The Gonzaga women will have a chance to make a big impression on more than 1,500 young fans when they play at Pacific on Thursday.

Loyola Marymount is probably right where it should be in sixth place in the West Coast Conference standings, even if it’s not what coaches predicted in the preseason poll. LMU (13-7, 3-3 WCC) was pegged for ninth place by the coaches but has a shot at cracking the upper half of the standings. The Lions went the opposite direction last season when they were picked fourth and finished ninth in the standings. LMU is the next assignment for Gonzaga, which has had a little different journey than past seasons but the Zags (16-3, 5-0) are in a familiar position, sharing first place with Saint Mary’s.

Here’s another that continued with Monday’s announcement that South Korea’s Jun Seok Yeo is joining the Zags’ roster. Gonzaga has had at least one international player every season since its NCAA Tournament run began in 1999 – not to mention 1995 when Australian John Rillie’s 3-point shooting led GU to the program’s first trip to March Madness.