Gonzaga vs. Stanford women’s basketball: Preview, how to watch

Two women’s basketball programs with recent success will face off Sunday in a west coast clash. Stanford will host Gonzaga, and one team will leave the matchup with its first loss of the season.

While they play in different conferences — Stanford in the Pac-12 and Gonzaga in the WCC — the Cardinal and Bulldogs have a bit of history with each other. Their meeting Sunday will be the 11th time they have played each other since 2009.

Both teams have made the NCAA tournament in each of the past three seasons and have aspirations to go further in the Big Dance this season.

Here’s everything you need to know about Stanford vs. Gonzaga.

Stanford vs. Gonzaga: Preview, how to watch

The basics

Tip-off:  Sunday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. ET | Live stats

Where:  Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California

Watch:  Stanford will provide a live stream of the game. Click or tap here.

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Last meeting

Stanford and Gonzaga have played 10 times since 2009, with the Cardinal holding an 8-2 record. However, Gonzaga has won two of the last three meetings, including beating the Cardinal 79-73 last year in Spokane, Washington.

In that game — on Dec. 2, 2018 — Chandler Smith led the Bulldogs with 20 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Katie Campbell added 15 points and seven rebounds. Gonzaga won the rebounding battle by 14 and also connected on 8-of-13 three point attempts for a 61.5 percent clip.

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The matchup

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Stanford vs. Gonzaga: Players to watch

Stanford: Lexie Hull, Sophomore, Guard

Through three games, Hull leads Stanford in scoring, putting up 15.3 points per game. Her best performance so far came in a win over San Francisco, where she totaled 27 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a block. In an exhibition game against Team USA in the preseason, she scored 11 points.

Hull is a native of Spokane, Washington, which is home to Gonzaga University. She didn’t play in the Cardinal vs. Bulldogs matchup last year though, as she was dealing with a injury to her left foot. Hull appeared in 27 games for Stanford last year and was an honorable mention selection for the All-Pac-12 Freshmen team.

Over the summer, she represented Stanford at the 2019 USA Basketball Women’s 3-on-3 National Championships. Hull’s squad advanced to the quarterfinals.

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Gonzaga: Jenn Wirth, Junior, Forward

Wirth has led the way for the Bulldogs through two games so far this season, averaging 17 points and five rebounds per-game. She’s also handed out four assists and blocked two shots. She’s crucial for the Bulldogs because of her ability to score, defend, rebound and make plays for others.

The 6-foot-3 native of Mesa, Arizona blossomed as a sophomore last season, scoring in double-figures 10 times and placing second in the conference in field goal percentage with a 53.8 percent mark from the floor.

Gonzaga lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season to Oregon State. If they go further this season, Wirth’s play could be a big reason why.