Gonzaga University
#15 Brigham Young
WBB Takes on No. 15 BYU in WCC Championship Game
3/7/2022 9:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Zags are currently 2-2 against the Cougars in the conference title game
TUESDAY, MARCH 8 | 1 P.M. | ORLEANS ARENA | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
TV: ESPNU | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS | 94.1 FM or 790 AM KJRB
THE TIP OFF
- The Gonzaga Bulldogs advanced to the West Coast Conference Championship Game versus No. 15 and first-seeded Brigham Young on Tuesday, March 8. A win would give GU its 10th WCC Tournament Title in women's basketball program history.
- Gonzaga is coming off a its third win over the University of San Francisco, 66-59. Sophomore Yvonne Ejim recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 points and a team-high 14 rebounds. Junior Kaylynne Truong led the team over with 16 points as senior Abby O'Connor also recorded double digits with 11
- Junior Kayleigh Truong is currently leading the Zags with 10.8 points and team-high 3.8 assists a game. Senior Melody Kempton leads the team in rebounds with 6.4 a contest and also has recorded 26 steals this season. Sophomore Yvonne Ejim leads the team with 40 blocks, with senior Anamaria Virjoghe right behind her with 39. Ejim also has a team-high 44 steals this year, while averaging 20.4 minutes off the bench.
- Cierra Walker is ranked eighth Iin the country and first in the WCC in three-point field-goal percentage as she has averaged 44.4 percent so far this year.
- Melody Kempton is currently first second in the conference in field-goal percentage at 54.3 percent. The mark is currently ranked first in program history for Gonzaga women's basketball.
- From the charity stripe, the Zags have made 392 this season and are second in the WCC in free-throw percentage (77 percent), which also ranks 19th in the nation.
- Defensively, the Bulldogs are first in the conference in scoring defense with 55.6 points, also good for 25th in the country. From beyond the arc, Gonzaga is shooting at 35.3 percent, which is also first in the WCC.
- The Zags are averaging 40.7 rebounds a game and a 10.5 rebound margin, which ranks sixth in the nation and both marks rank first in the WCC.
- In conference games won this year, GU has an average margin of victory 21.2 by points.
- Last season, the Zags advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-straight year under coach Lisa Fortier.
- During the Fortier era, the Zags have recorded a 10-4 record in the WCC Tournament. Since 2017, Gonzaga has advanced to at least the semifinal round of the tournament as GU has won three conference titles under Fortier.
-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: 34 all-time meetings, Gonzaga leads 19-15. Head coach Lisa Fortier is 10-9 overall against BYU.
STREAK: BYU - 2
FIRST MEETING: The Zags fell to BYU, 80-63, at home in 1984.
LAST MEETING: BYU has defeated GU in both regular season matchups this year. Most recently, the Cougars won 63-39 on Feb. 19.
HISTORY AT WCC TOURNAMENT: During the Fortier era, the Zags have recorded a 11-4 record in the WCC Tournament. Since 2017, Gonzaga has advanced to at least the semifinal round of the tournament.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VS BYU: The Bulldogs are currently 2-2 against the Cougars in the WCC Championship game with their most recent win last year in a 43-42 victory.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
- BYU won its fifth regular-season conference title under head coach Jeff Judkins with a 15-1 record in league play.
- The Cougars suffered their only WCC loss of the year on the road at Portland in a 75-64 defeat. BYU is 26-6 against Portland in the all-time series.
- BYU won 25 games in the regular season, the most ever in the history of the program.
- BYU has won the WCC Tournament three times under head coach Jeff Judkins. The Cougars last won it in 2019 and also won in 2015 and 2012.
- Head coach Jeff Judkins won the WCC Coach of the Year for the second-consecutive year. It was his third WCC coaching honor and sixth coach of the year award for his career. Shaylee Gonzales was named the WCC Player of the Year after earning co-player of the year honors last year.
- In addition to Gonzales, Paisley Harding and Lauren Gustin were also named All-WCC First Team selections while Tegan Graham was an honorable mention.
- Heading into the tournament, BYU ranked No. 1 in scoring margin at +21.2 points per game, No. 7 in scoring offense at 79.2 points per game. The Cougars are No. 2 in assists per game (20.3) and No. 3 in assist to turnover ratio (1.55), No. 5 in field goal percentage (47.7) and No. 23 in field goal percentage defense (35.7).
