How to watch Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. UConn Huskies: TV channel, preview for men’s college basketball game

The Bulldogs look to get back in the win column when they take on the Huskies in New York City

Cole Forsman | 5 Hours Ago

Gonzaga Bulldogs senior guard Ryan Nembhard. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

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The Gonzaga Bulldogs (7-2) face the UConn Huskies (7-3) at Madison Square Garden on Saturday in a battle of top-20 college basketball teams.

The Zags enter the matchup looking to rebound from a 90-89 overtime loss to Kentucky in Seattle last week. Despite leading by as many as 18 points behind a dominant first half from Graham Ike, Gonzaga struggled to find the bottom of the net when it mattered most and lost all momentum after a 16-2 scoring run from the Wildcats flipped the game on its head in the second half. Heading into the matchup, Gonzaga won 175 games when leading by 10 or more points at halftime — it was the longest active streak in Division I.

Ike led all scorers with 28 points to go with 11 rebounds, marking his second consecutive double-double of his senior season. The 6-foot-9 forward paces Gonzaga at 15.3 points and 7.0 boards per game. In addition to knocking down 53.4% of his attempts from the field, Ike leads the team in free-throws made (42-for-57, 73.7%) and ranks No. 1 in the country in fouls drawn per 40 minutes (8.9) according to KenPom. As a team, Gonzaga averages 22.2 shots at the charity stripe this season.

Senior guard Ryan Nembhard helms the No. 3 scoring offense in the country from the point guard position. Nembhard’s 96 total assists top the nation, while his 6.4 assist-to-turnover ratio is No. 2 in the land. The Canadian is putting up a double-double each time he steps foot on the floor essentially, as Nembhard is averaging 10.9 points and 10.7 assists through the team’s first nine games.

On the other side, UConn is set to return to its home away from home on Saturday following back-to-back victories over Big 12 schools. The Huskies bounced back from a disastrous 0-3 showing at the Maui Invitational with an impressive 76-72 win over Baylor without Alex Karaban. The 6-foot-8 redshirt junior returned for the Huskies’ 76-65 victory over the Longhorns in Austin, Texas, last Sunday, scoring 21 points in 40 minutes played.

Karaban paces the Huskies at 16.5 points per game on 48.1% (25-for-52) from 3-point range through their first 10 games of 2024-25. He’s also recorded 16 blocks and rips down 5.0 boards per game.

Sophomore guard Solo Ball chips in 12.9 points per game for UConn, which ranks No. 4 in the country in offensive efficiency per KenPom. The 6-foot-3 Virginia native has scored in double-figures in every game so far this season. Ball has played well in the backcourt next to fifth-year guard Hassan Diarra (7.9 points, 5.6 assists per game), who entered the starting lineup for Saint Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney.

Saturday’s game, part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Series, will be the third meeting between these two college basketball powers in the last 21 months. UConn has won five of the previous seven head-to-head matchups, including the 2023 Elite Eight (82-54) and last season’s regular season game at Climate Pledge Arena (76-63).