SPOKANE, Wash. – The #18/15 ranked and No. 1-seeded Gonzaga women's basketball team faces No. 4-seeded Santa Clara in the first semifinal matchup of the West Coast Conference Tournament Monday, March 8 at 11 a.m. inside The Orleans Arena.
 
#18/15 GONZAGA (21-3) vs. SANTA CLARA (14-10)
MARCH 8 | 11 A.M. | LAS VEGAS, NEV. | THE ORLEANS ARENA
TELEVISION: ROOT SPORTS NW | LIVE STREAM (OUT OF REGION) | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP-OFF
 
- The Zags secured the outright West Coast Conference regular-season title with a 95-49 victory over Pepperdine on Feb. 25 inside the McCarthey Athletic Center. It's the fifth-straight regular-season title for the Zags and the 17th in program history.
- Gonzaga concluded the regular season with another dominating performance, defeating visiting LMU 77-39 on Senior Day on Feb. 27. It extended the nation's leading home win streak to 25 straight games. The Zags haven't lost a game in the Kennel since the 2018-19 season. Currently, Gonzaga is tied with Stephen F. Austin for the nation's longest win streak. Maryland is third with 22 straight, while South Dakota (20 straight) and Rice (19 straight) round out the top five.
- With the win over Loyola Marymount on Feb. 27, Gonzaga finished undefeated at home for the fifth time in program history and the second-straight season. It also marks the eighth undefeated home conference slate in program history.
- With the win, GU improved to 21-3 on the season. It marks the fifth-straight 20-win season for the Zags, and the 19th 20-win season in program history.
- Monday will mark the fifth time in program history the Zags have played on March 8. All of the Bulldogs' March 8 contests have been part of the WCC Tournament, and it will be the second time the Zags have faced Santa Clara on the date. The last time the Broncos and the Zags met on March 8, Santa Clara edged the Zags 60-59 in overtime of the WCC Tournament semifinals.
- Gonzaga collected five WCC All-Conference honors on Tuesday, tying BYU for league-leading honors. Senior Jenn Wirth picked up Player of the Year honors--the first of her career--and the second-straight Zag and third in the last four seasons to earn the top award. Wirth was also selected to the All-WCC First Team along with Jill Townsend, the second such award for both. Melody Kempton was named the first-ever WCC Sixth Woman of the Year along with Honorable Mention All-WCC, the first all-conference awards for the junior forward. Kayleigh Truong and LeeAnne Wirth joined Kempton as All-WCC Honorable Mention, the second All-WCC award for Truong (All-Freshman in 2020), and the first All-WCC award for LeeAnne Wirth.
- Currently, Gonzaga is ranked 18th in the AP Poll and 15th in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs have now been ranked or receiving votes for 53 consecutive voting weeks, dating back to Dec. 3, 2018.
- Gonzaga leads the WCC and ranks 15th nationally in scoring defense, limiting squads to an average of 55.1 points per game. The last two GU contests, the Zags have limited their opponent to 44.0 points shooting 31.6 percent from the floor (31-98).
- The Zags are also one of the top rebounding teams in the nation. On average, Gonzaga out-rebounds its opponents by 13.8 rebounds per game to rank fourth in the nation in rebounding margin.
- 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: 25-8, Gonzaga leads
- ROAD: 22-17, Santa Clara leads
- NEUTRAL: 1-0, Gonzaga leads
- FIRST MEETING: Gonzaga won, 59-45 (1988)
- LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 67-50 in Spokane, 2/13/21
- STREAK: Gonzaga, Won 10
 
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
- Santa Clara is 14-10 on the season following an 83-68 victory over Loyola Marymount in the quarterfinals of the WCC Tournament.
- As a team, Santa Clara averages 65.5 points per game shooting 41.5 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from long range. The Broncos add 34.4 rebounds per game, 12.0 assists and 9.1 steals per contest.
- Three players average double-figures for SCU, led by Lindsey VanAllen at 12.8 points per game shooting 41.7 percent from the floor and 35.6 percent from long range. Merle Wiehl adds 11.5 points per game while Ashlyn Herlihy chips in 11.3 points per contest with a team-leading 6.6 rebounds per game.
- Ashlee Maldonado leads the team in assists with 83 on the season, while three Broncos have at least 30 steals on the season: Wiehl (35), VanAllen (32) and Lexie Prichard (30).
 
WCCs: BY THE NUMBERS
- Gonzaga has won eight WCC Tournament titles, winning its first in 2007. The Zags claimed three-straight from 2009-2011, and back-to-back titles in 2013-2014 and 2017-2018.
- Since the Bulldogs won their first tournament title in 2007, four other teams have claimed a title: BYU (2012, 2015, 2019), Portland (2020), San Diego (2008) and San Francisco (2016).
- Since the WCC Tournament relocated to Las Vegas for the 2009 championships, Gonzaga has claimed seven of 11 tournament titles.
 
WCC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jenn Wirth became the 10th player in program history to be named WCC Player of the Year. It's the second-straight season a Bulldog has taken home the honor (Jill Townsend was the 2020 WCC Player of the Year), and the third time in the last four seasons (Jill Barta in 2018).  This season, Wirth has started all 24 games at forward for the Zags, averaging 13.2 points per game shooting a team- and conference-leading 56.7 percent from the floor. She also ranks third in the conference in rebounding with 8.42 per contest, and she ranks second in the conference with nine double-doubles on the season. The Mesa, Ariz., native was twice selected as the WCC Player of the Week this season, and she has scored in double-figures 17 times on the season with two 20+ scoring efforts, including a career-high 26 against Pacific on Jan. 4. Wirth also took home All-WCC First Team honors for the second-straight season.