Gonzaga, San Diego State to begin home-and-home series in Spokane this season

The Zags add the National Championship runner-up to its nonconference schedule

The Gonzaga men's basketball team and San Diego State will begin a home-and-home series in Spokane on Dec. 29, before concluding the matchup in San Diego during the 2024-25 season. 

The clash at McCarthey Athletic Center will mark the fifth meeting between the programs, with the all-time series tied 2-2. The teams last played each other during the 2017-18 season, which saw San Diego State win 72-70 at home.

The Aztecs lost 76-59 in last year's title game to UConn, another team that Gonzaga agreed to play over the next two seasons. The Zags are slated to face the Huskies on Dec. 19 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, with the series ending the following year at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

Coming off a remarkable run in the NCAA Tournament, San Diego State was listed at No. 12 in ESPN's latest Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings. Gonzaga was ranked eighth. 

While the Aztecs lost several key contributors from last season's squad, they return two of their top three scorers in guards Darrion Trammell and Lamont Butler. Both players earned first-team All-Mountain West honors in 2022-23. 

Head coach Brian Dutcher brought in two transfers, Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year Reese Dixon-Waters of USC and Campbell’s Jay Pal. San Diego State's incoming freshman class includes 4-star point guard BJ Davis and 3-star center Miles Heide. 

Gonzaga also had a busy offseason after losing three-time All-American Drew Timme, first-round NBA Draft pick Julian Strawther, Rasir Bolton and Malachi Smith. 

Head coach Mark Few signed a trio of experienced transfers to fill the holes left by the departures: Wyoming center Graham Ike, Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard and Eastern Washington wing Steele Venters. 

The Zags also netted three highly-touted freshmen in Dusty Stromer, Marcus Adams Jr. and Jun Seok Yeo.

Aside from San Diego State and UConn, Gonzaga's grueling nonconference schedule is headlined by a three-day tournament at the Maui Invitational. The Zags open the event against Purdue on Nov. 20. 

Gonzaga will play Kentucky in Lexington, but the date is yet to be confirmed. The matchup is part of a six-year series, which started with the Zags defeating the Wildcats 88-72 at Spokane Arena last season. 

The Zags will face USC in Las Vegas on Dec. 2, and Washington in Seattle on Dec. 9.