Gonzaga ready for 'fun challenge' vs. UConn in Seattle: 'We've just got to come out guns blazing'

Bulldogs head back to the Emerald City for a showdown against the reigning national champions

Braden Huff admitted the excitement he felt in May when it was reported that the Gonzaga Bulldogs and UConn Huskies agreed to face off in Climate Pledge Arena this season as part of a two-year series between the college basketball powerhouses. 

The two programs had just met in March in the Elite Eight round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, in which UConn rolled through Gonzaga en route to the school's fifth national championship. Huff wasn't on the floor for the 82-54 beatdown delivered to his team, but he certainly remembers the lasting impact the loss had on his teammates heading into this season's matchup.

"Last year kind of left a bad taste in our mouth," Huff said after Gonzaga's 78-40 win over Mississippi Valley State on Monday. "Just to kind of see that from from the sidelines, it definitely makes things exciting for Friday."

Huff will go from not playing any minutes in the Elite Eight matchup to likely playing a pivotal role, along with the rest of Gonzaga's frontcourt, against a dominant group of bigs on the other side.

Sophomore and 7-foot-2 post Donovan Clingan has come into his own on both ends of the floor after serving an impactful role off the bench for last season's championship squad. A probable first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Clingan's length and ability to rotate defensively while guarding the pick-and-roll makes him one of the top shot-blockers in college basketball. He leads all Big East players with 2.1 blocks per game.

Donovan Clingan's impact on the interior defensively for UConn is why he continues to be regarded as a potential top-10 pick. Likely to measure around 7-3 in shoes with a 7-7 wingspan, Clingan is one of the best shot-blockers in college basketball. pic.twitter.com/YA68UYVgMo

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) December 12, 2023

Offensively, Clingan chips in 13.2 points per game on 62.7% shooting from the field. Most of his buckets come down low, as 73.5% of his 83 shot attempts this season have been at the rim, per Hoop-Math.com. The Bulldogs have faced their share of talented two-way bigs in nonconference play, and Clingan is right up there with Purdue's Zach Edey as one of the most imposing post players on the schedule.

That means another big matchup on both ends of the floor for Graham Ike. The 6-foot-9 post has held his own against other 7-footers, at least on the offensive end of the floor. He put up 14 points on Edey's Boilermakers and most recently had 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting while primarily matched up against Washington's 7-foot center Franck Kepnang.

For all of his positives on offense, Ike has found himself in foul trouble multiple times this season. Not all fouls are created equally nor are entirely his fault, but it's hard to keep the starting center on the floor when he's committed three or more fouls in four of the last six games. Especially considering that, even though he isn't known as a shot-blocker, he's improved as a rim protector in the eyes of Mark Few, who also mentioned his desire to see a more aggressive Ike after Monday's victory.

"I think he's really doing a nice job of scoring on the interior and I mean, I wish he'd be a little more aggressive," Few said of Ike. "He's just being a little bit too unselfish. But he's doing a better job of protecting the rim I think as we've moved along through the season."

Dan Dickau believes Gonzaga's rotational players will 'need to step up' moving forward

In the event Ike picks up early fouls and has to sit for extended stretches against UConn, Ben Gregg and Huff will have to step up to the challenge. Ike has noted the luxury of having depth behind him when he or Anton Watson deal with foul trouble, which will most likely come into play against the Huskies.

For Huff especially, his ability to stretch the floor brings a different element to the game compared to Ike's back-to-the-basket style of play. The 6-foot-10 forward has shot 47.6% from behind the arc this season on over two attempts per game, as he averages 11.7 points in less than 15 minutes per game off the bench.

"The thing I like about my game is I feel like I can do a little bit of everything," Huff said. "The 3 ball is going to be a big thing but also still being aggressive inside and looking for those shots if they're there. I can't just get tentative and just rely on the 3 ball, I've got to be able to kind of do it all."

Outside of Clingan, 6-foot-8 redshirt sophomore Alex Karaban is a versatile two-way post in a similar role to that of Gonzaga's Watson. Fitting that the two will likely be matched up against one another on Friday, which will be a test for Watson as Karaban is coming off a career-best 26 points in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Samson Johnson, a 6-foot-10 junior off the bench, logs nearly 20 minutes per game as a difference maker on defense. Johnson is second on the team in blocks with 12 and is 28-for-38 on field goal attempts this season.

UConn has the depth in the frontcourt to match Gonzaga's talented bigs - and Friday's showdown will likely be determined in the trenches.

"That's I think why you come to a school like this; to play in big games like that," Huff said. "I'm excited to play them in Seattle in front of what should be a lot of our fans and hopefully we get a good crowd and come out with it with a lot of energy."

"We've just got to come out guns blazing as coach likes to say," Stromer said. "Hopefully just do that for 40 minutes and come out with a win."

Watch: 'Rapid Fire' with Gonzaga freshman Dusty Stromer