9-seed Gonzaga (28-4) vs. 8-seed Ole Miss (23-8)
FRIDAY, MARCH 17 | 7 P.M. PT | MAPLES PAVILION | STANFORD, CA.
TELEVISION: ESPN | RADIO: 94.1 FM or 790 AM
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP OFF
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team is set to play in its sixth-straight NCAA Tournament against eight-seeded Ole Miss on Friday, March 17. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPNU. This marks the second-straight year that the Zags have received a No. 9 seed for the NCAA Tournament. 
- GU is coming off a close loss to Portland in the WCC Tournament Championship game. Yvonne Ejim led the Zags with her fourth-straight double double with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Ejim and Kaylynne Truong were both named to the WCC All-Tournament Team after their efforts.
- The Zags have three players currently averaging double digits in so far this season, including Yvonne Ejim (16.7), Kaylynne Truong (16.1), and Brynna Maxwell (13.8). Ejim is currently fourth in the WCC in scoring with Kaylynne being fifth. Maxwell is also 11th in the conference.
- The Bulldogs are currently shooting at a program record 79.1 percent from the free throw line, which also ranks fifth in the country. Brynna Maxwell leads the team individually with 94.7 percent, which leads the conference. She currently has only missed four free throws so far this year and has made 76. 
- Brynna Maxwell has made a three-pointer in 31 of 32 games this year. Maxwell is shooting 49.4 percent from the three-point line and is currently second in the country. 
- As a team, the Bulldogs are shooting a school record breaking 41.5  percent from beyond the arc, which leads the nation. Kaylynne Truong ranks 16th in the country and fourth in the WCC with 42.3 percent. 
- Gonzaga went undefeated at home this year. GU has won the last 20-straight home games, which is the second best home winning streak in the country.
- Kaylynne Truong is currently dishing out five assists a game to rank first in the conference and 32nd in the country. Overall, she has recorded 160 assists which is good for 29th in the nation. She has also scored in double figures in 28 games total this year. From beyond the arc, Kaylynne has made 93 three pointers this season to break the GU record of made threes in a season, which was previously 90 from Jessica Malone in 2001-02.
- The Zags are 27th in the country in field goal percentage with 45.3 percent. 
- Injuries have been an issue for GU this season as Gonzaga has been without senior guard Kayleigh Truong since Nov. 21. She returned to the lineup for the first time against San Diego on Feb. 23. 
- Lisa Fortier was named WCC Coach of the Year and Kaylynne Truong was tabbed WCC Player of the Year last week. It was the fifth time Fortier has been given the honor. She was also recently named a Naismith Coach of the Year candidate. Yvonne Ejim, Brynna Maxwell and Truong were also named to All-WCC First Team. McKayla Williams was honored with All-WCC Honorable Mention and Calli Stokes was tabbed to the All-WCC Freshman Team. 
- Gonzaga has amassed a conference record of 274-34 (.889) during the last 19 seasons, which includes 17 West Coast Conference regular-season titles and nine WCC Tournament championships.

THE SERIES
SERIES INFO: This will be the third matchup between the two programs as the series is even at an overall 1-1 record.    
STREAK: Ole Miss - 1         
FIRST MEETING: In 1994, the Zags won in 1994, 66-62, at the Holiday Classic in Provo, Utah.    
LAST MEETING: In 2011, GU came up just short, 53-52, in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Hawaii against the Rebels. 

SCOUTING THE REBELS
- Appearing in its second straight SEC Tournament Semifinal, Ole Miss fell to undefeated South Carolina, falling 80-51 in Greenville. Leading the Rebels in scoring was Madison Scott with 15 points, followed by Angel Baker with nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.
- Ole Miss is led by Angel Baker who averages 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds a game. 
- Following an 11-2 non-conference slate with losses against NCAA Tournament teams in Utah and Oklahoma, Ole Miss began SEC play red hot with a 5-0 start on the way to a historic season. Highlighted by a 19-point comeback victory at Arkansas to conclude the month of January for its seventh SEC win, Ole Miss rattled off four more in February to hit the 11-win mark for just the second time in program history and the first under the SEC's 16-league game format.
- Against the Aggies in the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals, Ole Miss shot at 50.8%. This marked the second highest shooting percentage this season and the best against an SEC team all year