SPOKANE, Wash. – The No. 17/16 Gonzaga women's basketball team hosts Santa Clara Saturday, Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. inside the McCarthey Athletic Center. The game is set to be broadcast locally on SWX.
 
#17/16 GONZAGA (17-2, 12-0 WCC) vs. SANTA CLARA (12-7, 8-5 WCC)
FEB. 13 | 2 P.M. | SPOKANE, WASH. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
TELEVISION: SWX | WATCH LIVE (OUT OF REGION) | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP-OFF
- The Bulldogs extended their win streak to 16 games with a 79-66 win over San Francisco at home on Feb. 11. GU's win streak is currently the third-longest win streak in the nation amongst teams participating in the 2020-21 season (Princeton has won 22-straight, but the Tigers have opted out of the 2020-21 season). California Baptist claims the longest win streak at 19 games, dating back to the 2019-20 season, while Bucknell ranks second at 17 games, also dating back to last season.
- With the win over the Dons, Gonzaga improved to 12-0 in WCC play for the second-straight season and the third time the last four seasons.
- Gonzaga remains the only unbeaten team in the WCC at 12-0.
- Saturday will mark the 11th time and second-straight season that Gonzaga has played on Feb. 13. The Bulldogs carry a 7-3 overall mark on the date, and they have won the last four games they have played on the date.
- Currently, Gonzaga is ranked 17th in the AP Poll and 16th in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs have now been ranked or receiving votes for 50 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
- HOME: 24-8, Gonzaga leads
- ROAD: 22-17, Santa Clara leads
- NEUTRAL: 1-0, Gonzaga leads
- FIRST MEETING: Gonzaga won, 59-45 (1988)
- LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 71-52 in Santa Cruz, 1/14/21
- STREAK: Gonzaga, Won 9
 
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
- Santa Clara carries a 12-7 record on the season with an 8-5 record in league play. The Broncos have won two straight--including a 77-76 victory at Portland on Thursday--and have won four of their last five games.
- As a team, SCU averages 64.9 points per game, which ranks seventh in the WCC, shooting 41.6 percent from the floor and 33.4 percent from long range.
- Santa Clara limits its opponents to 63.6 points per game, the slimmest positive scoring margin in the conference at 1.30 points per game. The Broncos add 35.4 rebounds, 12.2 assists and 9.3 steals per game while committing 17.7 turnovers per contest.
- Three players average double-figures for the Broncos, led by Lindsey VanAllen at 12.5 points per game shooting 40.8 percent from the floor and 34.2 percent from long range. Ashlyn Herlihy adds 12.1 points shooting 48.9 percent from the floor to go along with a team-high 6.9 rebounds per contest, while Merle Wiehl chips in 10.1 points per contest shooting a team-leading 52.7 percent. Wiehl also adds 5.3 rebounds per contest to rank second on the squad.
- Ashlee Maldonado leads the team in assists with 3.5 per game.
- With 12 wins on the season, SCU has already matched its total wins from a season ago when the Broncos finished 12-19 overall, and its surpassed its conference wins by three already (5-13 overall last year).
- In the last meeting, Gonzaga opened the game with 12-of-14 performance in the first quarter for 27 points, limiting the Broncos to 10 points for a 17-point advantage after 10 minutes. GU held a double-figure lead for the remainder of the game, cruising to the 71-52 win.
 
THIS IS OUR HOUSE
[Feb. 12] Gonzaga currently boasts the nation's longest home win streak at 22 games, dating back to the 2018-19 season. It is also the longest home win streak under Head Coach Lisa Fortier.
 
TOPS IN THE NATION
[Feb. 12] Did you know that Gonzaga women's basketball and Gonzaga men's basketball have the best combined record in collegiate basketball at 36-2? Both programs also claim the nation's top home win streak, with the women at 22-straight home wins and the men at 47-straight home victories. Together, they combine for a 39-game win streak.
 
WE LIKE THE STREAKS
[Feb. 12] Gonzaga is currently on a 16-game win streak, dating back to an 89-50 win at Wyoming on Dec. 8, 2020. In program history, Gonzaga has put together a 16-game win streak during in six other seasons including two-straight (2019-20, 2020-21). Its first win streak of at least 16 games came during the 2004-05 season; that year, the Bulldogs won 23-straight. That 23-game win streak still stands as the longest win streak in program history.