RV/RV Gonzaga (0-0) vs. Western Washington University (0-0)
THURSDAY, NOV. 4 | 6 P.M. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER | SPOKANE
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP OFF
- Gonzaga opens the 2022-23 season hosting Western Washington University in an exhibition for both teams Friday, Nov. 4 at 6 p.m.
- The Zags are receiving votes in the most recent USA TODAY Sports/WBCA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
- The Bulldogs were recently picked to win the West Coast Conference. The Zags received nine first-place votes that and totaled 81 points in the poll. The poll is voted on by the league's 10 head coaches, and coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team. Portland received one first-place votes and was selected to finish second with 71 points, while BYU was voted to finish third with 55 points.
- Gonzaga has amassed a conference record of 257-33 (.886) during the last 17 seasons, which includes 16 West Coast Conference regular-season titles and nine WCC Tournament championships.
- Seniors Kayleigh Truong, Kaylynne Truong and junior Yvonne Ejim were also named to the Preseason All-WCC Team. Ejim is the reigning WCC Sixth Woman of the Year while also receiving All-WCC Second Team in 2021-22. Kayleigh Truong earned All-WCC First Team honors after her performance in 2021-22.  Kaylynne Truong was named to the WCC Tournament team along with the Rainbow Wahine Showdown MVP as she was ranked third on the team in scoring last year. 
- The Zags have a history of cruising in their season-opening exhibitions. Gonzaga has an average margin of victory of 50 points in exhibition wins over the past three games. 
- In their last exhibition in 2021, the Bulldogs eased to a 78-42 exhibition win over Central Washington. Junior Kayleigh Truong led the team with 14 points and senior Melody Kempton pulled in a team-high nine rebounds. The Zags led the whole game and had 46 points come off the bench, 42 in the paint and another 26 off turnovers. Gonzaga opened the game by going on a 24-0 run. They did not allow any scoring from CWU until 50 seconds were left in the first quarter. Overall, GU held the Wildcats to a 5.8 percent shooting percentage in the first frame. The Bulldogs were also aggressive on the boards as they outrebounded Central Washington, 54-22. Overall, Gonzaga shot at 47.6 percent and scored four three-pointers throughout the contest. Kayleigh Truong scored two from beyond the arc, which led the team.
- Last season, the Zags advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth-straight year under head coach Lisa Fortier.
- The Bulldogs open the regular season at home on Thursday, Nov. 10 against Long Beach State. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. in the McCarthey Athletic Center.
 
THE SERIES
SERIES INFO: The Zags and Western Washington have met 17 times in program history, all in the 1980s. The Vikings currently have a 11-6 record against GU in regular season meetings.     
STREAK: Western Washington - 2    
FIRST MEETING: Gonzaga lost to WWU in 1981 at home, 69-50.    
LAST MEETING: The Bulldogs played the Vikings five times in 1986 with the last game at the NAIA District I Playoffs in Bellingham, Wash. The Zags fell 70-69 in the 1986 season finale and went 2-3 overall against WWU that year.    
EXHIBITION SUCCESS: GU has an average margin of victory of 50 points in its last four exhibition games.    
 
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS:
- Junior forward Brooke Walling, senior guard Mollie Olson, senior guard Avery Dykstra and sophomore guard Riley Dykstra were all selected following their GNAC Championships victory and run to the NCAA Division II Championship title game last season.
- WWU will open the season as the GNAC favorites and is ranked No. 1 in the D2SIDA Preseason Media Poll and No. 2 in the WBCA Coaches Poll. The Vikings are coming off a 25-6 campaign in 2021-22 that featured the GNAC title, the West Regional title and a run through the Elite 8 field that finished playing in the national championship game.
- Walling was a key piece to the Vikings postseason run, averaging 10.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game during the regular season, and upping those averages to 18.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in six NCAA tournament games.
- Olson was an honorable mention All-GNAC selection averaging 7.2 points and 2.5 assists per game. Avery Dykstra was the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and younger sister Riley Dykstra was the GNAC Freshman of the Year.