Saturday, January 23
Spokane, Wash.
2 P.M.
Gonzaga University
vs
Brigham Young University
Photo by: Torrey Vail
WBB Hosts BYU Saturday
1/21/2021 3:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Zags look to extend win streak to 12 games, remain unbeaten in WCC play
SPOKANE, Wash. – No. 20/18 Gonzaga women's basketball hosts BYU Saturday, Jan. 23 inside the McCarthey Athletic Center. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m., and the game will be broadcast locally on SWX.
#20/18 GONZAGA (12-2, 7-0 WCC) vs. BYU (8-2, 4-1 WCC)
JAN. 23 | 2 P.M. | SPOKANE, WA | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
SWX | LIVE STREAM (OUT OF REGION) | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF
- The Bulldogs extended their win streak to 11 games with a 76-52 victory over San Francisco Saturday afternoon in San Francisco.
- With the win over the Dons, Gonzaga improved to 7-0 in conference play for the fourth-straight season.
- Saturday will mark the 11th time in program history and the second-straight season the Zags have played on Jan. 23. Currently, the Bulldogs carry an 8-2 overall record on the day. Last season, GU defeated Pepperdine at home 70-36. GU's 36 points allowed also tied for the fewest points allowed to a WCC opponent under Head Coach Lisa Fortier.
- Currently, Gonzaga is ranked 20th in the AP Poll and 18th in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs have now been ranked or receiving votes for 47 consecutive voting weeks, dating back to Dec. 3, 2018.
- Currently, Gonzaga owns the fifth-longest active Division I home winning streak at 22 games. It is also the longest home win streak under Lisa Fortier.
- 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
- HOME: 10-3, Gonzaga leads
- ROAD: 6-5, BYU leads
- NEUTRAL: 3-2, BYU leads
- FIRST MEETING: BYU won 80-63 in Spokane in 1983-84
- LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 59-44 in Spokane (2/1/20)
- STREAK: Gonzaga, Won 2
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
- BYU carries an 8-2 overall including a 4-1 mark in WCC. The Cougars' losses on the season came against Washington (77-48) and at San Diego (58-56).
- As a team, BYU averages 71.1 points per game shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 35.2 percent from long range. The Cougars add 36.6 rebounds per game and 16.7 assists while ranking second in the league in blocked shots with 3.9.
- Three players average double figures for the Cougars, led by redshirt sophomore Shaylee Gonzales at 20.2 points per game. That mark also leads the WCC by nearly 3.0 points per game; Gonzales returned to the lineup after being sideline the 2019-20 season with knee injury. She's also currently shooting 51.6 percent from the floor, the top shooting percentage from any guard in the WCC this season.
- Transfer Lauren Gustin, a 6-1 forward from Salt Lake CC, ranks second in scoring and leads the team and WCC in rebounding at 13.5 per game. Gustin is tied for the lead in the WCC in double-doubles this season, as GU's own Jenn Wirth also has collected seven double-doubles (points, rebounds) this season. Paisley Harding (formerly Johnson) adds 12.0 points per game.
- Sara Hamson, a 6-7 senior forward, leads the Cougars and ranks second in the conference in blocked shots per game with 2.5. She has 25 blocks on the season so far, and she is currently eight blocks shy of breaking into the Top 25 in NCAA Division I Career Blocked Shots. Currently, Hamson has 361 career blocks. Hamson was also named to the Lisa Leslie Award watch list.
- The Cougars rely heavily on their starting five as all but one starter averages 27+ minutes per game, with Gonzales, Gutin and Maria Albiero all averaging over 30 minutes per game. Only one other player outside of the starting five has even seen action in all 10 games.
EJIM MAKING WAVES IN WCC, NAMED UCU #WCCHOOPS FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
[Jan. 21] Freshman forward Yvonne Ejim stepped up in a big way on Gonzaga's last road trip, helping the Zags pick up wins at Santa Clara and San Francisco. The Calgary, Alberta native averaged 8.5 points per game shooting a whopping 87.5 percent from the floor in just 15.5 minutes of play. She added 2.5 rebounds on the weekend. Saturday against the Dons, Ejim finished a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor for a career-high 10 points to go along with three rebounds. On Monday, Jan. 18, Ejim was awarded with the program's first-ever WCC Freshman of the Week (the WCC introduced the award ahead of this season) for her performance over the last week.
WALKER CRACKS TOP 50 NATIONALLY
[Jan. 21] Senior guard Cierra Walker cracked the top 50 nationally in three-point field goal percentage this week. The Oregon City, Ore., native finished 4-of-7 from long range last week to shoot 57.1 percent. She's currently 30-of-70 from long range to shoot 42.9 percent for the season.
CLOSING IN ON 1,000
[Jan. 21] Senior Jill Townsend is the latest Zag to inch closer to the 1,000 career points mark. Townsend currently has 992 career points; the senior guard averages 13.2 points per game. At that rate, she's predicted to eclipse the mark against BYU.
#20/18 GONZAGA (12-2, 7-0 WCC) vs. BYU (8-2, 4-1 WCC)
JAN. 23 | 2 P.M. | SPOKANE, WA | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
SWX | LIVE STREAM (OUT OF REGION) | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF
- The Bulldogs extended their win streak to 11 games with a 76-52 victory over San Francisco Saturday afternoon in San Francisco.
- With the win over the Dons, Gonzaga improved to 7-0 in conference play for the fourth-straight season.
- Saturday will mark the 11th time in program history and the second-straight season the Zags have played on Jan. 23. Currently, the Bulldogs carry an 8-2 overall record on the day. Last season, GU defeated Pepperdine at home 70-36. GU's 36 points allowed also tied for the fewest points allowed to a WCC opponent under Head Coach Lisa Fortier.
- Currently, Gonzaga is ranked 20th in the AP Poll and 18th in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs have now been ranked or receiving votes for 47 consecutive voting weeks, dating back to Dec. 3, 2018.
- Currently, Gonzaga owns the fifth-longest active Division I home winning streak at 22 games. It is also the longest home win streak under Lisa Fortier.
- 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
- HOME: 10-3, Gonzaga leads
- ROAD: 6-5, BYU leads
- NEUTRAL: 3-2, BYU leads
- FIRST MEETING: BYU won 80-63 in Spokane in 1983-84
- LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 59-44 in Spokane (2/1/20)
- STREAK: Gonzaga, Won 2
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
- BYU carries an 8-2 overall including a 4-1 mark in WCC. The Cougars' losses on the season came against Washington (77-48) and at San Diego (58-56).
- As a team, BYU averages 71.1 points per game shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 35.2 percent from long range. The Cougars add 36.6 rebounds per game and 16.7 assists while ranking second in the league in blocked shots with 3.9.
- Three players average double figures for the Cougars, led by redshirt sophomore Shaylee Gonzales at 20.2 points per game. That mark also leads the WCC by nearly 3.0 points per game; Gonzales returned to the lineup after being sideline the 2019-20 season with knee injury. She's also currently shooting 51.6 percent from the floor, the top shooting percentage from any guard in the WCC this season.
- Transfer Lauren Gustin, a 6-1 forward from Salt Lake CC, ranks second in scoring and leads the team and WCC in rebounding at 13.5 per game. Gustin is tied for the lead in the WCC in double-doubles this season, as GU's own Jenn Wirth also has collected seven double-doubles (points, rebounds) this season. Paisley Harding (formerly Johnson) adds 12.0 points per game.
- Sara Hamson, a 6-7 senior forward, leads the Cougars and ranks second in the conference in blocked shots per game with 2.5. She has 25 blocks on the season so far, and she is currently eight blocks shy of breaking into the Top 25 in NCAA Division I Career Blocked Shots. Currently, Hamson has 361 career blocks. Hamson was also named to the Lisa Leslie Award watch list.
- The Cougars rely heavily on their starting five as all but one starter averages 27+ minutes per game, with Gonzales, Gutin and Maria Albiero all averaging over 30 minutes per game. Only one other player outside of the starting five has even seen action in all 10 games.
EJIM MAKING WAVES IN WCC, NAMED UCU #WCCHOOPS FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
[Jan. 21] Freshman forward Yvonne Ejim stepped up in a big way on Gonzaga's last road trip, helping the Zags pick up wins at Santa Clara and San Francisco. The Calgary, Alberta native averaged 8.5 points per game shooting a whopping 87.5 percent from the floor in just 15.5 minutes of play. She added 2.5 rebounds on the weekend. Saturday against the Dons, Ejim finished a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor for a career-high 10 points to go along with three rebounds. On Monday, Jan. 18, Ejim was awarded with the program's first-ever WCC Freshman of the Week (the WCC introduced the award ahead of this season) for her performance over the last week.
WALKER CRACKS TOP 50 NATIONALLY
[Jan. 21] Senior guard Cierra Walker cracked the top 50 nationally in three-point field goal percentage this week. The Oregon City, Ore., native finished 4-of-7 from long range last week to shoot 57.1 percent. She's currently 30-of-70 from long range to shoot 42.9 percent for the season.
CLOSING IN ON 1,000
[Jan. 21] Senior Jill Townsend is the latest Zag to inch closer to the 1,000 career points mark. Townsend currently has 992 career points; the senior guard averages 13.2 points per game. At that rate, she's predicted to eclipse the mark against BYU.
Players Mentioned
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