#10/13 Gonzaga (8-2) vs. #5/5 UConn (9-1)
FRIDAY, DEC. 15 | 7 P.M. | CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA | SEATTLE
TELEVISION: ESPN2
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP OFF
- Gonzaga faces UConn in a Top-10 clash in the 2023 Continental Tire Seattle Tip-Off in Climate Pledge Arena Friday night at 7 p.m. The teams last met in last season's NCAA Tournament West Regional Final.
- The Bulldogs are coming off a 78-40 win over Mississippi Valley State in Spokane Monday. Braden Huff scored 17 points, Graham Ike added 13 points and eight rebounds. Ben Gregg added 11 points and four rebounds off the bench for the Bulldogs. Anton Watson had eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
- The Zags last win over a Top-5 team was last season, 100-90, versus No. 4 Alabama in Birmingham on Dec. 17.
- Anton Watson is two assists from tying for second in program history. He is sitting at 176 in his career.
- The Zags are No. 10 in the Associated Press poll. The Bulldogs' 139 straight AP Poll appearances top the nation.
 
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
- Defending national champion UConn has won eight of its first nine games of the season with wins over Indiana, Texas, and North Carolina all on neutral floors.
- The Huskies are coming off a 101-63 win over Arkansas at Pine Bluff on Dec. 9. Alex Karaban scored a career-high 26 points. Tristen Newton scored 16 points and dished out six assists while Cam Spencer knocked down five 3-pointers to finish with 15 points.
- Newton leads the team in points (17.1), assists (6.11), rebounds (7.6), and steals (1.56).
- Spencer adds 15.9 points per game, and has made a team-high 26 threes at 41.9 percent.
- Karaban and Donovan Clingan chip in 14.4 and 13.4 points per outing.
- UConn is fifth in the nation is assist-to-turnover ratio (1.93) and rebound margin (13.8). They are sixth in scoring margin (24.2).
 
SERIES INFO
- This will be the seventh all-time meeting between Gonzaga and UConn. The Huskies have won four of the six previous matchups.
- The six previous meetings were on a neutral court.
- UConn cruised in the last meeting, beating the Zags 82-54 in last season's NCAA Tournament West Region Final in Las Vegas.
- Prior to the latest matchup, five of the previous meetings were decided by five points or less and a combined 18 points. Three of the matchups have been decided by one possession.
- UCONN won the first all-time meeting, 67-62, in the 1999 NCAA Tournament West Region Final in Phoenix on March 20, 1999.
- Since 2014-15, the Zags are 8-2 against current Big East foes.
 
UP NEXT
- Gonzaga has one game left before its holiday break, hosting Jackson State in the McCarthey Athletic Center Wednesday.
- It's the first-ever meeting between the Bulldogs and Jackson State.
- The Tigers are off to a 2-7 start to their season.
- It will be the third of three games for GU against a SWAC opponent in a 15-day span.
- The Bulldogs are 18-0 against current members
from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and 15-0
against the conference under Mark Few.
 
DOGS OFF THE LEASH
- The Zags jumped out to a 28-2 lead over Arkansas - Pine Bluff to start the game.
- The past seven games, GU has got out to fast starts
                vs. Miss. Valley led 22-10 at 10:16 mark
                at Washington led 19-11 at 13:23 mark
                vs. UAPB led 28-2 at 13:25 mark
                vs. USC led 20-6 at 13:25 mark
                vs. CSUB led 20-9 at 14:06 mark
                vs. UCLA led 20-9 at 10:34 mark
                vs. Syracuse led 22-8 at 11:15 mark
- Gonzaga has yet to trail at halftime this season.
 
WHERE WE RANK
- Gonzaga is eighth in the country in rebound margin (12.4), and 13th averaging 43.9 rebounds per game.
- The Zags are 24th in the nation in field goal percentage (49.9) and 13th in field goal percentage defense (37.3). The Zags lead the West Coast Conference in each of those stat categories.
- GU is 17th in the country averaging 17.00 fastbreak points per game.
 
BALANCING ACT
- Five Zags have finished in double-digit scoring in four of the past five games.
- In the win over USC, six Bulldogs scored in double-figures, and Anton Watson had nine points.
- GU has had at least three double-digit scorers in its first 10 games of the season, with five double-digit scorers in four of the games, and two outings with six double-digit scorers.
 
FEW CLOSING IN ON 700
- Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few is four wins from 700 in his head coaching career.
- He would be the 14th active head coach in NCAA Div. 1 history to reach 700 victories.