WASHINGTON STATE (15-10, 10-4) vs GONZAGA (16-8, 11-2 WCC) 
SATURDAY, FEB. 8 | 2 P.M. | SPOKANE, WASH. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER (6,000)
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THE TIPOFF
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team returns home to host the Washington State Cougars this Saturday, Feb. 8. The Zags are coming off a 69-58 win at Saint Mary's.
- Yvonne Ejim made history in the second quarter at SMC as she eclipsed 2,166 points to become the new scoring leader in Gonzaga women's basketball history. She broke Heather Bowman's record of 2,156 points scored from 2006-10. 
- Ejim has recorded 35 double doubles in her career and 10 this yar alone. She has scored double digits in 66-straight games with her last single digit scoring effort back on Feb. 16, 2023. She also ranks ninth in the nation in scoring with 519 points this season. 
- On Jan. 30, Ejim became the first WCC women's basketball player to eclipse 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. 
- Ejim was recently named an USBWA's National Player of the Week. She was also named to the midseason Wooden Award, Katrina McClain Power Forwar of the Year, Ann Dreysdale Player of the Year, College All-Star Game, and Becky Hammon Player of the Year watch lists.
- Bree Salenbien has made her return to the court for the first time since a knee injury sustained last February. 
- On Jan. 18, Ejim broke the all-time rebounding record at Gonzaga. She now holds the record at Gonzaga for most rebounds and most made field goals in a career. 
- Allie Turner has made a huge impact as a freshman already this season. She ranks first in the nation in three-pointers made (69) among freshmen and is averaging 13.1 points per game. Overall, she ranks sixth 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 35.
- Turner is the first true freshman to score 20+ points in multiple games since Heather Bowman (2006-07)
- Ejim ranks sixth in the nation in field goals made this season with 194. 
- Ejim leads the Zags with 21.6 points a game, which ranks ninth in the country and first in the WCC. She also grabs an average of 8.9 rebounds a game this season to rank first in the conference and on the team. Her 10 double doubles this season ranks her 25th in the nation and first in the conference. 
- Gonzaga is shooting at 36.3% from beyond the arc to rank 20th nationally and first in the WCC.  
- As a team, GU has a rebound margin of +9.7 to rank 10th in the country and number one in the conference. Overall, they have an average of 39.2 rebounds a game.
- Head coach Lisa Fortier currently sits at 280-71 in her career. Among active Division I coaches, she is seventh in winning percentage at 79.8%. 
- Fortier is tied for third place on the WCC career coaching wins list. She is six wins away from second of all-time.
- 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.

THE SERIES
SERIES INFO: Washington State leads 20-12       
LAST MEETING: Gonzaga won 69-61 on Jan. 11, 2025, in Pullman, Wash.    

SCOUTING THE COUGS
- One of the top-blocking teams in the nation, WSU is 15-10 this season and 10-4 in WCC play. Through the strong 11-game non-conference schedule, the Cougs tallied wins over Eastern Washington, Idaho, Saint Martin's, Norfolk State and Virginia. 
- The Cougars have been impressive defensively and elite in blocking as the team leads the nation with 162 total blocks and ranks third with 6.5 blocks per game. 
- Offensively, the Cougs are shooting .423 from the field and .320 from deep while averaging 67.7 points per game.