WSU (5-22, 4-10 WCC) at GONZAGA (19-8, 11-3 WCC) 
THURSDAY, FEB. 19 | 6 P.M. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER (6,000)
RADIO: 101.5 FM | GAME NOTES
TV: SWX and ESPN+ | LIVE STATS

THE TIPOFF
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team returns home to play Washington State on Thursday, Feb. 19. 

- Freshman Lauren Whittaker is shooting at 54.9% from the floor, which ranks first in the West Coast Conference and 29th in the nation. With 517 points so far this season, she is second in scoring among other freshmen in the country and 20th overall. Earlier this month against Pacific, Whittaker broke the freshman season scoring record, surpassing Tammy Tibbles' record of 475 points in 1984-85.

- Gonzaga is currently ranked second in the country in three-point percentage at 38.6%. 

- Individually, Allie Turner leads the team in made threes this season with 65 and ranks first in the WCC. With averaging 2.41 three-pointers a game, Turner also ranks 10th in the country in three-point shooting at 45.5%.

- From the free throw line, Turner ranks first in the nation at 95.8% as she is currently 68-for-71.

- Overall, the Bulldogs are shooting at an impressive 44.7% from the floor which ranks first in the WCC.

- The Zags have outrebounded their opponents in 26 games this year and has a rebound margin of +11.2 to rank sixth in the country and first in the WCC.

- Whittaker has scored at least 20 points in 11 games so far this year. Against Oregon State, Whittaker scored 37 points to break the freshman single game record of 33 points.  She has reached double figures in scoring in 23 games played and has 13 double doubles, which is a GU freshman record.  

- Whittaker's 273 rebounds rank first among freshmen in the nation and 13th overall. She broke the freshman record for most rebounds in a season already, surpassing Heather Bowman's 209. 

- The Zags represent the last two WCC Freshman of the Year with Allie Turner winning it in 2025 and Zee Aokuso in 2024 during her time at Saint Mary's.

- Head coach Lisa Fortier currently sits at 308-82 in her career. Among active Division I coaches with at least five years at the level, she is currently ranked sixth in winning percentage (.791). Fortier is also now in second place on the WCC career coaching wins list with 182 and ranks first in winning percentage in WCC games at 87.3% (182-28). 

THE SERIES
SERIES INFO: WSU leads the series overall, 20-14.  
STREAK: Gonzaga - 3    
FIRST MEETING: In 1984, GU lost 74-61 on the road.     
LAST MEETING: Earlier this season, Gonzaga beat WSU on the road, 81-75. Paige Lofing scored 17 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead the Zags in the win.         

SCOUTING THE COUGS
- Washington State enters the matchup at 5–22 overall and 4–10 in conference play.

- Eleonora Villa leads WSU at 16.9 points per game and has 98 assists on the season.

- Charlotte Abraham adds 11.1 points and a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 54-for-147 from three (36.7%).

- Freshman center Alex Covill scores 10.0 points per game and ranks third on the team with 4.0 rebounds.

- Malia Ruud contributes 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 46.3% from the field.

300 WINS
- Head coach Lisa Fortier and her staff reached 300 wins on Jan 2 against Seattle. This victory marked a significant milestone for head coach Lisa Fortier, as it was her 300th career win, making her the fastest coach in GU history to reach this achievement. 

- Among active Division I women's basketball head coaches, Fortier and LSU's Kim Mulkey each captured their 300th career Division I win in their 379th career game. Connecticut's Geno Auriemma is the third-fastest active Division I head coach to reach 300 career Division I victories, collecting the milestone win in his 386th career game. 

-  Fortier is only nine wins away from becoming the all-time winningest coach at Gonzaga history, as she is only behind Kelly Graves with 316 wins.

FRESHMAN STARS
- Against Pepperdine, Jaiden Haile led with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting and added 12 rebounds, marking her first double double. This performance was part of a historic moment for GU, as it's the first time in their history to have two freshmen achieve a stat line of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds each in a season. 

- Only two other freshmen in GU history have reached that stat line which was Heather Bowman (2006) and Jill Barta (2016).

- Haile and Whittaker join an elite list as only 10 other freshmen in GU history have recorded a double double (Jill Barta, Heather Bowman, Anne Bailey, Kelly Bowen, Janelle Bekkering, Courtney Vandersloot, Jenn Wirth, Ashley Anderson, Emma Wolfram, Shelby Cheslek).

- Freshman Paige Lofing has come off the bench to deliver some remarkable performances. Most recently against WSU, Lofing scored 17 points and went 4-for-5, from beyond the arc. Her only missed three in the game drew a foul and she made all three of her free throws. 

- Lofing and Whittaker are two of seven freshmen to score four more threes in a single game in GU history. They join Anne Bailey, Bree Salenbien, Zhane Templeton, Kayleigh Truong and Allie Turner. 

WHITTAKER TAKEOVER
- At Oregon State, Lauren Whittaker scored 37 points, which was one point shy of tying the single game points record. She broke the freshman single game point performance record as well.

- Whittaker scored 29 points against Colorado State. She was the first freshman to reach at least 29 points since Jill Barta in 2016 when she scored 31.

- Against Missouri State, Whittaker recorded 16 rebounds. It marked second in a single game record for freshmen, only behind Anne Bailey with 20.

- Whittaker is one of three freshmen in GU history to reach 29 points or more in a game, joining Barta (2016) and Heather Bowman (2006).

- Whittaker currently has 13 double doubles on the season and holds the GU record for most as a freshman. She also ranks 15th in the nation in double doubles and first among freshmen.

- So far this season, Whittaker has had 11 games with 20 or more points. She is one of four freshmen in GU history to have multiple 20+ point games. (Allie Turner x5, Heather Bowman x8, Jill Barta x8)

- With 13 double doubles so far this season, Whittaker is one of five freshmen in Gonzaga history to have multiple double doubles in a season. (Barta x4, Bowman x4, Anne Bailey x2, Shelby Chelsek x2)

TRIPLE THREATS ALL AROUND
- Against San Diego, Gonzaga tied its most threes in a game this season with 12. Eight Zags made a three in the game, led by Teryn Gardner's four. Overall, the team shot at 48% (12 for 25).

- In 19 games this year, the Bulldogs have made seven or more threes in a game with the most being 12 against UC Davis and San Diego. 

- Six Zags have a shooting percentage beyond the arc above 35% (Gardner, Whittaker, Turner, Bettencourt, Lofing, Wilson)

A.T. = AUTOMATIC FROM THREE
- Allie Turner was tied for #1 among all returners in three points made in 2024-25 and the first freshman since 2020-21 to record 100+ three pointers in a single season.

- Turner's 105 made threes is the most made in a single season at Gonzaga last season. She broke the record against UTSA to pass Brynna Maxwell's record of 96 in a single season (2023-24). She is one of two players in Gonzaga history, men's or women's, to reach 100 threes in a single season with the only other Bulldog being Dan Dickau in 2001-02.