Saturday, December 14
Spokane, Wash.
2 p.m.
Gonzaga University
vs
Eastern Washington
WBB Hosts Eastern Washington this Saturday
12/12/2024 1:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Gonzaga returns home for the first time since Nov. 21
EWU (2-7) at GONZAGA (4-6)
SATURDAY, DEC. 14 | SPOKANE, WA | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER (6,000)
SWX| ESPN+ | 101.5 FM
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
THE TIPOFF
- The Gonzaga women's basketball returns home this Saturday for the first time since Nov. 21, to host the Eastern Washington Eagles. The series dates back to 1982 with GU winning the last 18 contests between the two teams.
- The Zags are coming off a road trip to Colorado State where the team fell in overtime to the Rams.
- Yvonne Ejim has a chance to make history in the record books. She currently has 1,849 career points and is 316 points away from breaking the all-time scoring record. She has recorded 30 double doubles in her career and has scored double digits in 52-straight games.
- Ejim is now third all-time in rebounds with 906. She will move into second with 27 more rebounds.
- Allie Turner has made a huge impact as a freshman already this season. She ranks first in the nation in three-pointers made (29) among freshmen and is averaging 13.9 points per game. Overall, she ranks 14th in the country and first in the WCC in made three-pointers.
- Claire O'Connor ranks second on the team in three pointers made with 14.
- Turner is the first true freshman to score 20 points in a game since Courtney Vandersloot.
- Ejim leads the Zags with 19 points a game, which ranks 36th in the country and first in the WCC. She also grabs an average of 9.1 rebounds a game this season to rank first in the conference and on the team. Her five double doubles this season ranks her 13th in the nation and first in the conference.
- Gonzaga is shooting at 36.7% from beyond the arc to rank 32nd nationally and first in the WCC.
- As a team, GU has a rebound margin of +7.5 and has an average of 36.4 rebounds a game.
- Head coach Lisa Fortier currently sits at 269-69 in her career. Among active Division I coaches, she is seventh in winning percentage at 89.8%.
- The Bulldogs were picked to finish first in the West Coast Conference in preseason polls for the third-straight season. Ejim and Maud Huijbens were named to the All-WCC Preseason Team.
- Lisa Fortier was named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year preseason watch list after she had won the award last season.
- 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 program history.
- 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.
- Lisa Fortier was named a semifinalist 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 36-13
LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 82-80 on November 29, 2023, in Cheney, Wash.
SCOUTING THE EAGS
- The Eagles participated in the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge last week, going 0-2 in a road and home game. Eastern fell on the road to South Dakota State (58-81) and at home to North Dakota State (47-74). EWU had difficulty scoring in both games, shooting 35.4 and 27.5 percent from the floor in the two matchups respectively. Peyton Howard led the team in scoring both games, averaging 16.5 points per game and six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
-The Eagles continue to rebound the ball well, averaging 40.2 per game to rank third in the Big Sky. They average 13.3 offensive rebounds per game - ranking second in the conference - and 26.9 on the defensive side.
- Howard is second in the conference with a 16.2 points per game average, while shooting 44.0 overall and 37.5 percent from three, both ranking third on the conference leaderboard.
- Against SDSU, Kourtney Grossman recorded her first collegiate double-double with a 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, also a career-high. The true freshman leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per game and is fourth in scoring with 6.4 points per game.
SATURDAY, DEC. 14 | SPOKANE, WA | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER (6,000)
SWX| ESPN+ | 101.5 FM
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
THE TIPOFF
- The Gonzaga women's basketball returns home this Saturday for the first time since Nov. 21, to host the Eastern Washington Eagles. The series dates back to 1982 with GU winning the last 18 contests between the two teams.
- The Zags are coming off a road trip to Colorado State where the team fell in overtime to the Rams.
- Yvonne Ejim has a chance to make history in the record books. She currently has 1,849 career points and is 316 points away from breaking the all-time scoring record. She has recorded 30 double doubles in her career and has scored double digits in 52-straight games.
- Ejim is now third all-time in rebounds with 906. She will move into second with 27 more rebounds.
- Allie Turner has made a huge impact as a freshman already this season. She ranks first in the nation in three-pointers made (29) among freshmen and is averaging 13.9 points per game. Overall, she ranks 14th in the country and first in the WCC in made three-pointers.
- Claire O'Connor ranks second on the team in three pointers made with 14.
- Turner is the first true freshman to score 20 points in a game since Courtney Vandersloot.
- Ejim leads the Zags with 19 points a game, which ranks 36th in the country and first in the WCC. She also grabs an average of 9.1 rebounds a game this season to rank first in the conference and on the team. Her five double doubles this season ranks her 13th in the nation and first in the conference.
- Gonzaga is shooting at 36.7% from beyond the arc to rank 32nd nationally and first in the WCC.
- As a team, GU has a rebound margin of +7.5 and has an average of 36.4 rebounds a game.
- Head coach Lisa Fortier currently sits at 269-69 in her career. Among active Division I coaches, she is seventh in winning percentage at 89.8%.
- The Bulldogs were picked to finish first in the West Coast Conference in preseason polls for the third-straight season. Ejim and Maud Huijbens were named to the All-WCC Preseason Team.
- Lisa Fortier was named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year preseason watch list after she had won the award last season.
- 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 program history.
- 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.
- Lisa Fortier was named a semifinalist 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 36-13
LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 82-80 on November 29, 2023, in Cheney, Wash.
SCOUTING THE EAGS
- The Eagles participated in the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge last week, going 0-2 in a road and home game. Eastern fell on the road to South Dakota State (58-81) and at home to North Dakota State (47-74). EWU had difficulty scoring in both games, shooting 35.4 and 27.5 percent from the floor in the two matchups respectively. Peyton Howard led the team in scoring both games, averaging 16.5 points per game and six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
-The Eagles continue to rebound the ball well, averaging 40.2 per game to rank third in the Big Sky. They average 13.3 offensive rebounds per game - ranking second in the conference - and 26.9 on the defensive side.
- Howard is second in the conference with a 16.2 points per game average, while shooting 44.0 overall and 37.5 percent from three, both ranking third on the conference leaderboard.
- Against SDSU, Kourtney Grossman recorded her first collegiate double-double with a 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, also a career-high. The true freshman leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per game and is fourth in scoring with 6.4 points per game.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
G
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