RV/RV  Gonzaga (0-0) vs. Montana (0-0)
TUESDAY, NOVEMEBR 5 | 6 P.M. | McCARTHY ATHLETIC CENTER (6,000)
ESPN+ | 101.5 FM
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS

THE TIPOFF
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team opens the regular season against Montana this Tuesday, Nov. 5. This is the sixth season in a row that the two teams have faced each other.
- Last year, the Zags defeated the Griz in Missoula, 83-70. Gonzaga had four players score in double figures, including Yvonne Ejim who had 17 points and eight rebounds.
- The Bulldogs were picked to finish first in the West Coast Conference in preseason polls for the third-straight season. Graduate student Maud Huijbens and Fifth Year Yvonne Ejim were also named to the Preseason All-WCC Team as the poll and preseason all-conference team.
- Gonzaga is receiving votes in both the AP Poll and Coaches Poll. 
- Yvonne Ejim has been named to multiple preseason watch lists including the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year, the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year, and Becky Hammon Player of the Year.
- Lisa Fortier was named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year preseason watch list after she had won the award last season.
- Yvonne Ejim has a chance to make history in the record books. She currently has 1,659 career points and is 507 points away from breaking the all-time scoring record.
- The Zags have won 36-straight games at home, which is a school record and ranks second in the nation only behind South Carolina (59-straight).
- The Bulldogs are coming off a historical season after advancing to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in program history. GU finished with 32 wins last year, which was the most in a season as the team earned a top four seed into the NCAA Tournament. 
- Head coach Lisa Fortier currently sits at 265-63 in her career. Among active Division I coaches, she is fifth in winning percentage at 80.8%.
- Last season, Yvonne Ejim was named an AP All-American Honorable Mention, Naismith POY Watch List, Katrina McClain Top 5 Power Forward Finalist, the Wade Trophy Watch List along winning the Becky Hammon Player of the Year, WCC Player of the Year and WCC Defensive Player of the Year. She was the WCC Player of the Week six times last season. She was also ESPN's Player of the Week and the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week. 
- Lisa Fortier was named a semifinalst for the Naismith Coach of the Year award as she led the Zags to its 15th overall NCAA appearance last year.

THE SERIES
SERIES INFO: Gonzaga leads 18-17 with the teams playing each other since 1981.
LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 83-70 on November 6, 2023, in Missoula, Mont. Four players scored in double figures for GU as the Bulldogs have won the last 11 games against the Griz. 

SCOUTING THE GRIZ
- Montana went 23-10 a season ago, the program's first 20-win season since 2015-16, the last year the Lady Griz were coached by Robin Selvig.
- Montana, which lost in the semifinals of the Big Sky tournament in Boise to Northern Arizona, was selected to play in the WNIT, the program's 28th national tournament appearance, and defeated Boise State at home, 92-66, before falling at North Dakota State in the round of 32.
- The Lady Griz lost three of their top four scorers from a year ago to graduation, four of their top six overall, and have three starters returning: seniors Dani Bartsch and MJ Bruno, and junior Mack Konig.
- Bartsch was voted second-team All-Big Sky last season and to the Big Sky All-Defensive Team. She set a new program record for rebounds in a season (342) and became the first Lady Griz to lead the Big Sky in rebounding (10.4/g) since 1995-96.
Coach Brian Holsinger, who enters his fourth season at Montana with a record of 56-37, brought in three true freshmen and three transfers: graduate student Tyler McCliment-Call (Stephen F. Austin), redshirt junior Izabella Zingaro (Iowa State) and sophomore Aby Shubert (Xavier).