Gonzaga Bulldogs release official 2023-24 nonconference basketball schedule

Bulldogs will face at least five preseason top-25 teams in a loaded 14-game nonconference slate

It's finally here. The Gonzaga men's basketball program released its official 2023-24 nonconference schedule on Wednesday. Much like in years past, the Bulldogs' 18-game slate is loaded, with a confirmed five matchups against preseason top 25 teams.

Gonzaga will have eight home games including an exhibition match against Lewis-Clark State (Nov. 3) before officially tipping off the season off against reigning Ivy League regular season champion Yale (Nov. 10). It'll be the first meeting between the two programs in over 30 years.

Then it's off to Honolulu, Hawaii, for the 2023 Maui Invitational from Nov 20-22. Arguably the premier in-season tournament in college basketball, the eight-team field features five teams ranked in ESPN's preseason top 25 rankings: Kansas (1), Purdue (3), Gonzaga (7), Tennessee (8) and Marquette (10). The Zags are guaranteed three games take on the Boilermakers in the first round, before a matchup against either Syracuse or the Volunteers the following day. The final game could very well see a matchup against the Jayhawks, Golden Eagles or UCLA.

Following a tune-up against Cal State Bakersfield (Nov. 28), the Bulldogs battle No. 21 USC in the Legends of Basketball Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 2) in a highly-anticipated matchup against a Trojans squad that features five-star recruits Isiah Collier and Bronny James. To go along with the No. 3 recruiting class in the country, USC returned All-Pac 12 guard Boogie Ellis for his fifth season.

The Las Vegas matchup is the first of four games in 10 days during the first two weeks of December. Gonzaga is home against Arkansas Pine-Bluff (Dec. 5) before heading to Seattle, Washington, to take on Washington (Dec. 9). The Zags head back to Spokane to host Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 11) prior to a rematch against No. 5 UConn for the Battle in Seattle event (Dec. 15).

The defending national champions lost four of its five starters from last season, though Dan Hurley returned Tristen Newton and brought in a top-five recruiting class headlined by four ESPN 100 prospects. Donovan Clingan and Alex Karaban are poised to step up in bigger roles in 2023-24 as well.

After a home game against Jackson State (Dec. 20), Gonzaga takes on the national runner-ups in No. 12 San Diego State (Dec. 29) in what will likely be the only top-25 nonconference matchup that will be played at the McCarthey Athletic Center in 2023. It will also be the first meeting in a home-and-home series the Zags and Aztecs finalized back in July. 

The 2023-24 nonconference slate concludes with a trip to Lexington, Kentucky, as the Zags will take on No. 17 Kentucky (Feb. 10). It'll be the first trip to Rupp Arena for the Zags following last season's 88-72 win over Big Blue at the Spokane Arena.

In total, Gonzaga will potentially face six teams that appeared in the NCAA Tournament last season. Seven of the nonconference opponents won 20 or more games in 2022-23 and finished inside the top 125 of last season's NET Rankings.

Tickets available for Gonzaga, UConn showdown in Seattle