Thursday, January 4
Portland, OR
6 p.m.
Gonzaga University
at
Portland
No. 18/19 WBB Opens WCC Play at Portland on Thursday
1/2/2024 7:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Zags finished 13-2 in the non-conference schedule
#18/19 Gonzaga (13-2) at Portland (8-6)
THURSDAY, JAN. 4 | 6 P.M. | PORTLAND, ORE. | CHILES CENTER (4,852)
RADIO: 94.1 FM or 790 AM | ESPN+ (LIVE VIDEO) | LIVE STATS
THE TIPOFF
- The No. 18/19 Gonzaga women's basketball team opens West Coast Conference play this Thursday at Portland. Tip off is slated for 6 p.m. at the Chiles Center.
- GU is coming off a 67-56 win over New Mexico on Dec. 22. Yvonne Ejim scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting, Brynna Maxwell added 14 points and No. 20 Gonzaga beat New Mexico 67-56 on Friday. Gonzaga (13-2) extended its home winning streak to 26, which ranks third in the country behind UNLV (28) and South Carolina (48).
- Five Zags are averaging double digits in scoring including Yvonne Ejim (20.3), Brynna Maxwell (13.8), Kayleigh Truong (13.4), Kaylynne Truong (11.1) and Eliza Hollingsworth (10.7).
- The Zags are fifth in the country in three-point percentage at 40.1%. GU's 48.7 field goal percentage also ranks 16th. From the free throw line, GU is ninth with 80.3%.
- Kaylynne Truong is fifth in the nation in assists with 94 so far this year along with 15th in the country in assists per game with 6.3. She is ranked third all-time at GU with assists as she just recorded her 500th against Arizona.
- Yvonne Ejim is second in the country in field goals with 133 scored this season. Her 304 points scored this year ranks sixth in the nation. Ejim has also scored double figures for 20-straight games and has scored at least 20 points in nine games this season.
- Yvonne Ejim has been named the WCC Player of the Week four times this season. She was also ESPN's Player of the Week and the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week (12/4).
- Kaylynne Truong was one of 20 point guards in the country named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list. Brynna Maxwell was also one of 20 shooting guards in the country named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list.
- Yvonne Ejim, Brynna Maxwell and Kaylynne Truong were named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Becky Hammon Player of the Year Award. Gonzaga is the only team with multiple players on the watch list and becomes the first team to ever place three players on a single list.
- Lisa Fortier was recently named to the 2024 Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year Award preseason watch list. This year's watch list includes coaches from 16 conferences.
- The Bulldogs were picked to win the West Coast Conference this season by the league's coaches.
- Gonzaga has amassed a conference record of 274-34 (.889) during the last 18 seasons.
- Last season, GU advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth-straight year under Lisa Fortier.
THE SERIES
SERIES INFO: This will be the 88th matchup between the two programs and the Zags hold a 60-28 record over the Pilots.
STREAK: Portland -1
FIRST MEETING: In 1981, the Zags won 78-72 on the road.
LAST MEETING: The Bulldogs went 2-1 against the Pilots last season with the most recent win being back on Feb. 11 at home, 63-53. GU then fell to the Pilots in the WCC Tournament Championship, 60-64.
SCOUTING THE PILOTS
- The Portland Pilots are currently 8-6 going into conference play and is coming off a 67-54 win over Portland State.
- The Pilots return four of five starters from last year, with Maisie Burnham and Emme Shearer returning as well as Lucy Cochrane and McKelle Meek.
- Dani Ananiev is the first Pilot to average double-digit points since Alex Fowler in 2019-20.
- Lucy Cochrane ranks first in the nation in blocks with 52 and 4 per game.
- The Pilots lead the WCC in steals per game (10.9), blocks per game (6.6), turnovers forced (20.62), and bench points per game (28.1). Nationally, they are fifth and 37th respectively in blocks and steals per game.
THURSDAY, JAN. 4 | 6 P.M. | PORTLAND, ORE. | CHILES CENTER (4,852)
RADIO: 94.1 FM or 790 AM | ESPN+ (LIVE VIDEO) | LIVE STATS
THE TIPOFF
- The No. 18/19 Gonzaga women's basketball team opens West Coast Conference play this Thursday at Portland. Tip off is slated for 6 p.m. at the Chiles Center.
- GU is coming off a 67-56 win over New Mexico on Dec. 22. Yvonne Ejim scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting, Brynna Maxwell added 14 points and No. 20 Gonzaga beat New Mexico 67-56 on Friday. Gonzaga (13-2) extended its home winning streak to 26, which ranks third in the country behind UNLV (28) and South Carolina (48).
- Five Zags are averaging double digits in scoring including Yvonne Ejim (20.3), Brynna Maxwell (13.8), Kayleigh Truong (13.4), Kaylynne Truong (11.1) and Eliza Hollingsworth (10.7).
- The Zags are fifth in the country in three-point percentage at 40.1%. GU's 48.7 field goal percentage also ranks 16th. From the free throw line, GU is ninth with 80.3%.
- Kaylynne Truong is fifth in the nation in assists with 94 so far this year along with 15th in the country in assists per game with 6.3. She is ranked third all-time at GU with assists as she just recorded her 500th against Arizona.
- Yvonne Ejim is second in the country in field goals with 133 scored this season. Her 304 points scored this year ranks sixth in the nation. Ejim has also scored double figures for 20-straight games and has scored at least 20 points in nine games this season.
- Yvonne Ejim has been named the WCC Player of the Week four times this season. She was also ESPN's Player of the Week and the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week (12/4).
- Kaylynne Truong was one of 20 point guards in the country named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list. Brynna Maxwell was also one of 20 shooting guards in the country named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award watch list.
- Yvonne Ejim, Brynna Maxwell and Kaylynne Truong were named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Becky Hammon Player of the Year Award. Gonzaga is the only team with multiple players on the watch list and becomes the first team to ever place three players on a single list.
- Lisa Fortier was recently named to the 2024 Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year Award preseason watch list. This year's watch list includes coaches from 16 conferences.
- The Bulldogs were picked to win the West Coast Conference this season by the league's coaches.
- Gonzaga has amassed a conference record of 274-34 (.889) during the last 18 seasons.
- Last season, GU advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth-straight year under Lisa Fortier.
THE SERIES
SERIES INFO: This will be the 88th matchup between the two programs and the Zags hold a 60-28 record over the Pilots.
STREAK: Portland -1
FIRST MEETING: In 1981, the Zags won 78-72 on the road.
LAST MEETING: The Bulldogs went 2-1 against the Pilots last season with the most recent win being back on Feb. 11 at home, 63-53. GU then fell to the Pilots in the WCC Tournament Championship, 60-64.
SCOUTING THE PILOTS
- The Portland Pilots are currently 8-6 going into conference play and is coming off a 67-54 win over Portland State.
- The Pilots return four of five starters from last year, with Maisie Burnham and Emme Shearer returning as well as Lucy Cochrane and McKelle Meek.
- Dani Ananiev is the first Pilot to average double-digit points since Alex Fowler in 2019-20.
- Lucy Cochrane ranks first in the nation in blocks with 52 and 4 per game.
- The Pilots lead the WCC in steals per game (10.9), blocks per game (6.6), turnovers forced (20.62), and bench points per game (28.1). Nationally, they are fifth and 37th respectively in blocks and steals per game.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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