD: 17-15, Portland leads
- NEUTRAL: 3-2, Portland leads
- LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 62-57 in Spokane (12/29/19)
- FIRST MEETING: Gonzaga won 78-72 during the 1980-81 season
- STREAK: Gonzaga, Won 22
DISHIN' ON UP
With her third assist of the night against Loyola Marymount on Jan. 25, Jessie Loera moved into fifth all-time in career assists, surpassing Jasmine Redmon (400, 2010-14). Loera now has 434 career assists and is six assists shy of surpassing Amy Simpson (439, 1982-86) for fourth place. Loera currently ranks 17th nationally in assists with 143 on the season and 41st nationally in assists per game with 4.9.
SHARING THE SCORE
- Through 29 games this season, two players average double-figures for Gonzaga with five players averaging over 7.0 points per contest. The Bulldogs have had seven different top scorers this season, spanning each academic year (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior).
Jill Townsend leads the Zags in scoring at 12.4 points per game, while Jenn Wirth adds 10.4 points per contest. LeeAnne Wirth adds 8.6, Jessie Loera chips in 7.6 and Melody Kempton adds 7.1 points per contest.
DEFENSIVE STRENGTH
Currently, Gonzaga ranks third in the nation in scoring defense at 51.6 points per game. This season alone, Gonzaga has limited 16 opponents to 50 points or fewer and 24 opponents to under 60 points. Ten of the last 12 games, the Zags have held their opponents to under 60 points; only two (Pacific, 65 points; Saint Mary's, 70 points) have scored more than 52 points. On Jan. 23 against Pepperdine, Gonzaga held the Waves to just 36 points, more than 30 points below their season average of 66.4. Pepperdine's 36 points also ties for the fewest points allowed to a WCC opponent under Lisa Fortier. Feb. 13 against San Francisco, GU held the Dons to 38 points.
FEB. 29 | 2 P.M. | PORTLAND, ORE. | CHILES CENTER
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga secured the outright West Coast Conference title Feb. 20 with a 75-47 victory at Loyola Marymount, the 16th regular-season title in program history.
- Gonzaga improved to 27-2 overall Saturday following a 64-50 victory at Pepperdine to match its program-best start. The only other season GU stared 27-2 was during the 2004-05 season. That year, GU strung together a program-best 23-game win streak and finished the season 28-4 overall with an unblemished 14-0 mark in WCC play. The Bulldogs advanced to the second round of the WNIT, losing at Missouri State 85-66 to end the season.
- A win Saturday at Portland would set a new program record for the best start in history with a 28-2 overall record. A victory would also match Gonzaga's best WCC record at 17-1; the last time GU posted a 17-1 mark in WCC play was during the 2017-18 season.
- With the 53-46 victory over Santa Clara on Feb. 15, the Zags finished undefeated at home for the fourth time in program history and the first time since the 2013-14 season; it also marks the seventh undefeated home conference slate in program history. GU is currently on a 16-game win streak inside The Kennel, the longest streak under Head Coach Lisa Fortier. GU has not lost a game inside McCarthey since Feb. 16, 2019.
Previously, GU's top mark under Fortier was 12 straight home wins, which occurred from 11/7/18-2/14/19.
- Gonzaga set a new program record Tuesday as it moved up three spots in the USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches Poll to No. 10. It's the highest program ranking ever. The Zags rank 11th in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, released on Monday, which ties the program record in that poll. The Bulldogs broke into the Associated Press Top 25 poll at No. 23 following a 76-70 overtime loss at Stanford on Nov. 17.
- Saturday will mark the fourth time in program history that Gonzaga has played on Leap Day, or Feb. 29. It's the first time since the 1995-96 season that GU has taken the floor on the date; in the last game, Gonzaga fell to Portland 77-60 in the WCC Tournament. The Zags carry a 1-2 overall record on the date.
- Gonzaga leads the nation in attendance percent capacity at 94.87 percent. That's an average of 5,692 fans inside the McCarthey Athletic Center every game. This season alone, Gonzaga has had six sellouts, including four of the last five home games.
- The Bulldogs also rank inside the top five in the nation in scoring defense; Gonzaga limits its opponents to 51.6 points per contest to lead the WCC and rank third in the nation.
- Gonzaga is also among the top three-point shooting teams in the nation. At 39.7 percent shooting from long range, Gonzaga ranks second in the nation. Two players shoot over 40 percent from long range, led by Kaylynne Truong at 44.4 percent, while eight total Zags shoot at least 30.0 percent from beyond-the-arc.
- The Zags also rank inside the top 30 in the nation in field goal percentage. At 44.7 percent shooting from the floor, GU ranks 27th nationally and second in the WCC.
- Gonzaga returns two starters and seven letter-winners from last season's squad that claimed the Zags' third consecutive and 15th overall West Coast Conference regular season title.
- In 2018-19, the Bulldogs advanced to their third-straight NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Second Round.
SCOUTING THE PILOTS
- Portland carries an 18-10 overall record on the season with an 11-6 record in WCC play, good for fourth place in the current standings.
- As a squad, the Pilots average 70.4 points per game shooting 45.3 percent from the floor. UP leads the league in both categories.
- Three players average double-figures for Portland, led by freshman post Alex Fowler at 17.8 points per game; that mark also leads the WCC. Haylee Andrews adds 16.2 points per game (3rd in WCC), while Kate Andersen averages 14.2 points per contest. All three players shoot over 48 percent from the floor, led by Fowler at 54.4 percent which ranks 34th nationally.
- Portland adds 35.4 rebounds per game, led by Fowler with 7.9 per contest to rank fourth in the WCC. Andrews adds 5.5 rebounds per game while Keeley Frawley adds 4.5.
- Since the programs last met on Dec. 29, 2019, Portland has strung together two win streaks of four or more games. The Pilots are currently on a four-game win streak and have won five of their last six contests.
- Portland ranks in the top four in the conference in 10 categories, and it leads the WCC in four: scoring offense, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage defense and assists.
- In the last meeting, Gonzaga overcame a 20-point first-half deficit to defeat Portland 62-57 at home. Portland raced out to a 26-12 first quarter lead and extended that lead to as many as 20 points in the second quarter. GU outscored the Pilots 38-20 in the second half to claw back and claim the win. Jill Townsend netted 18 points, Jenn Wirth added 14 and Katie Campbell finished with 12.
SERIES REVIEW
- OVERALL: Gonzaga leads 54-26
- HOME: 28-9, Gonzaga leads
- ROAD: 17-15, Portland leads
- NEUTRAL: 3-2, Portland leads
- LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 62-57 in Spokane (12/29/19)
- FIRST MEETING: Gonzaga won 78-72 during the 1980-81 season
- STREAK: Gonzaga, Won 22
DISHIN' ON UP
With her third assist of the night against Loyola Marymount on Jan. 25, Jessie Loera moved into fifth all-time in career assists, surpassing Jasmine Redmon (400, 2010-14). Loera now has 434 career assists and is six assists shy of surpassing Amy Simpson (439, 1982-86) for fourth place. Loera currently ranks 17th nationally in assists with 143 on the season and 41st nationally in assists per game with 4.9.
SHARING THE SCORE
- Through 29 games this season, two players average double-figures for Gonzaga with five players averaging over 7.0 points per contest. The Bulldogs have had seven different top scorers this season, spanning each academic year (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior).
Jill Townsend leads the Zags in scoring at 12.4 points per game, while Jenn Wirth adds 10.4 points per contest. LeeAnne Wirth adds 8.6, Jessie Loera chips in 7.6 and Melody Kempton adds 7.1 points per contest.
DEFENSIVE STRENGTH
Currently, Gonzaga ranks third in the nation in scoring defense at 51.6 points per game. This season alone, Gonzaga has limited 16 opponents to 50 points or fewer and 24 opponents to under 60 points. Ten of the last 12 games, the Zags have held their opponents to under 60 points; only two (Pacific, 65 points; Saint Mary's, 70 points) have scored more than 52 points. On Jan. 23 against Pepperdine, Gonzaga held the Waves to just 36 points, more than 30 points below their season average of 66.4. Pepperdine's 36 points also ties for the fewest points allowed to a WCC opponent under Lisa Fortier. Feb. 13 against San Francisco, GU held the Dons to 38 points.
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