#14/12 Gonzaga (5-3) vs. Kent State (6-2)
MONDAY, DEC. 5 | 6 P.M. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER | SPOKANE
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THE TIP OFF
- Gonzaga returns to the McCarthey Athletic Center for only the second time so far this season, hosting Kent State Monday at 6 p.m. It will be the first-ever meeting between the programs.
- The Zags have not played at home since the season-opening win over North Florida on Nov. 7. Monday's game will be the first of three straight home games. GU plays six of its eight December games at home.
- The Bulldogs own the country's longest home win streak with 68 consecutive victories inside the McCarthey Athletic Center. Texas Tech is the next closest with 25 straight home wins.
- Gonzaga is coming off a 64-63 loss to No. 6 Baylor in the first Peacock Classic in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Zags rallied from 12 points down twice in the game and led by seven late. Malachi Smith scored 16 points for GU. Anton Watson added a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Drew Timme had nine points.
- The Bulldogs rank No. 1 in KenPom's offensive efficiency. GU is 20th in the nation in field goal percentage (49.9) and 29th in three-point percentage (39.2). Julian Strawther's 7.62 defensive rebounds per game is 12th.
- Drew Timme is second in the West Coast Conference averaging 18.6 points per game and shooting 61.4 percent from the field. He is third with 1.25 blocks per outing. Nolan Hickman is second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.13), while his four assists per game ranks fourth. Strawther's 8.6 rebounds per game are fourth.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN FLASHES
- Kent State has won six of its eight games so far this season, including an 83-68 home victory over South Dakota State in its last game Friday.
- Four Kent State players finished in double-digits led by Sincere Carry's 23 points. Cli'ron Hornbeak had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
- Malique Jacobs leads the country with 28 steals, while teammate Sincere Carry is eighth with 22 steals. The Golden Flashes are ninth in the nation averaging 11.4 steals per game.
- Kent State ranks ninth in the country in turnovers forced per game (20.0), fifth in turnover margin (7.4), and 19th in field goal percentage defense (36.6).
- The Golden Flashes' two losses are at College of Charleston (72-74) and at top-ranked Houston (44-49).
- Kent State was picked first in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll. Carry was named preseason first team and Jacobs was second team.
 
SERIES INFO
- Gonzaga meets Kent State for the first time ever.
- This is the Bulldogs' seventh all-time meeting against a current member from the Mid-American Conference.
- Gonzaga has won five of the six meetings against current MAC members, with the lone loss coming to Toledo in 1964.
- The latest matchup versus a MAC program was a 107-54 GU win over Central Michigan in last season's Empire Classic in Las Vegas.
- The Zags host another MAC foe next Monday against Northern Illinois.
 
UP NEXT
- Gonzaga hosts Washington Friday in the 49th all-time meeting between the programs.
- The Huskies have a 29-19 advantage in the series all-time, but GU has won 13 of the last 14 matchups.
- Gonzaga has won the last six meetings, dating back to a 99-95 Washington win in Dec. 4, 2005.
- In the last meeting, No. 9 GU used late three-pointers to beat No. 22 Washington 83-76, in Seattle, on
Dec. 8, 2019.
- Washington won the first meeting in the series,
23-14, on Feb. 24, 1910.
 
MILESTONE WATCH
- Drew Timme ranks 10th in program history with 1,670 points and 11th with 674 rebounds. He is 13 points from eighth. Timme is five rebounds from 10th in program history (Rob Sacre, 679).
- Rasir Bolton's next start will be the 100th in his career. He is six points from 1,600 in his career and one made three from 200.
- Anton Watson is two points from 600 and four rebounds from 350.
 
A ZAG WIN WOULD ...
- Extend the nation's longest home win streak, and longest in program history, to 69 games.
- Extend the second-longest streak in the AP Poll era for ranked against unranked opponents to 74 games.
- Be the 84th straight victory over an unranked team.
 
QUITE THE STRETCH
- Gonzaga currently owns the second-most difficult strength of schedule in the nation.
- The Bulldogs wrapped up a stretch of games against five currently ranked teams over a seven-game span; No. 20 Michigan State, won 64-63; at No. 2 Texas, lost 74-93; No. 19 Kentucky, won 88-72; No. 5 Purdue, lost 66-84; No. 6 Baylor, lost 63-64.
- Texas, Kentucky, and Purdue are currently second, fifth, and sixth in the KenPom rankings, while the Zags are ninth. Baylor is 17th. GU visits 14th-ranked in KenPom, Alabama, on Dec. 17.