Gonzaga will host Bucknell as part of 2024-25 nonconference slate

Bulldogs will host Bison on Dec. 21, according to Bucknell's official 2024-25 schedule

Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

The Gonzaga men’s basketball program will host Bucknell in a nonconference matchup on Dec. 21, according to Bucknell's official 2024-25 schedule that released Thursday.

ICYMI, our full 2024-25 schedule is now complete, including the addition of a non-league game at Gonzaga. It's a very challenging but fun schedule! #rayBucknell #TheBisonWay

📰 https://t.co/5310033IZ0

— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) September 19, 2024

The home game against the Bison is currently the Zags’ fifth home game on the 2024-25 nonleague slate. While Gonzaga has yet to confirm its entire nonconference schedule, the school announced it agreed to a home-and-home series with Arizona State, which will begin Nov. 10 at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Bulldogs also host UMass-Lowell (Nov. 15), Long Beach State (Nov. 20) and Nicholls State (Dec. 18).

Bucknell (14-19, 10-8 Patriot) finished in a four-way tie for second place in the Patriot League standings last season under first-year head coach John Griffin, who was an assistant coach with the program from 2015-19. Griffen took over for Nathan Davis — now at New Hampshire — after he guided the Bison to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and top 100 KenPom finishes in 2017 and 2018. 

Over the past six seasons since then, Bucknell hasn’t finished in the top 100 of KenPom and has finished below .500 in five of those seasons.

On the bright side, Griffin returned five of the top six scorers from the 2023-24 team, including junior center Noah Willamson. The 7-0 Latvian averaged 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds to earn All-Patriot third team honors.

As a whole, Bucknell returned 78.3% of its minutes played from last season, which ranks as the 12th highest retention rate in the country according to Bart Torvik. In addition to its visit to Spokane on Dec. 21, it’ll also head to Kentucky (Nov. 9), Maryland (Nov. 27) and Syracuse (Dec. 28) before conference play begins in January.

After hosting the Sun Devils, the Zags head down to a hostile Viejas Arena to take on San Diego State on Nov. 18. The Battle 4 Atlantis event tips off against West Virginia on Nov. 27 with the potential to see one of Louisville or Indiana on day two and Arizona on day three. Gonzaga sees Kentucky in Seattle on Dec. 7, followed by a trip to Madison Square Garden for a return game against back-to-back champion UConn.

On Dec. 28, the Zags renew the rivalry with UCLA at the newly built Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Los Angeles. That game is part of a home-and-home series that’ll return to Seattle in 2025.