RV/RV Gonzaga (0-0) vs. Long Beach State (0-0)
THURSDAY, NOV. 10 | 7:30 P.M. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER | SPOKANE
TV: SWX | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP OFF
- Gonzaga opens the 2022-23 regular season by hosting Long Beach State this Thursday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennel. 
- 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 Bulldogs recently played against Western Washington in their lone exhibition game of the year. The Zags were led by senior Kayleigh Truong with a 17-point performance. Two other Bulldogs also scored in double figures, including graduate transfer Brynna Maxwell with 14 and junior Yvonne Ejim with 13. Ejim was just shy of a double double as she led the team in rebounds with nine. From beyond the arc, GU made 10 three-pointers with Kayleigh Truong making five of those.
- In their last home opener in the 2021 season, the Zags hosted Montana State and won 72-47. Senior Melody Kempton recorded the first double-double game of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Kaylynne Truong led the team with a career-high 16 points and four steals. Sophomore Yvonne Ejim was right behind her with a career-best of 14 points and eight rebounds. Junior Kayleigh Truong was the other Zag scoring in double-digits, recording 12. Overall, Gonzaga outrebounded MSU 43-27 and shot a 50.9 percentage from the floor. Gonzaga had 36 points come from the bench with another 44 in the paint. GU forced 19 turnovers, scoring 24 points from those.
- Last season, the Zags advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth-straight year under head coach Lisa Fortier.

THE SERIES
SERIES INFO: This will be the first time the two programs have ever met.     
STREAK: N/A    
FIRST MEETING: N/A    
LAST MEETING: N/A    
HOME SEASON-OPENING SUCCESS: The Zags haven't lost a home opener since Nov. 25, 2003, when they fell to No. 24 Oregon, 73-57. At last year's home opener, Gonzaga hosted the Montana State and won 72-47 over the Bobcats. Senior Melody Kempton recorded the first double-double game of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds.     

SCOUTING THE BEACH
- Long Beach State begins the 2022-23 season after having put together a 19-9 overall record a year ago, with a 12-6 Big West mark.
- Head Coach Jeff Cammon returns to the Beach for his sixth season at the helm after leading LBSU to 19 wins, marking the most in the Cammon era, as well as a WNIT appearance in 2021-22.
- The Beach have been chosen to finish third in the Big West Preseason Coaches Poll with a total of 73 points
- This season, Long Beach State welcomes back six letterwinners, including starters Ma'Qhi Berry and Kianna Hamilton-Fisher. 
- Additionally, the Beach brings in 10 new faces as the roster features six transfer student-athletes and four incoming freshmen.
- Ma'Qhi Berry returns to the hardwood for her final year in Black & Gold. Berry heads into her fifth year averaging 8.0 points per game, and 3.2 rebounds per game, to go along with 2.8 assists per game and 1.7 steals per game. 
- Malia Bambrick is utilizing her fifth year of eligibility at Long Beach State after having played four years at Pepperdine.