Gonzaga-Kentucky game confirmed for 2024 Battle in Seattle event
Gonzaga’s marquee nonconference game against Kentucky has been officially set for the 15th edition of Battle in Seattle on Dec. 7 at Climate Pledge in Seattle, according to a news release.
The third installment of the six-year series between the college basketball powers was first reported by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, and later confirmed by Gonzaga Nation, back in May.
The Bulldogs won the previous two meetings against the Wildcats. In Nov. 2022, Rasir Bolton, Drew Timme and Julian Strawther scored over 20 points apiece to fuel an 88-72 win over then-No. 4 Kentucky. This past season, Graham Ike led the way in an 89-85 victory at Rupp Arena to down the then-No. 17 Wildcats.
The December matchup will look different for a couple of reasons, though no change is arguably bigger than Mark Pope taking the reins from John Calipari, who left Kentucky to coach Arkansas back in April. Pope, formerly at BYU, took the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and 2024 though he has yet to get past the first round as a head coach. As a player, he was part of Kentucky’s 1996 national championship team.
Resume aside, Pope has revamped the roster from essentially scratch through the transfer portal. Headlined by Andrew Carr (Wake Forest), Otega Oweh (Oklahoma) and Kerr Kriisa, Kentucky has the No. 6 ranked transfer portal class in the country according to EvanMiya.com. Pope also brought Jaxson Robinson over from Provo, Utah, landed sharpshooter Koby Brea from Dayton and got a guard with Final Four experience in Lamont Butler from San Diego State.
Conversely, the Bulldogs are expected to be a top 10 team in the preseason after returning seven of their top eight scorers from last season’s Sweet 16 team. Mark Few was also active in the portal, adding All-WCC wing Michael Ajayi (Pepperdine), 6-foot-5 grad transfer Khalif Battle (Arkansas), defensive specialist Emmanuel Innocenti (Tarleton State) and reigning Patriot League Player of the Year Braeden Smith (Colgate), the latter of whom will redshirt next season.
The Wildcats are one of a few high-profile games on Gonzaga's 2024-25 nonconference schedule. The Bulldogs have three games at the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament, an eight-team field highlighted by Arizona, Indiana and Providence, from Nov. 27-29. A week after Kentucky, they’ll travel across the country to face back-to-back champion UConn at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 14. Gonzaga also faces UCLA at the Intuit Dome (Inglewood, California) and San Diego State at Viejas Arena (San Diego).
The Zags also face an 18-game league schedule as the West Coast Conference officially welcomes Oregon State and Washington State as affiliate members.
Gonzaga and Kentucky finalized a multi-year series prior to the 2022-23 season. After next season, the two will face off at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for the 2025-26 season. The final two games are scheduled for Rupp Arena (2026-27) and the McCarthey Athletic Center (2027-28).
The Zags are 9-5 all-time in the Battle of Seattle event, which started in 2003 before taking a hiatus from 2015 to 2021. The last two events featured SEC opponents as well — Alabama (2021) and Tennessee (2015). Last season’s game against UConn at Climate Pledge Arena was part of the Continental Tire Seattle Tip-Off, a non-Battle in Seattle event.
Tickets for the 2024 Battle in Seattle go on sale to the public on June 28 at 10 a.m. at climatepledgearena.com. Presales begin on June 26 and can be purchased directly through Gonzaga's website.
COLE FORSMAN
Cole Forsman is a reporter for Gonzaga Nation, a member of Sports Illustrated’s FanNation network. Cole holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.