-/RV Gonzaga (18-5, 9-1 WCC) at Santa Clara (11-10, 5-6 WCC)
THURSDAY, FEB. 10 | 6 P.M. | LEAVEY CENTER | SANTA CLARA, CALIF.
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THE TIP OFF
- The Gonzaga Bulldogs travel to Santa Clara University this Thursday, Jan. 10, for a 6 p.m. tipoff.
- Gonzaga is coming off a gritty win over the University of San Francisco, 55-49. The Bulldogs were led by sophomore Yvonne Ejim who scored 17 points and eight rebounds. Junior Kayleigh Truong was the next leading scorer with 11 points. Senior Melody Kempton led the team with 10 rebounds and also scored seven points for the Bulldogs.
- Kayleigh Truong leads the Zags with 11.1 points a game and Melody Kempton is right behind her with 10.5 points and a team-leading 6.3 rebounds a game. Kaylynne Truong and Kayleigh Truong are averaging 3.4 and 35 assists a game, respectively, as Kayleigh had to miss three games earlier this season due to an injury. Yvonne Ejim has a team-high 30 blocks and 34 steals so far this year and Anamaria Virjoghe has 29 blocks.
- Cierra Walker is ranked 23rd in the country and first in the WCC in three-point field-goal percentage as she has averaged 43.2 percent this year.
- Melody Kempton is currently ranked second in the conference in field-goal percentage at 53.9 percent.
- From the charity stripe, the Zags are first in the WCC in free throws made (306) and second in free-throw percentage (76.9), which also ranks 22nd in the nation.
- Defensively, the Bulldogs are first in the conference in scoring defense with 54.8 points, which is also good for 21st in the country.
- The Zags are averaging 40.3 rebounds a game and a 10 rebound margin, which ranks seventh in the nation and first in the WCC.
- In conference games won this year, GU has an average margin of victory by 18.8 points.
- After this game at Santa Clara, the Bulldogs continue their trip to the University of San Francisco on Saturday, Feb. 12.
- Last season, the Zags advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-straight year under head coach Lisa Fortier.
- Gonzaga returns two starters and seven letterwinners from last season's squad that claimed the Zags' fifth consecutive West Coast Conference regular season title.
-The Zags won their ninth WCC Tournament Title in 2021 with a thrilling victory over BYU in the championship game.

GAME AT A GLANCE
SERIES INFO: 74 all-time meetings, Gonzaga leads 45-29. Head coach Lisa Fortier is 14-2 against SCU.    
STREAK: Gonzaga - 11    
FIRST MEETING: GU won at home in 1988, 59-45, against the Broncos.    
LAST MEETING: Gonzaga played Santa Clara three times last season and won all of them. The last one was in the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas and the Zags won 72-63. Overall, GU has gone 31-2 since 2007 against the Broncos.    
IN THE POLLS: GU has received votes in almost every week's coaches poll, only missing votes in two weeks so far this year.              

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
- Santa Clara is currently 11-10 overall and 5-6 in the WCC. SCU is also 10-2 at home this year as the team is coming off a 88-81 loss against Saint Mary's.
- The Broncos are averaging 70.9 points per game this year, third in the West Coast Conference, while shooting 41.7-percent from the field and 34.2-percent from beyond the arc. Defensively, they have allowed 66.8 ppg while forcing 15.1 turnovers per contest. Their plus-5.5 rebounding margin is second in the conference.
- Lindsey VanAllen leads the WCC in scoring with 19.3 ppg. Merle Wiehl leads the team with 7.0 rpg, good for fifth in the WCC, and scores 13.2 ppg. Ashley Hiraki is scoring 8.4 ppg with a team-best 3.6 apg and adds 4.1 rpg. Lana Hollingsworth scores 8.2 ppg with 4.4 rpg as well.
- The Broncos are missing Lexie Pritchard who was injured at Long Beach State on November 21. Ashlee Maldonado will miss the season with a torn ACL. Both were projected starters before the season.
- Lindsey VanAllen scored her 1,000th career point on January 20 against LMU, becoming the 27th Bronco to accomplish the feat.