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Bulldogs Face Marquette Friday at WBCA Classic
Nov. 26, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (5-0, 0-0 West Coast)
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN EAGLES (4-0, 0-0 Big East)
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UTES (1-1, 0-0 Mountain West)
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (3-1, 0-0 ACC)
THIS WEEKEND: Gonzaga University women's basketball travels to Milwaukee, Wisc., for the WBCA Classic hosted by Marquette University this weekend. The Bulldogs open the three-day classic with a match-up against Marquette on Friday, Nov. 28 at 5 p.m. PT. The Zags will then play the University of Utah on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 3 p.m. PT and round out the Thanksgiving Tournament with a game versus the University of Virginia, ranked 15th, on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 11 a.m. PT. BOWMAN TABBED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gonzaga University women's basketball player Heather Bowman has been named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week as announced by the conference office Monday, Nov. 24. This is the second-straight week a Bulldog was tabbed as the WCC Player of the Week as Courtney Vandersloot earned the honor last week. Bowman, a junior forward, led the Zags to a 3-0 week with home wins over Utah Valley University and Montana State University and a road win at the University of Wyoming. The Spokane native averaged 24.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals while shooting 58.7 percent from the field. Bowman began the week scoring 19 points in Gonzaga's 95-79 victory over Utah Valley. She also had a team-high six rebounds and three steals in the victory. Bowman then poured in 25 points on 10-for-13 shooting from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line in a 53-point victory over Montana State. Bowman was unstoppable against Wyoming in GU's final game of the week. She finished four points off her career high with 28 points by hitting 9-of-19 from the field and 10-of-11 at the charity stripe. She also had a team-high 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the year and 15th overall. This is Bowman's sixth WCC Player of the Week honor of her career. SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES: Like Gonzaga University, the Marquette University women's basketball team enters the WBCA Classic with an undefeated record. The Golden Eagles are a perfect 4-0 after having defeated Oral Roberts, Sacred Heart, Indiana State and Western Michigan. MU is led by Krystal Ellis, who was named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 like Bulldog junior Heather Bowman. Ellis is averaging 13.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Terri Mitchell is in her 13th year as the head coach of Marquette and holds a 242-130 overall record. ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST MARQUETTE: The contest between Gonzaga University and Marquette University is the third meeting between the two Jesuit schools. The series is tied 1-1 with each team winning on their home court. Last year, the Bulldogs took a 77-64 victory over the Golden Eagles at the McCarthey Athletic Center, while in 2007, MU defeated GU 74-60 at the Al McGuire Center. SCOUTING THE UTES: The University of Utah currently holds a 2-1 overall record and is one of two teams in the WBCA Classic to have played a game this week. The Utes defeated the University Louisville 59-48 on Tuesday. Utah's only loss of the season is to South Dakota State University; a 70-58 setback. The Utes are led by both Morgan Warburton and Kalee Whipple who are averaging 19.0 and 15.0 points per game, respectively. Elaine Elliot is in her 26th year at the helm at Utah and holds a 538-213 overall record. ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST UTAH: When Gonzaga University and the University of Utah meet on the second day of the WBCA Classic it will be the seventh all-time meeting. The Utes lead the all-times series 4-2 but the Bulldogs have won two out of the last three meetings. The Zags took a 57-45 victory over Utah in 2007 and claimed a 66-60 win in 2005. Gonzaga lost to Utah in 2006 by the score of 81-54. SCOUTING THE CAVALIERS: The University of Virginia enters the WBCA Classic ranked as high as No. 15 in the latest Top 25 polls. The Cavaliers defeated future Gonzaga University opponent and two-time defending national champion University of Tennessee 83-82 earlier this season. Virginia's only setback of the year was a 78-70 loss to Old Dominion University, ranked 25th at the time. The Cavaliers have five players averaging double-digit points, including Monica Wright at 21.3 points per game. UVA is coached by Debbie Ryan in her 32nd year at the helm. Ryan holds a 678-289 overall record. ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST VIRGINIA: The contest between Gonzaga University and University of Virginia is the first meeting between the schools. The Bulldogs are 0-2 all-time against Atlantic Coast Conference members; having lost to the University of Maryland (88-50, 2006) and the University of North Carolina (101-63, 2007). HEAD COACH Kelly Graves: Kelly Graves begins his ninth season as the head coach at Gonzaga University having built the Bulldogs into an annual West Coast Conference contender. After winning just five games his first season, Graves has guided the Bulldogs to four-straight West Coast Conference regular-season titles. In 2006-07, Graves added a WCC Tournament championship and the Zags inaugural berth in the NCAA Tournament to his GU highlights. Gonzaga finished the 2006-07 season with a 24-10 overall record and a 13-1 record in the WCC; which helped Graves garner WCC Co-Coach of the Year honors. He once again led the Zags in 2007-08, as GU finished with a 25-9 overall record, 13-1 mark in the WCC and a WNIT invitation. Graves is currently the school's career wins leader with a 150-102 record. He has been named the WCC Coach of the Year at Gonzaga four times (2003 & 2005 & 2007 & 2008) and boasts a 216-128 career record including 102-52 in WCC action. Bowman Named To Preseason Wooden Award List: Gonzaga University women's basketball junior Heather Bowman became the inaugural Bulldog player to be named to the preseason Women's Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy as the 30 student-athletes for 2008-09 were announced by Richard "Duke" Llewellyn, Wooden Award Chairman and founder. The list is composed of 30 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most prestigious honor. BOWMAN AND VANDERSLOOT AMONG TOP WCC RETURNEES: Heading the group of Gonzaga University returners are 2008 WCC Player of the Year Heather Bowman and Newcomer of the Year Courtney Vandersloot. Bowman and Vandersloot were tabbed by the West Coast Conference coaches as one of the top 10 returnees this season. Bowman led the WCC in scoring at 20.1 points per game in just her second year in the league and was third in the conference in rebounding at 8.6 per game. Vandersloot will enter the year as the conferences steals (62) leader and led the team in assists (191). RECEIVING VOTES: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team continues to receive votes in the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Top 25. The Bulldogs, who own a 5-0 record, received three votes in the latest AP poll released Monday. The Zags started the season receiving one vote in the Preseason poll. Gonzaga is also among a handful of schools listed as also receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Bulldogs received 14 votes this week, up from four last week. WHAT'S IN A NAME?: When looking at the Gonzaga University women's basketball roster some may wonder what happened to Bulldog Jami Bjorklund. Don't fret, the senior guard from Spokane is still on the squad, she is just going by a different name. Bjorklund was married to Drew Schaefer this past August and is now going by her married name - Jami Schaefer. HUGE NUMBERS IN OPENING WIN: Gonzaga University women's basketball scored 100-plus points for the first time in 57 games when it defeated Eastern Oregon University 101-44 to open the season, Nov. 14. The Bulldogs had scored 100-plus only one other time during head coach Kelly Graves tenure; a 103-102 overtime victory at Eastern Washington on Dec, 9, 2006. Overall, Gonzaga has scored 100-plus points 15 times in its history. STARTING OFF HOT: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team holds a perfect 5-0 record going into the WBCA Classic this weekend. It is the best start in school history for the Bulldogs. The previous best start was 4-0 achieved both last season and in 1993-94. PICKING POCKETS: Gonzaga University junior Vivian Frieson was a big factor in why the Bulldogs defeated the University of Washington 64-59 on Nov. 16. Frieson finished the contest with a career-high 10 steals. The forward, who was playing in her hometown of Seattle, had five steals in each half. It is the single-highest steal total during head coach Kelly Graves' tenure. For the season, Frieson has 15 steals to her credit. GETTING THOSE STEALS: Gonzaga University women's basketball team is stealing the ball from their opponents at an alarming rate. The Bulldogs are averaging 16.0 steals per contest including 22 against Utah Valley University on Wednesday, Nov. 19. The 22 steals was the second highest single-game total in GU history. The most steals in a Gonzaga game is 34 set against Western Baptist on Jan. 2, 1998. TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS ON THE BOARDS: Gonzaga University women's basketball is crashing the boards with much determination so far this season. The Bulldogs are averaging 47.6 rebounds per game and holding their opponents to just 33.6 rebounds. The board domination is not all on the defensive end as the Zags grabbed 21 offensive rebounds in their first two contests, had 19 in their victory over Utah Valley and then a season-high 25 versus Montana State University. Leading the way are junior Heather Bowman and classmate Vivian Frieson who are averaging 7.5 rebounds and 5.8 rebounds per game, respectively. SUFFOCATING DEFENSE: Gonzaga University women's basketball has stepped up its defensive game, forcing its opponents to turn the ball over 26.2 times per game, while only turning the ball over 14.0 times per contest. Eastern Oregon University turned the ball over 28, Washington was forced to give up the ball 31 times, Utah Valley University had 33 turnovers, Montana State University had 19 miscues, while the University of Wyoming lost the ball 20 times. GU scored 36 points off of the Mountaineer miscues, 32 points off of the Huskies turnovers, 34 off the Wolverine turnovers, 30 on the Bobcats and 17 against the Cowgirls. DOUBLE-DIGIT ASSISTS: Sophomore Courtney Vandersloot had her third and fourth career double-figure assist games in back-back contest this season. Vandersloot dished out 10 assists against Utah Valley University on Nov. 19 and then had a career-high 13 assists versus Montana State University, Nov. 21. Those two games were also double-doubles for the point guard as she finished with 15 and 19 points, respectively. LIGHT'S OUT: Tiffanie Shives had a career-night against Utah Valley University, Nov. 19. The sharpshooter scored a career-high 25 points in the 16-point victory and had tied her career-high points in the first half with 19. Shives finished the game hitting 9-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-6 three pointers, and was a perfect 3-of-3 at the charity stripe.
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