Saturday, February 24
Malibu, CA
2 p.m.
Gonzaga University
at
Pepperdine
No. 15/16 WBB Hits the Road to Play Pepperdine on Saturday
2/23/2024 2:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Zags sit at 14-0 in the WCC
#15/16 Gonzaga (27-2, 14-0) at Pepperdine (5-22, 1-13)
SATURDAY, FEB. 24 | 2 P.M. | MALIBU, CA | FIRESTONE FIELDHOUSE (3,140)
RADIO: 94.1 FM or 790 AM | ESPN+ | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
THE TIPOFF
- The No. 16/15 Gonzaga women's basketball hits the road to play Pepperdine on Saturday.
- With a win against Pacific, Gonzaga clinched the WCC Regular Season Title last week.
- GU is coming off a 74-48 win over San Francisco. Yvonne Ejim scored 20 points, Brynna Maxwell added 18 as Gonzaga won its 21st-straight game.
- Gonzaga is currently on a 33 home game winning streak. It ranks second in the country South Carolina (56). Gonzaga's 21-straight wins is third in the country along with their 27-2 (.931) record. Their 27 wins is the most in the country.
- GU is currently defeating conference opponents by an average of 29.1 points.
- Five Zags are averaging double digits in scoring including Yvonne Ejim (20.2), Brynna Maxwell (14.1), Kayleigh Truong (12.1), Kaylynne Truong (11.8) and Eliza Hollingsworth (10.2).
- Head coach Lisa Fortier currently sits at 260-61 in her career. Among active Division I coaches, she is fifth in winning percentage at 80.9%.
- The Zags are second in the country and first in the WCC in three-point percentage at 40.4%. GU's 49.2% in field goals also ranks sixth. From the free throw line, GU is fifth with 80%.
- Kaylynne Truong is sixth in the nation and first in the conference in assists with 172 along with 14th in the country in assists per game with 5.9. She also is shooting at 45.3% from the three to rank third.
- Maxwell has made a three-pointer in every game this season and is eighth in the country with 79 three-pointers made this season. She sits at ninth overall with 44.4% from beyond the arc.
- Ejim is fourth in the country in field goals with 234 scored this season. Her 545 points scored this year ranks 17th in the nation. Ejim has also scored double figures for 33-straight games and has scored at least 20 points in 16 games this season.
- Ejim is shooting at 63.4%, which ranks fifth in the country and first in the WCC. She is currently averaging 20.2 ppg, which is ranked 21st in the nation and first in the conference.
- Yvonne Ejim has been named to the Naismith POY Watch List, Katrina McClain Top 10 Power Forward Watch list, the Wade Trophy Watch List along with the Becky Hammon Player of the Year Midseason Watch List. She has been WCC Player of the Week five times this season. She was also ESPN's Player of the Week and the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week (12/4).
- Lisa Fortier was named to the 2024 Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year Award midseason watch list. This year's watch list includes coaches from eight 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 81st matchup between the two programs and the Zags hold a 50-30 record over the Waves.
STREAK: Gonzaga - 15
FIRST MEETING: In 1988, the Zags won 60-59 on the road.
LAST MEETING: Kaylynne Truong hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points to lead Gonzaga over Pepperdine 83-46 at home for the Bulldogs' 17th-straight win back on Feb. 8.
SCOUTING THE WAVES
- Jane Nwaba was Pepperdine's leading scorer in Spokane with 11 points, while Emerita Mashaire chipped in seven points, plus Jorynn Ross and Maggie Vick managed to score six points apiece — despite the latter playing in foul trouble throughout the second half.
- With eight double-doubles this season and 10 in her career, Nwaba is two double-doubles away from tying for ninth on Pepperdine's single-season and career double-doubles rankings. Nwaba continues to lead the team in scoring (10.3 points per game), rebounding (7.7 per game, 4th in the WCC), assists (3.0 per game) and steals (1.3 per game). The senior from Carson, Calif. has finished in double-figures in the last eight games and has notched back-to-back double-doubles.
- The Waves are looking to bounce back from Thursday's difficult 70-54 loss, in which the Waves led early in the third quarter, then gave up two critical runs to the Pacific Tigers as their lead slipped away. Pepperdine's 24-point first-quarter was its best of WCC play, thanks to 10 first-quarter points from Nwaba. Helena Friend wound up being Pepperdine's leading scorer with 13 points on 3-for-5 shooting, while Mi'Cole Cayton recorded her first double-figure scoring game in a Pepperdine uniform with 10 points.
SATURDAY, FEB. 24 | 2 P.M. | MALIBU, CA | FIRESTONE FIELDHOUSE (3,140)
RADIO: 94.1 FM or 790 AM | ESPN+ | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
THE TIPOFF
- The No. 16/15 Gonzaga women's basketball hits the road to play Pepperdine on Saturday.
- With a win against Pacific, Gonzaga clinched the WCC Regular Season Title last week.
- GU is coming off a 74-48 win over San Francisco. Yvonne Ejim scored 20 points, Brynna Maxwell added 18 as Gonzaga won its 21st-straight game.
- Gonzaga is currently on a 33 home game winning streak. It ranks second in the country South Carolina (56). Gonzaga's 21-straight wins is third in the country along with their 27-2 (.931) record. Their 27 wins is the most in the country.
- GU is currently defeating conference opponents by an average of 29.1 points.
- Five Zags are averaging double digits in scoring including Yvonne Ejim (20.2), Brynna Maxwell (14.1), Kayleigh Truong (12.1), Kaylynne Truong (11.8) and Eliza Hollingsworth (10.2).
- Head coach Lisa Fortier currently sits at 260-61 in her career. Among active Division I coaches, she is fifth in winning percentage at 80.9%.
- The Zags are second in the country and first in the WCC in three-point percentage at 40.4%. GU's 49.2% in field goals also ranks sixth. From the free throw line, GU is fifth with 80%.
- Kaylynne Truong is sixth in the nation and first in the conference in assists with 172 along with 14th in the country in assists per game with 5.9. She also is shooting at 45.3% from the three to rank third.
- Maxwell has made a three-pointer in every game this season and is eighth in the country with 79 three-pointers made this season. She sits at ninth overall with 44.4% from beyond the arc.
- Ejim is fourth in the country in field goals with 234 scored this season. Her 545 points scored this year ranks 17th in the nation. Ejim has also scored double figures for 33-straight games and has scored at least 20 points in 16 games this season.
- Ejim is shooting at 63.4%, which ranks fifth in the country and first in the WCC. She is currently averaging 20.2 ppg, which is ranked 21st in the nation and first in the conference.
- Yvonne Ejim has been named to the Naismith POY Watch List, Katrina McClain Top 10 Power Forward Watch list, the Wade Trophy Watch List along with the Becky Hammon Player of the Year Midseason Watch List. She has been WCC Player of the Week five times this season. She was also ESPN's Player of the Week and the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week (12/4).
- Lisa Fortier was named to the 2024 Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year Award midseason watch list. This year's watch list includes coaches from eight 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 81st matchup between the two programs and the Zags hold a 50-30 record over the Waves.
STREAK: Gonzaga - 15
FIRST MEETING: In 1988, the Zags won 60-59 on the road.
LAST MEETING: Kaylynne Truong hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points to lead Gonzaga over Pepperdine 83-46 at home for the Bulldogs' 17th-straight win back on Feb. 8.
SCOUTING THE WAVES
- Jane Nwaba was Pepperdine's leading scorer in Spokane with 11 points, while Emerita Mashaire chipped in seven points, plus Jorynn Ross and Maggie Vick managed to score six points apiece — despite the latter playing in foul trouble throughout the second half.
- With eight double-doubles this season and 10 in her career, Nwaba is two double-doubles away from tying for ninth on Pepperdine's single-season and career double-doubles rankings. Nwaba continues to lead the team in scoring (10.3 points per game), rebounding (7.7 per game, 4th in the WCC), assists (3.0 per game) and steals (1.3 per game). The senior from Carson, Calif. has finished in double-figures in the last eight games and has notched back-to-back double-doubles.
- The Waves are looking to bounce back from Thursday's difficult 70-54 loss, in which the Waves led early in the third quarter, then gave up two critical runs to the Pacific Tigers as their lead slipped away. Pepperdine's 24-point first-quarter was its best of WCC play, thanks to 10 first-quarter points from Nwaba. Helena Friend wound up being Pepperdine's leading scorer with 13 points on 3-for-5 shooting, while Mi'Cole Cayton recorded her first double-figure scoring game in a Pepperdine uniform with 10 points.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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