Gonzaga’s 2024 Non-Convention Schedule – Half 1
Gonzaga is thought for placing collectively a completely brutal nonconference schedule every year. Coach Few has all the time embraced an “any staff, any time, wherever” mentality, which has led to each thrilling victories and punishing defeats over the past 20 years. This strategy has additionally resulted in some uncommon video games on plane carriers and even stranger video games on faraway courts that have been too slippery to play on safely. The nonconference slate is a rollercoaster for followers, who spend a strong chunk of time throughout WCC play on spectatorial cruise management, and in recent times, Coach Few has doubled down on his dedication to face the stiffest competitors potential early on within the season.
Followers have loads to look ahead to this yr. Matchups in opposition to Kentucky, UCLA, and UConn will all be enormous checks for this yr’s squad whereas their chemistry and rhythm are nonetheless in improvement. There may be additionally some (virtually confirmed) hypothesis a few potential sport in opposition to Baylor within the early weeks of January. The Zags will as soon as once more take part within the Battle 4 Atlantis this November, alongside Indiana, Louisville, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Davidson, Windfall, and Arizona. A possible match championship showdown between Mark Few and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd within the Bahamas would offer the marquee matchup of the early NCAA basketball season.
After Kraziness within the Kennel on October 5, the Gonzaga basketball season formally kicks off with video games in opposition to Arizona State and West Virginia. Right here’s what followers can anticipate:
Arizona State
November 10, McCarthy Athletic Middle, Spokane, WA
Bobby Hurley’s Solar Devils confirmed flashes of brilliance final yr however in the end completed with a 14-18 file and missed the NCAA Match, their worst end beneath Coach Hurley. Followers referred to as for Hurley’s substitute, however as a result of instability on the government stage, the search by no means materialized. This yr, Arizona State begins the season as a brand new member of the Large 12, making it troublesome to foretell what to anticipate. Hurley had a busy offseason and introduced in spectacular expertise for a staff in transition, however a lot of the roster consists of both younger gamers or newcomers from the switch portal, and large losses within the backcourt will likely be powerful to beat..
The most important story for the Solar Devils this offseason has been their dedication from the most effective younger huge males within the nation, Jayden Quaintance. Quaintance performed within the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Recreation and averaged 17 factors and almost 12 rebounds per sport for Time beyond regulation Elite Academy within the 2022-2023 season. He was one of the extremely sought-after huge males within the nation and he dedicated to ASU solely after John Calipari left Kentucky, the place Quaintance had beforehand dedicated.
In addition they acquired the extraordinarily proficient guard BJ Freeman as a switch from Milwaukee. Freeman averaged 21.6 factors per sport final yr and is predicted to play a big position in Hurley’s offense as ASU makes an attempt to show issues round in a brand new convention. The Solar Devils return a key participant from final yr in Adam Miller, a sharp-shooting guard getting into his senior season. Nevertheless, the lack of Frankie Collins, Jose Perez, and Neal Jamiya (Creighton) will likely be difficult to beat.
Regardless of being within the midst of a transitional season with huge turnover from final yr, the Solar Devils are anticipated to be higher this yr. Followers hope they may discover their method again to the match by March.
West Virginia
November 27, 11:30 AM, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Talking of groups present process a “transitional interval,” the Zags will face the Mountaineers of West Virginia within the opening spherical of this yr’s Battle 4 Atlantis Match. There’s no mild solution to put it—the Mountaineers of 2023-2024 have been simply plain dangerous, and never even in a likable underdog form of method. Regardless of their finest efforts to enhance, the resignation of Coach Bob Huggins in June of final yr plunged this system into dysfunction and chaos from which it couldn’t get better. Faculty basketball followers rejoiced on the program’s misfortune and ineptitude final season, however the Mountaineers have made some vital adjustments since then.
The Mountaineers completed final season with a 9-23 file, putting them lifeless final within the Large 12. It was a tricky yr for Mountaineers followers, however with former Drake College coach Darian DeVries now on the helm, hopes are excessive that they will bounce again. DeVries posted a 150-55 file throughout his six seasons at Drake, and he has a confirmed observe file for turning round groups on the point of disaster.
The Mountaineers will primarily be a brand-new staff in 2024 as virtually all of final yr’s staff entered the switch portal following the disastrous finish to final season. Guard Tucker DeVries will be part of his dad at WVU after a stellar season at Drake, the place he was named the Missouri Valley Convention Participant of the 12 months and averaged almost 22 factors per sport. Illinois transfers Sencire Harris and Amani Hansberry dedicated to WVU in April and can carry much-needed expertise and chemistry to the staff within the absence of most of final yr’s key items. DeVries may even reunite with guard Joseph Yesufu, whom he beforehand coached at Drake. Yesufu is a little bit of a journeyman within the NCAA (WVU will likely be his fourth college after Drake, Kansas, and WSU) and this will likely be his sixth yr within the league. On a staff with a lot inexperience taking part in collectively, it’s comprehensible why DeVries would wish to herald a veteran like Yesufu.
The most important signing for WVU this offseason was positively former Oklahoma State guard Javon Small. Small was one of the coveted level guards within the switch portal, and many faculties vied to signal him after he introduced his departure from OSU. Utilizing WVU’s final season as a metric for predicting the 2024-2025 season can be misguided. Nevertheless, few groups within the Large 12 have undergone such a dramatic turnaround this offseason, and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the Mountaineers can put all of the items collectively. DeVries is a superb coach who has rotated many groups suffering from damage and turmoil, and WVU may very effectively turn out to be his masterpiece.
Extra to return later this week on Gonzaga’s nonconference opponents. We’ll wait to do any evaluation on a possible Baylor matchup till there’s official affirmation that the sport will really happen and as tempting as it’s to jot down up something on the Few/Lloyd showdown, we’ll save hypothetical video games for an additional time. Laborious to imagine Kraziness is lower than a month away. Because the climate in Spokane begins to chill off, the anticipation for Gonzaga basketball kicks in.