The Gonzaga University men’s basketball team has finalized its 2021-22 regular season schedule, including both nonconference and West Coast Conference opponents.
In the first two months of the season, GU could potentially matchup against four NCAA tournament teams from 2021. The nonconference portion of the schedule includes 11 home games and three neutral site games.
The regular season will kick off Nov. 9 in the McCarthy Athletic Center against Dixie State. GU will also face Dixie State and Lewis-Clark State in two exhibition matches in Spokane.
The first highly anticipated matchup of the season comes on Nov. 13 when the Texas Longhorns come to Spokane. Over the summer, the two programs agreed to a home-and-home series, which means the Bulldogs will travel to Austin, Texas, next season. GU has won the last three meetings with UT, the last coming in 2017 in the PK80 Invitational.
A week later, the Zags will make the first of two trips to Las Vegas to compete in the Empire Classic. Featuring UCLA, Central Michigan, Bellarmine and of course GU, the tournament will take place from Nov. 22-23. Tuesday’s matchup will be against the Central Michigan Chippewas, followed by a rematch from last season’s Final Four classic with the UCLA Bruins.
The Bulldogs will spend Thanksgiving in Sin City before taking on the Duke Blue Devils in the Continental Tire Challenge on Nov. 26. This will be the fourth meeting between the two schools, as Duke has won two of the first three.
On Dec. 4, the Zags will face off against the Alabama Crimson Tide for the first time ever in the Battle of Seattle. GU has won four of the last five Battle in Seattle games, including the most recent installment in 2015.
Eight days later, GU hosts in-state rival, the Washington Huskies. The Bulldogs are 12-1 against the Dawgs all-time and have won the previous six meetings. In 2018, Rui Hachimura knocked down a game-winning jump shot against UW in the most recent battle held in Spokane.
The week before Christmas features another NCAA tournament rematch, this time in Phoenix, Arizona against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The two teams last met in the 2019 Elite Eight when Texas Tech edged out the Zags 75-69.
Non-conference play concludes on Dec. 28 against North Alabama.
Then it’s time for WCC action, starting with a trip to San Diego to take on the Toreros followed by a visit to Los Angeles to play the LMU Lions. GU’s first home conference game will be against the San Francisco Dons on Jan. 6. Senior night is slated for Feb. 19 when the Santa Clara Broncos come to town.
The Zags will have two three-game homesteads this season; one spanning from Jan. 6-13 and the other Feb. 10-19. Two road games against USF and Saint Mary’s will close out the regular season for the Zags. The WCC tournament will commence March 3 and conclude with the championship game on March 8.