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Women's Basketball Faces Challenging Schedule
Sept. 22, 2008
SPOKANE, Wash. - Nine teams that competed in post-season play are featured on the 2008-09 Gonzaga University women's basketball schedule, announced Monday by Bulldog head coach Kelly Graves. The University of Tennessee, University of Montana, University of Wyoming, UC Santa Barbara, University of Virginia, University of Utah and the University of San Diego all competed in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, while Marquette University and South Dakota State University were participants in the WNIT. > "We have put together a very challenging schedule," said Graves, in his ninth year as head coach of Gonzaga. "We like to play as tough a schedule as we can to ready us for conference play. We also like to play a schedule worthy of the team we have. We have a great team, so we want to play the best." The Zags will open regular-season with three of their first four games at home. Gonzaga will open the new season by hosting Eastern Oregon University on Nov. 14 and will then play at in-state rival the University of Washington in Seattle on Nov. 16. The Bulldogs then close out their early season home stand by welcoming Utah Valley University and Montana State University, Nov. 19 and Nov. 21, respectively. Gonzaga heads back out on the road for six tough games, including contests against four 2008 NCAA participants and the WNIT Champion. A contest at Wyoming, who made an NCAA appearance last season, Nov. 23 starts off the long trek for the Zags. GU will then partake in the WBCA Classic hosted by Marquette over Thanksgiving. Gonzaga will face the Golden Eagles, who won the WNIT last season, in the opening contest on Nov. 28. The Bulldogs then face two NCAA Tournament schools at the tournament in Utah (Nov. 29) and Virginia (Nov. 30). They will close out the long road trip with games at Eastern Washington University, Dec. 4, and at UC Santa Barbara, Dec. 7. "I don't think you will find a better tournament in women's basketball this season," stated Graves. "This will be an early season test for us, to see how good we are."
Gonzaga will close out play before Christmas break with home contests against South Dakota State (Dec. 12), Portland State University (Dec. 14) and Wyoming (Dec. 22). The Zags fit a road game in-between their PSU and UW game; at Montana on Dec. 19. The Bulldogs finish out their non-conference schedule with two final home games, including two-time defending national champion Tennessee on Dec. 30, followed by Saint Joseph's University, Jan. 2. The Bulldog-Lady Vol match-up will be televised on KHQ/FSN. "The Tennessee game at the McCarthey Athletic Center will be a special game," said Graves. "Women's basketball will be brought to the forefront in our community. To host such a storied women's basketball program is very exciting." Gonzaga opens West Coast Conference play and its bid for a fifth-straight regular season crown with a contest at the University of Portland, Jan. 10. The Bulldogs will make their WCC home debut Jan. 22 with a contest against Pepperdine University. The Zags, who finished 13-1 in the WCC for the second straight season in 2008, will conclude the regular season by hosting the University of San Diego Feb. 28. The Toreros spoiled Gonzaga's bid for a second straight WCC Tournament crown last season, defeating the Zags in the WCC Championship. GU will seek its second WCC Tournament title March 6-9 in Las Vegas, Nev., at the Orleans Arena. This season the women's bracket will mirror the men's bracket. The top two regular-season finishers will be seeded into the semifinals, and the third and fourth place finishers will be seeded into the quarterfinals. This is the first time the WCC Tournament has been held at a neutral site. Season tickets are still on sale for Gonzaga women's basketball and can be purchased by clicking here: http://gozags.cstv.com/tickets/gonz-w-baskbl-tix.html or calling the Gonzaga Ticket Office at (509) 313-6000. Individual game tickets will go on sale on Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. and are available through TicketsWest at 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com, any TicketsWest outlet, and the McCarthey Athletic Center Ticket Office Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All Bulldog home game can be heard on 1510 KGA in Spokane and on the web at GoZags.com. 2008-09 Gonzaga University Women's Basketball Schedule November February |
