The Slipper Still Fits
A Gonzaga Basketball Blog - The #1 Source for Bulldogs Discussion and Opinion
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Gonzaga Falls to Arkansas 76-72 in Preseason Matchup
Gonzaga drops a gritty 76-72 preseason loss to Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena on Oct. 24, 2026. Without star forward Davis Fogle (leg injury) and ineligible Chauncey Wiggins, the Bulldogs struggled to find a rhythm, shooting just 2-for-14 from three and committing 18 fouls. Arkansas capitalized with a 5-of-10 three‑point night and 16 fast‑break points, erasing a 10‑point halftime lead. Braden Huff led Gonzaga with 19 points (15 in the second half) and 11 rebounds, while bench standout Izan Almansa added eight. The game featured multiple technical fouls and a chaotic second half, leaving questions about Gonzaga’s backcourt stability ahead of their opening matchup with Purdue.
Bennett, Lee, Bettencourt earn key wins in court cases, allowing skilled veteran guards to lead Gonzaga basketball
A Santa Clara judge’s preliminary injunction lets Gonzaga point guards Xaivian Lee and Ines Bettencourt retain a fifth year of eligibility, letting them suit up for the 2026‑27 season while the NCAA appeals. Alongside them, transfer guard Javon Bennett also clears eligibility, giving men’s coach Mark Few a veteran backcourt trio and women’s coach Lisa Fortier a seasoned floor general. Bennett, a 5‑10, 165‑lb guard who averaged 16 points, 3 assists and 2.9 steals per game at Dayton, adds clutch scoring and near‑90% free‑throw shooting. With these seasoned guards, Gonzaga aims to dominate the Pac‑12 in its new era, despite ongoing legal battles affecting over 70 players.
What to Watch For During the Gonzaga at Arkansas Exhibition
The Gonzaga Bulldogs face John Calipari’s No. 12 Arkansas Razorbacks in an Oct. 23 exhibition at Bud Walton Arena, offering a first look at both squads’ 2026‑27 rosters. Gonzaga adds Spanish forward Izan Almansa, joining redshirt senior Braden Huff and transfer center Massamba Diop to deepen a frontcourt that missed a top‑200 three‑point ranking last season. New backcourt options include transfer point guard Javon Bennett, combo guard Xaivian Lee, and French guard Nathan De Sousa, while sharpshooter Isiah Harwell impressed with 17 points on 4‑for‑5 from deep. Arkansas counters with its elite recruiting class, highlighted by Finnish wing Miikka Muurinen and seasoned guards Jordan Smith Jr. and Davion Thompson, plus veteran wing Billy Richmond III. The preview raises three questions: Will Gonzaga’s three‑point shooting improve, can the new backcourt support the interior, and how will both teams defend elite, star‑powered lineups?
Gonzaga at Arkansas Open Thread (Exhibition)
A friendly reminder that the best way to watch the majority of the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the start of the Pac-12 Conference era in the 2026-27 season is through YouTube TV’s Ultimate Sports Plan or Hulu Live. Time to ditch cable if you haven’t already. Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1:00 p.m. PT on SEC Network+
Gonzaga’s Nathan De Sousa Projected Among Top Incoming Recruits in College Basketball
Photo via Gonzaga Men’s Basketball I’ve been wrong about a lot of Gonzaga basketball-related things in the last few months. Wrong that the courts would clear the eligibility mess before it cost anybody games. Wrong about how fast the NCAA would move on clearances for international players. Wrong about Donovan Dent, entirely. So it’s a […]
Gonzaga’s De Sousa Projected Among Top Incoming Recruits in College Basketball
I’ve been wrong about a lot of Gonzaga basketball related things in the last few months. Wrong that the courts would clear the eligibility mess before it cost anybody games. Wrong about how fast the NCAA would move on clearances for international players. Wrong about Donovan Dent, entirely. So it’s a nice feeling to get […]
Bulldog Business: Preseason AP Poll, Javon Bennett’s Eligibility, NBA Predictions
Kyle Sweeney and Josh Gilchrist react to the preseason AP Poll, discuss Dayton transfer Javon Bennett’s role in Gonzaga’s backcourt, and then give their predictions for the Zags in the NBA. Check out all episodes of Bulldog Business on YouTube and Spotify! Follow Kyle (@KyleSweeney_2) and Josh (@JoshGilchrist05) on X! Follow Bulldog Business (@bulldogbusinessshow) on […]
How to Watch Gonzaga Basketball in the 2026-27 Season
The Gonzaga Bulldogs’ move to the Pac-12 Conference not only means new opponents, but also new television networks. On October 14th, the league’s broadcast schedule for the 2026-27 season was announced by the revamped league. Through their 31 regular-season contests, the Zags will reappear on ESPN, FOX, TNT, and CBS/CBS Sports Network. The season opener […]
Lisa Fortier, Jordan Green Hand Gonzaga Offer to Recruit AnnaClaire Bugbee
Head coach Lisa Fortier, along with assistant coach Jordan Green and the rest of the Gonzaga Bulldogs staff, have offered a scholarship spot to power forward/center AnnaClaire Bugbee of Mandan, North Dakota. The Class of 2028 product took an unofficial visit to Spokane, Washington, about two weeks ago. She averaged 17.5 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.0 […]
Gonzaga Opens at No. 15 in Preseason AP Poll
Coach Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs debut at No. 15 in the Associated Press Poll before the start of the 2026-27 campaign. They’re the only team from a non-Power Five league to be ranked, despite the uncertainty of the upcoming roster and the first regular-season contest being just two weeks away. The Zags have […]
Drew Timme Waived, Immediately Picked up by Phoenix Suns
After four preseason games with the Minnesota Timberwolves on an Exhibit 10 training camp contract, forward/center Drew Timme was waived before the start of the 2026-27 regular season. No need to fret, as the Phoenix Suns immediately picked up the Gonzaga Bulldog legend off waivers and signed him to their third and final two-way contract […]
Julian Strawther’s Season Debut to Be Delayed Until December
The start of wing Julian Strawther’s fourth NBA season with the Denver Nuggets is off to an unfortunate, unpredictable beginning. During the Wednesday, Oct. 14, preseason matchup at the Los Angeles Clippers, Strawther suffered a left knee sprain that was revealed by an MRI the following day. The Gonzaga Bulldog sharpshooter will be re-evaluated in […]
Noah Meffert Braces for First Season in Gonzaga’s Dugout as Assistant Coach
Just five months ago, Noah Meffert and his Gonzaga Bulldogs were celebrating their final West Coast Conference regular-season title in the Bay Area. Jump to today, the former outfielder is still around the game in a different capacity. Meffert was hired by his alma mater to join the coaching staff back in the middle of […]
How does Gonzaga’s star duo of Braden Huff, Massamba Diop rank against the nation’s best frontcourts?
Gonzaga men’s basketball has prided itself on its frontcourt over the past decade. From towering giants like Przemek Karnowski to fluid, athletic bigs like Jonathan Williams, Zach Collins, Killian Tillie, and Brandon Clarke to game-breaking scorers and playmakers like Domantas Sabonis, Drew Timme, Chet Holmgren, and Graham Ike, Zags fans have been blessed to see […]
Gonzaga Opens at No. 14 in KenPom
In the preseason KenPom rankings, the Gonzaga Bulldogs start the 2026-27 campaign at No. 14. At the end of the 2025-26 season, Gonzaga ended up at No. 15 after finishing with a 31-4 overall record and falling to the No. 11-seeded Texas Longhorns in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The Zags currently […]
Gonzaga’s Eligibility Check-In: Three Weeks From the Season Opener
The 2026-27 season starts in three weeks, and Gonzaga still can’t tell you with any real degree of certainty who it’ll have playing in it. The Zags open against Purdue on November 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and four players on the roster remain ineligible or on the verge of ineligibility. Back in […]
Gonzaga Women Dialed in From Deep at FanFest
Al Roker doesn’t typically report the weather forecast on the “Today Show,” but if he did earlier this morning, he would have said there was a good chance of rain later in the afternoon in Spokane, Washington. Forget the three-point competition inside the McCarthey Athletic Center won by Blue Team’s junior guard Allie Turner for […]
2026 FanFest Open Thread
FanFest will be the public’s first look at coach Lisa Fortier’s 2026-27 women’s basketball group, returning 10 players from the 2025-26 unit. The Gonzaga Bulldogs closed last season with a final West Coast Conference Tournament title and the program’s 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Loaded with experience, the Zags are the favorite to win […]
Bulldog Business: Kraziness (Over)Reaction and FanFest Preview
In the second episode of Bulldog Business, Kyle Sweeney and Josh Gilchrist react to the 2026 Kraziness in the Kennel. They talk sophomore wing Davis Fogle’s 30-point performance, redshirt senior forward Braden Huff’s return to the Kennel, whether or not they are concerned after sophomore center Massamba Diop’s showing, and how the group will structure […]
What to Expect From Nathan De Sousa, Xaivian Lee as the Zags’ Possible Starting Backcourt
To put it lightly, it’s been a whirlwind of an offseason for coach Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs backcourt. Although those winds are still blowing (RE: Javon Bennett, Izan Almansa, and Chauncey Wiggins), the Zags have found a glimpse of what should be their starting backcourt, with French guard Nathan De Sousa cleared by […]
Six Key Takeaways From Gonzaga’s 2026 Kraziness in the Kennel
More than 6,000 people filled the McCarthey Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon to watch a 20-minute intrasquad scrimmage featuring a roster that has barely existed for four months. For a Gonzaga team that spent most of the summer waiting on eligibility rulings, the afternoon went about as well as it could have gone. The two […]
Kraziness in the Kennel Felt Like the ‘Davis Fogle Show’
When I saw “Superman” last summer in theaters, the biggest thing I took away from the experience was that “The Odyssey” trailer looked unreal. A year later, Christopher Nolan’s passion project turned out to be the best movie I’ve seen all decade. After walking out of the McCarthy Athletic Center from Kraziness in the Kennel […]
Gonzaga Women’s 2026-27 Schedule Is Complete
The first season in the Pac-12 Conference is closing in for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, and their matchups have now been released. Coach Lisa Fortier’s group starts off league play with a rivalry game against a familiar Pacific Northwest program. Gonzaga hosts the Oregon State Beavers inside the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington, on Jan. […]
Kevin Pangos Retires From Basketball
Congratulations are in order for two-time All-EuroLeague point guard Kevin Pangos, who announced his retirement from basketball at the age of 33 on Instagram. Pangos is highly regarded as one of the greatest lead guards to ever come through Europe. He was named to the All-EuroCup Second Team in 2016 with Gran Canaria, the All-EuroLeague […]
2026 Kraziness in the Kennel Open Thread
Many questions surround the Gonzaga Bulldogs’ 2026-27 squad heading into a sold-out Kraziness in the Kennel inside the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington… Will the three ineligible players (fifth-year point guard Javon Bennett in the state of Ohio lawsuit, fifth-year forward Chauncey Wiggins in the state of Georgia lawsuit, and international forward/center Izan Almansa) […]
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