Gonzaga releases full nonconference schedule featuring games against national title contenders, brand-name programs

Oct. 2—Gonzaga’s schedule release on Wednesday didn’t reveal anything new in terms of opponents, dates or destinations, but viewing the Zags’ 13 nonconference opponents on one page may have given fans and college basketball purveyors a better sense of what Mark Few’s team is up against this season.

The official schedule, sent out via social media platforms on Wednesday morning, features a number of high-major, brand-name college basketball programs and possibly two or three that are expected to be in contention for a national title next spring.

According to the schedule released this week, Gonzaga’s season will unofficially start on Oct. 30 with a home exhibition against Warner Pacific. Matt Gregg, the father of GU senior forward Ben Gregg, is director of athletics of the NAIA school in Portland.

A report last week from Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman indicated the Zags would meet USC for an Oct. 26 or 27 charity exhibition at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California, but it’s possible details haven’t been finalized as the game didn’t appear on the GU schedule released Wednesday.

Gonzaga begins the regular season in earnest with a highly anticipated nonconference matchup with visiting Baylor on Nov. 4 at the Arena — the start of a three-year series with Scott Drew and the Bears, who brought in key transfers Norchad Omier (Miami) and Jeremy Roach (Duke) this offseason.

Another Big 12 team will come to Spokane seven days later with Arizona State visiting for a Nov. 10 game at McCarthey Athletic Center. Bobby Hurley’s Sun Devils won 14 games last season, but they enter the year with the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history, including five-star center Jayden Quaintance.

The Zags will stay at home for a Nov. 15 matchup against UMass Lowell before traveling for their first true road test of the season, a Nov. 18 game against future Pac-12 opponent San Diego State at Viejas Arena. The Aztecs return a handful of players who were part of the team’s 84-74 victory over the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/gonzaga-releases-full-nonconference-schedule-020400804.html

Author : The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.

Publish date : 2024-10-03 02:04:00

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