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<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe title="Herly Brutus | 2025 PRO16 Highligh ...

Source: https://slipperstillfits.com/rss/index.xml

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<title type="text">The Slipper Still Fits</title>
<subtitle type="text">Your best source for quality Gonzaga Bulldogs news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan perspective.</subtitle>
<updated>2025-09-11T06:38:19+00:00</updated>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>Arden Cravalho</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gonzaga Makes 2026 Recruit Herly Brutus’ Top Six]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/news/22657/gonzaga-makes-2026-recruit-herly-brutus-top-six" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22657</id>
<updated>2025-09-11T02:38:19-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-09-10T22:45:02-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[6-5, 180-pound wing Herly Brutus from The Villages Charter in Florida (previously was at Umatilla in his junior season) has listed Gonzaga, Saint Louis, LSU, Utah, Kansas State, and South Florida as his final six destinations. He will be officially visiting Spokane from October 3rd-5th at the Kraziness in the Kennel (scheduled for Saturday, October […]]]></summary>
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6-5, 180-pound wing Herly Brutus from The Villages Charter in Florida (previously was at Umatilla in his junior season) has listed Gonzaga, Saint Louis, LSU, Utah, Kansas State, and South Florida as his final six destinations. He will be officially visiting Spokane from October 3rd-5th at the Kraziness in the Kennel (scheduled for Saturday, October 4th), along with 6-11 four-star center Same Funches from Germantown in Mississippi. 
Out of all the schools that he’s deciding between, Gonzaga has had the most postseason success over the last thirty or so years.
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“A history with being a winning culture and development. I want to win a national championship and I play to win.” – Herly Brutus on Gonzaga via On3’s Joe Topton
</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">4⭐️ Herly Brutus is down to six schools, he tells <a href="https://twitter.com/Rivals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Rivals</a>. The 6-5 shooting guard breaks down each of his finalists: <a href="https://t.co/bkE2qC7iPZ">https://t.co/bkE2qC7iPZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZsSONfAmcv">pic.twitter.com/ZsSONfAmcv</a>— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) <a href="https://twitter.com/TiptonEdits/status/1965927769419952314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The four-star is the No. 81-ranked player in the 2026 class, the No. 21 shooting guard, and No. 12 recruit coming out of the state of Florida (according to Rivals). 
Brutus already took a trip to Saint Louis on August 28th-30th. He plans to visit the four other programs he’s considering: 
LSU: September 12th-14th
Utah: September 19th-21st
Kansas State: September 25th-27th
South Florida: October 23rd-25th
When checking out his summer highlights, the immediate standout of Brutus’ game is the ability to switch out and guard multiple positions thanks to his long arms, feet quickness, and high motor. His ability to stretch out the floor from deep beyond the arc makes defenders uncomfortable, but still needs to become more consistent as he prepares for the next level (shot 31 percent on three-pointers and 76 percent on free throws this summer).
<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe title="Herly Brutus | 2025 PRO16 Highlights | Sessions 1 - 3" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CMZIp7kfzC0?rel=0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div>
During the Puma PRO16 Circuit this summer, Brutus averaged 11.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game with Tre Mann Elite. He was named to the All-Breakout Team on the circuit.
The only other current ‘announced’ recruits visiting with the Zags also play out on the wing position. That’s Link Academy’s 6-5 Luca Foster in Utah (October 11th-13th) and Millennium’s 6-6 Cameron Holmes in Arizona (November 7th-9th).
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Arden Cravalho</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[How Did the Two Zags Finish In FIBA EuroBasket?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/general/22574/how-did-the-two-zags-finish-in-fiba-eurobasket" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22574</id>
<updated>2025-09-10T15:04:21-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-09-09T22:58:31-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="General" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Spain has had some talent at the guard position over the last couple of decades, just natural and fluid passers who look to feed others. Gonzaga’s Mario Saint-Supery now draws early similarities to another great Spanish guard, Ricky Rubio, after being the newly appointed youngest Spanish player to appear in EuroBasket. Despite Spain being eliminated […]]]></summary>
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<img alt="" data-caption="Spain’s point guard #05 Mario Saint-Supery gets by Greece’s shooting guard #02 Tyler Dorsey during the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena in Limassol on September 4, 2025. (Photo by ALEX MITA / AFP) (Photo by ALEX MITA/AFP via Getty Images)" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.slipperstillfits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/146/2025/09/gettyimages-2233030007.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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Spain’s point guard #05 Mario Saint-Supery gets by Greece’s shooting guard #02 Tyler Dorsey during the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 match between Spain and Greece at Spyros Kyprianou Arena in Limassol on September 4, 2025. (Photo by ALEX MITA / AFP) (Photo by ALEX MITA/AFP via Getty Images) </figcaption>
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Spain has had some talent at the guard position over the last couple of decades, just natural and fluid passers who look to feed others. Gonzaga’s Mario Saint-Supery now draws early similarities to another great Spanish guard, Ricky Rubio, after being the newly appointed youngest Spanish player to appear in EuroBasket.
Despite Spain being eliminated from the 2025 tournament by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece in the final game of group play, 90-86, Saint-Supery gained valuable experience when going against one of the best players on the planet in Cyprus. <a href="https://x.com/SeanPaulCBB/status/1963698560899445033"></a>
He finished with 13 points on 4-9 field goals/1-2 three-pointers/4-4 free throws, two assists, one steal, one block, and zero turnovers in 17 minutes. Although being a facilitator is what stands out the most when watching his highlights, he’s an efficient scorer on all three levels and looks to be a combo guard for coach Mark Few in Spokane. Saint-Supery is going to make an immediate impact for the Zags.
<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe title="Mario Saint-Supery - Spain - 2025 FIBA EuroBasket Highlights" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5IHwDefFM34?rel=0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div>
Spain coach Sergio Scariolo felt more than comfortable playing him (along with Sergio de Larrea) in the closing minutes against Greece. Having that much trust in a 19-year-old in competitive FIBA play tells a lot about his early potential. He was even in the running for the EuroBasket’s Rising Star Award, a coveted honor throughout international play after putting together 8.4 points per game on a shooting split of 43.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from deep, and 91.7 percent from the charity stripe to go along with 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
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“I played with them (Saint-Supery and de Larrea) to win this game, I felt comfortable with them… I like the image that they can be closing a door and opening another.” – Spain coach Sergio Scariolo
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In a shocking upset by Laurri Markennan and Finland, Serbia’s Filip Petrusev’s time at EuroBasket was cut short after falling in the Round of 16 in Latvia, 92-86. Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic continues to show his dominance internationally, but Markennan is making a name for himself as a star with the Utah Jazz. He’s to break out even further in his ninth NBA season in 2025-26.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Lauri Markkanen with what is unquestionably the best moment of his career so far. He led Finland with 29 points in a shocking upset over Nikola Jokic and Serbia in elimination play at EuroBasket. Biggest win of his career by far. <a href="https://t.co/0WkkULO32F">pic.twitter.com/0WkkULO32F</a>— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/BensHoops/status/1964431125700628909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Petrusev didn’t make much of an impact in the elimination game against Finland after scoring just three points, grabbing three rebounds, and dishing out three assists in 16 minutes of play. Throughout the six games played in the tournament, he averaged 8.8 points per game on a 58.8 field goal percentage, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. 
He will be competing with Dubai Basketball, his eighth professional team since being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 50th overall pick in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft. Petrusev recently signed a three-year deal with the member of the ABA League and the EuroLeague.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Arden Cravalho</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Mark Few’s Son, AJ Few, Joins Boise State’s Leon Rice Staff]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/news/22646/mark-fews-son-aj-few-joins-boise-states-leon-rice-staff" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22646</id>
<updated>2025-09-10T23:50:25-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-09-09T02:08:21-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[After growing up around the Gonzaga basketball program since being in diapers, AJ Few is moving away from Spokane to Boise to further his coaching career under a familiar face. The son of coach Mark Few is joining coach Leon Rice’s staff at Boise State as the Director of Player Personnel, overseeing video operations for […]]]></summary>
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After growing up around the Gonzaga basketball program since being in diapers, AJ Few is moving away from Spokane to Boise to further his coaching career under a familiar face.
The son of coach Mark Few is joining coach Leon Rice’s staff at Boise State as the Director of Player Personnel, overseeing video operations for men’s basketball and assisting in opponent scouting reports and game plans, as well as recruiting. Rice served as an assistant coach for the Zags from 1999-2010, building a strong relationship with the Few family during that stretch. 
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“As for AJ, we’re fortunate to add a young man with an extensive and expansive basketball background and pedigree. His knowledge, experience and acumen in all facets of the game will pay dividends and make us a better program, both now and in the foreseeable future.” – Boise State coach Leon Rice on AJ Few
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Both Boise State and Gonzaga are preparing to join the Pac-12 Conference starting in 2026-27. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Welcome to the Broncos, AJ! Thrilled to have you join us as our director of player personnel & MBB BroncoPRO.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BleedBlue?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BleedBlue</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnbreakableCulture?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnbreakableCulture</a> <a href="https://t.co/p29YdVBWou">pic.twitter.com/p29YdVBWou</a>— Boise State MBB (@BroncoSportsMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/BroncoSportsMBB/status/1965090625919004699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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AJ’s playing days ended in his senior high school season with Gonzaga Prep in Spokane. He then joined his father’s program and has gotten a feel of what it takes to build and exercise a successful team. Few recently served as the Zags’ head video coordinator and previously had experience as a student manager as well as a graduate assistant from 2022-25. He also helped out with the Miami Heat organization during the NBA Summer League this past summer. 
The Gonzaga coaching tree across the country seems to grow more and more, year after year. The spawn of the Godfather of Zags’ basketball looks to follow in the footsteps of some of the greats to sit on the sidelines in Spokane. 
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Mac Smith</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Quad 1 Rock Fights: Why Gonzaga Fans Have to Pull for Saint Mary’s in 2025-26]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/general/22618/quad-1-rock-fights-why-gonzaga-fans-have-to-pull-for-saint-marys-in-25-26" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22618</id>
<updated>2025-09-08T21:30:19-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-09-06T20:34:38-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="General" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The logic of Gonzaga’s non-conference scheduling has always been clear: load the calendar with November and December challenges, absorb the bruises that come with early-season experimentation, and enter conference play with a résumé strong enough to fine-tune and coast. The 2025-26 slate follows that familiar blueprint. First, matchups with Oklahoma and Creighton before decamping to […]]]></summary>
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The logic of Gonzaga’s non-conference scheduling has always been clear: load the calendar with November and December challenges, absorb the bruises that come with early-season experimentation, and enter conference play with a résumé strong enough to fine-tune and coast. The 2025-26 slate follows that familiar blueprint. First, matchups with Oklahoma and Creighton before decamping to this year’s Players Era Festival, a Las Vegas showcase designed to compress three high-quality Quad 1 games into four days. Then, tilts against Kentucky and UCLA in December, and a final showdown with Oregon just before the holidays. It’s yet another non-conference gauntlet that will test both travel legs and fighting spirit. Yet for all of the noise generated by blue-blood opponents and televised showdowns, the trajectory of Gonzaga’s March seeding may depend just as much on how one conference rival sustains its own relevance this season.
It’s an ugly truth of rooting for the Zags: you still need Saint Mary’s to be really good, too.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Head Coach Mark Few of <a href="https://twitter.com/ZagMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZagMBB</a> expands on the significance of Gonzaga vs Saint Mary's and also has a look towards the title game "It's amazing if you think about where we both started from…from where they came when I started and when Randy took over. I think the interesting… <a href="https://t.co/jhIzVweudH">pic.twitter.com/jhIzVweudH</a>— West Coast Conference Basketball (@WCChoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/WCChoops/status/1899370350124904836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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There are few teams in college basketball more diametrically opposed in every way than the Gaels and the Bulldogs. The Zags like to go fast and get buckets while the Gaels prefer to slow the game to an excruciating crawl, every possession stretched thin, every whistle pulling the game deeper into monotony. The frustration of having to watch such a joyless brand of ball would soften if Gonzaga were always able to impose its will on the Gaels, yet in recent seasons, Bennett’s teams have gotten a leg up on the Zags, and each loss lands harder because it comes inside the conference the Zags have owned outright for the better part of thirty years. Year after year, the fact of the matter becomes clearer: Gonzaga’s March résumé at least in part depends on the success of another team their fans can barely stand to watch.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">The Gaels continue to hit the boards and here comes <a href="https://twitter.com/saintmaryshoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@saintmaryshoops</a> ‼️ Saint Mary's is currently out rebounding Gonzaga 23-13 with 8 offensive rebounds<a href="https://twitter.com/MyCreditUnion1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MyCreditUnion1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WCChoops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WCChoops</a> Championship on <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> <a href="https://t.co/8t000S9nT4">pic.twitter.com/8t000S9nT4</a>— West Coast Conference Basketball (@WCChoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/WCChoops/status/1899639010462761203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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For the Zags–Gaels rivalry, the stakes have perhaps never been higher, because this season may also mark the end of one of college basketball’s best matchups, a casualty of the realignment wave that has already scattered so many regional ties and will carry Gonzaga into the Pac-12 Conference. For years, the Bulldogs and Gaels have defined the West Coast Conference, one through pace and a barrage of offense, the other through control and quicksand; one a joy to watch, the other like trying to read the fine print on a mortgage while passing a kidney stone. For years, it has been two fanbases locked in mutual disdain, sharpened by every February clash, and the possibility that it could dissolve after this year feels less like administrative reshuffling and more like the erasure of one of the sport’s most beloved fixtures.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Khalif Battle’s emphatic alley-oop seals the WCC Tournament crown for Gonzaga, as they pull away from Saint Mary’s late 58-51 in Las Vegas. <a href="https://t.co/Z16Loci8fh">pic.twitter.com/Z16Loci8fh</a>— Made For March (@madeformarch) <a href="https://twitter.com/madeformarch/status/1899657008086683976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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So how good will Saint Mary’s be in 25-26:
Well, they were very good last year. Very, very good. Randy Bennett’s last squad was perhaps the best he’s assembled in his career, loaded with veterans, playmakers, and (most importantly) play-stoppers, and they carried his plan to near perfection every time they stepped out onto the hardwood. Bennett might look more like a partially melted Wallace Shawn than a basketball coach, but his numbers don’t lie. Saint Mary’s closed the 2024–25 season at 29–6 overall and 17–1 in the WCC, a campaign that included two bruising regular-season wins over Gonzaga. Before Gonzaga ultimately destroyed Saint Mary’s in the WCC Championship game in Las Vegas, those ennervating regular season matchups followed the familiar Bennettball script: slow pace, long possessions, second-chance daggers from relentless offensive rebounding, and enough from both sides to build a wall at halfcourt. It was classic Saint Mary’s, a rock fight twice over, and for Zag fans a reminder that the Gaels’ style may be ugly but it works often enough to inflict real damage against some very good teams. By March, the profile was solid: 24th in the AP poll, 16th in the NET, and 25th in KenPom with an efficiency margin over +22, numbers that reflected balance on both ends. Saint Mary’s scored 72.9 points per game while holding opponents to 61.1, winning by nearly twelve a night, and they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Alabama.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">“They overlooked us, they were saying we were soft… We came out and played harder than they did, in my opinion…We tried to be the big dogs, that’s what we did and got the win. Salute to them, they played their hearts out.” Mo Dioubate after Alabama’s win over Saint Mary’s <a href="https://t.co/5b9lNBUBfT">pic.twitter.com/5b9lNBUBfT</a>— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/NextRoundLive/status/1903992980307931314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Alabama exposed a central flaw in the Bennettball game script. The fastest and most efficient offense in the nation raced out to a 42–29 lead in the first half, and from there, the result felt inevitable, because “Bennettball” cannot chase. Their offense is too slow, too “intentional,” to dig out of holes early, and Alabama’s indifference to Saint Mary’s preferred tempo exposed the flaw that lingers beneath all the efficiency metrics.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Saint Mary’s beats Gonzaga and is 10-0 in the WCC! 👀 <a href="https://t.co/VrlBSYO3Am">pic.twitter.com/VrlBSYO3Am</a>— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheFieldOf68/status/1885934138806481187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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This Season…
The roster churn will be a lot to overcome for the Gaels in 25-26. Augustas Marciulionis, WCC Player of the Year (better, somehow, than the guy who now plays for the Dallas Mavericks and broke damn near every passing record in college basketball last season), is gone. Mitchell Saxen, WCC Defensive Player of the Year and the immovable body in the paint who turned each game into a collision, is gone. Luke Barrett, the veteran forward who gave Bennett a steady hand and a bruiser’s edge on the wing, is gone. Jordan Ross, the freshman phenom with ridiculous upside, is gone, having transferred to Georgia. And with their parting, the Gaels lose both the infrastructure of their offense and the identity of their defense.
But the recruiting effort put forth by Bennett and his staff this offseason may be the most unimpeachable proof of Saint Mary’s recent rise in public opinion. Bennett pulled two huge pieces from within the conference, landing seven-footer Jazz Gardner from Pacific and WCC Freshman First-Teamer, Tony Duckett from San Diego. The incoming freshman class is headlined by JRob Croy, once a Gonzaga target, as well as four-star forward Dillan Shaw, and near four-star recruit Trent Maclean, a mobile prospect built for Bennett’s system. They join Mikey Lewis, last year’s most reliable deep threat, and Paulius Murauskas, the versatile Lithuanian wing whose experience anchors a roster that looks more or less recalibrated if not extremely promising.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Don't be surprised to see 2026 6'6 JRob Croy start to get significant D1 attention in the next couple months. Big guard, exceptional creator, savvy with the ball, very good on or off ball. AVG: 15 ppg 3.3 rpg 4 apg 1.5 spg 42% FG 40% 3PT 1.02 PPP<a href="https://twitter.com/jrobcroy_1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jrobcroy_1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamCPSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TeamCPSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/qKyb5VQrmt">pic.twitter.com/qKyb5VQrmt</a>— Trey Sterner (@TreySterner5345) <a href="https://twitter.com/TreySterner5345/status/1928287620028649715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
With Murauskas as the offense’s focal point and 7’1” Harry Wessels back once again to foul a lot and grab an occasional rebound,  this year’s Gaels look to be longer, more athletic, and potentially more versatile than last year’s squad. Rest assured, however, they will look like a Saint Mary’s team: designed for forty-minute rock fights, capable of grinding tempo to a standstill, and built to sit inside the NET top thirty if the new pieces settle quickly.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Paulius Murauskas went OFF for St. Mary’s on Saturday 👀🔥🤯 30 points 10 rebounds 12-19 FG <a href="https://t.co/u3yLfXnaVw">pic.twitter.com/u3yLfXnaVw</a>— The Portal Report (@ThePortalReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThePortalReport/status/1891501276459946058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
The real question for Zag fans, though,  is how well the Gaels handle their nonconference run. Last season, they stacked some quality wins in November and December, taking on San Diego State, Colorado State, and Utah while finding tests against Pac-12 stragglers and mid-majors strong enough to move the metrics. It was Moneyball and bracket-math all season for the Gaels. They split early games well enough to anchor their NET and KenPom numbers before steamrolling the WCC outright. The expectation is the same this year: a measured set of high-major showdowns, a handful of top-100 mid-majors, and the built-in assumption that the Gaels will again feast on the WCC’s middle and bottom. Their résumé strength will be forged before January, and they’ll once again look to rely heavily on wins over Gonzaga to validate their legitimacy. Meanwhile, Gonzaga’s own March ceiling depends on those months delivering the ballast that transforms routine conference wins into Quadrant 1 gold.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Saint Mary’s Commit Dillan Shaw went off the today <a href="https://twitter.com/ClassicAtDamien?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ClassicAtDamien</a> scoring 29 points and leading Heritage Christian to a W 💪 They remain undefeated on the season. <a href="https://t.co/ev47QoPYCP">pic.twitter.com/ev47QoPYCP</a>— Hoop Screen (@hoopscreen) <a href="https://twitter.com/hoopscreen/status/1872479064931574055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
What we know about their schedule so far: 
Saint Mary’s has confirmed a slate of matchups against Saint Thomas, Ohio, North Texas, and Wichita State in the Battle 4 Atlantis opener, followed by Davidson, Boise State, Florida Atlantic, Northern Iowa, and a yet-to-be-announced date with Arkansas State. For a team trying to stay locked inside the NET top 30, it looks soft. The early mid-major games won’t move the numbers, and only Boise State and Florida Atlantic project as opponents with real résumé weight. Even the Battle 4 Atlantis field, while full of respectable programs, lacks the kind of high-end draw that shapes seeding conversations in March. For Saint Mary’s, this schedule offers little margin: if they drop even one of those low-leverage games, the damage could outweigh the value of winning the rest.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">The 2025 Battle 4 Atlantis Bracket. <a href="https://t.co/aereJ0y9MM">pic.twitter.com/aereJ0y9MM</a>— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoccoMiller8/status/1953462400138584178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
What this all adds up to is the real tension that will characterize the final year of the Gonzaga/Saint Mary’s in-conference rivalry: as much as the Zags need the Gaels to knock off everyone else to keep their own résumé in the protected range, the Gaels need to take down Gonzaga if they have any real shot at March Madness. The NET won’t reward a stack of mid-major wins, the committee won’t elevate a 28–4 record built on soft ground, and the only ticket left on this schedule that can punch them through sits across from them in February. In a twist both cruel and inevitable, the rivalry itself becomes Saint Mary’s only path to national relevance.
No mid-major in the country has navigated roster churn, NIL turbulence, and portal chaos with more consistency than Gonzaga, yet no program of comparable stature relies so heavily on a conference partner to validate its résumé. That reliance is not a failure of scheduling or strategy; it is the unavoidable logic of operating within the WCC. 
Which brings us back to the contours of Gonzaga’s 2025 nonconference slate. Las Vegas will provide spectacle, December will offer opportunities to prove or capture their early-season promise, and January will deliver routine. But the true hinge point lies in how Saint Mary’s sustains its season. A Gaels team that remains tethered to the top thirty secures Gonzaga’s seed-line against early blemishes, preserves the committee’s perception of WCC strength, and guarantees that the Bulldogs enter March with the cushion of multiple quality wins. As good as Gonzaga’s metrics were last season, their tournament seeding could have been even more disappointing had the Gaels had a down year themselves. Without that tether, the same schedule transforms into a gauntlet with little room for error once WCC play kicks off. For Gonzaga, then, the most important result of November may not come in Las Vegas or Nashville, but in how Randy Bennett handles its own roster turnover.
2025-26 will be the most unique (and perhaps final) chapter in one of the best rivalries in basketball. It’s a bit sad, perhaps, but mostly bizarre. It is the strangest allegiance of all, Zag fans hoping the monster is maximally destructive and can stay alive long enough to be slain on center stage one last time.

]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Arden Cravalho</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[2026 Recruit Ethan Harris Puts Gonzaga in Final Four Schools]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/news/22600/2026-recruit-ethan-harris-puts-gonzaga-in-final-four-schools" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22600</id>
<updated>2025-09-06T00:35:04-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-09-04T21:10:08-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The state of Washington’s No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class (65th in the nation, per Rivals) has named Gonzaga in his final four college basketball choices. 6-8 forward Ethan Harris was reportedly set to visit Spokane this past weekend, from August 29th to 31st (according to Rivals), but moved it to September 9th […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
<![CDATA[
<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="Camas junior Ethan Harris talks to teammates Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, during the Papermakers’ 60-48 win against Union at Camas High School. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.slipperstillfits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/146/2025/09/1018053332-Union-Camas-hoops_1.10_BHoops_TB03.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
<figcaption>
Camas junior Ethan Harris talks to teammates Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, during the Papermakers’ 60-48 win against Union at Camas High School. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian) </figcaption>
</figure>
The state of Washington’s No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class (65th in the nation, per Rivals) has named Gonzaga in his final four college basketball choices. 6-8 forward Ethan Harris was reportedly set to visit Spokane this past weekend, from August 29th to 31st (according to Rivals), but moved it to September 9th (according to 247 Sports). The Camas product will be deciding between the likes of the Zags, Washington, Boise State, and Iowa.
Four-star Harris will first be visiting Seattle this weekend from September 5th to 7th. He took trips to Iowa City on July 28th and Boise on June 23rd.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Four schools. One future. The next step in the journey is here. 🏀🔥 It’s official — Ethan Harris has narrowed his college choices down to his TOP 4! After months of hard work, visits, and weighing every opportunity, Ethan is one step closer to making his college decision. This… <a href="https://t.co/IClnzeeP4F">pic.twitter.com/IClnzeeP4F</a>— Select Basketball (MBB) (@SelectHoopsUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SelectHoopsUSA/status/1963709496322375884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
Primarily playing the power forward position, Harris brings size along with an exemplary jumper that forces defenders out to the perimeter. He makes his largest impact on the defensive end, getting in the passing lanes out on the wing and being physically efficient on the glass.
With Select AAU Basketball out of Idaho this summer, he averaged 9.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.3 steals. Harris was named to the Honorable Mention Team and All-Defensive Team on the Puma Pro 16 Circuit.
<div class="youtube-embed"><iframe title="Ethan Harris - Select Basketball - 2025 Puma Pro16 Highlights" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GncjX-ot6Nk?rel=0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div>
Rivals’ Jaime Shaw previously reported that one source told him that “they would have a hard time seeing him (Ethan Harris) not at Gonzaga/Washington ultimately if those programs pushed.”
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
“They liked that even when I’m missing shots, I didn’t let that affect my game. I know they have a very rich history in winning.” – Ethan Harris on Gonzaga via On3
</blockquote>
Here are the other 2026 recruits that the Zags are prioritizing:
6-7 forward Tyran Stokes (visit reportedly scheduled, date not announced)
6-8 forward Baba Oladotun (visit reportedly scheduled, date not announced)
6-11 center Sam Funches (visiting for Kraziness in the Kennel from October 3rd to 5th)
6-5 combo guard Herly Brutus (visiting for Kraziness in the Kennel from October 3rd to 5th)
6-2 point guard Ikenna Alozie (visit not set)
6-5 wing Luca Foster (visiting from October 11th to 13th)
6-6 wing Cameron Holmes (visiting from November 7th to 9th)
6-5 guard Anthony Felesi (visit not set)
6-5 wing Bo Ogden (visit not set)
Gonzaga missed out on 6-5 combo guard JRob Croy after he committed to the Saint Mary’s Gaels.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Arden Cravalho</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gonzaga Add North Florida, Completes 2025-26 Non-Conference Schedule]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/news/22580/gonzaga-add-north-florida-completes-2025-26-non-conference-schedule" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22580</id>
<updated>2025-09-05T02:12:27-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-09-02T22:46:20-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Barring any last-minute cancellations, the Zags have scheduled their final non-conference opponent in a buy game opportunity against North Florida on December 7th in the Kennel. The Ospereys play out of the Atlantic Sun Conference. After the departure of Matthew Driscoll in 2024, interim coach Bobby Kennen’s group finished tied for seventh in the conference […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
<![CDATA[
<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="HONOLULU, HAWAII – NOVEMBER 20: Graham Ike #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks the ball during the first half of the day one Allstate Maui Invitational game against the Purdue Boilermakers at SimpliFi Arena on November 20, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.slipperstillfits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/146/2025/09/gettyimages-1793802867.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
<figcaption>
HONOLULU, HAWAII – NOVEMBER 20: Graham Ike #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks the ball during the first half of the day one Allstate Maui Invitational game against the Purdue Boilermakers at SimpliFi Arena on November 20, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) </figcaption>
</figure>
Barring any last-minute cancellations, the Zags have scheduled their final non-conference opponent in a buy game opportunity against North Florida on December 7th in the Kennel. The Ospereys play out of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
After the departure of Matthew Driscoll in 2024, interim coach Bobby Kennen’s group finished tied for seventh in the conference standings with an 8-10 record in conference play, 15-17 overall this past season. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Our 2025-26 non-conference slate is here! Read more: <a href="https://t.co/vMl0aEoKL5">https://t.co/vMl0aEoKL5</a> Tickets: <a href="https://t.co/LO1104dAYp">https://t.co/LO1104dAYp</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SWOOP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SWOOP</a> <a href="https://t.co/m1gQqSSOg3">pic.twitter.com/m1gQqSSOg3</a>— UNF Men's Basketball (@OspreyMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/OspreyMBB/status/1962939867857293578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
Once the news that Gonzaga and Oregon will officially take place on December 21st at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon (tickets go on sale on September 11th), that filled up the 13 available slots for the non-conference. A total schedule can have up to 31 games (32 starting in 2026-27), and with 18 games on the West Coast Conference slate, there is no more room.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">A Northwest Elite Showdown in Portland 📰Press Release: <a href="https://t.co/wmeSoVjYrB">https://t.co/wmeSoVjYrB</a> <a href="https://t.co/fcszHgvy1j">pic.twitter.com/fcszHgvy1j</a>— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZagMBB/status/1962909224306143474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
Gonzaga will face off against seven (possibly eight) programs that received a bid into last season’s NCAA Tournament during the non-conference. The Zags will be away from the McCarthey Athletic Center eight times in the non-conference, but are only leaving the Pacific time zone one time all season long to take on Kentucky in Nashville, Tennessee. 
This looks like coach Mark Few’s toughest set of non-conference opponents to date, and he has had some doozies in the past. Here is where the full 2025-26 schedule currently stands, filled with Quad 1 opportunities:
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Our non-conference slate is official ☑️ 📰Press Release: <a href="https://t.co/MfGwkSemLh">https://t.co/MfGwkSemLh</a> 🗓️Schedule: <a href="https://t.co/jWGhBi5i8w">https://t.co/jWGhBi5i8w</a> <a href="https://t.co/KlJGJK3QSI">pic.twitter.com/KlJGJK3QSI</a>— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZagMBB/status/1963288699334267010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
Kraziness in the Kennel (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington) – October 4th
#Western Oregon (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington) – October 27th
Texas Southern (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington) – November 3rd
Oklahoma (Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington) – November 8th
Creighton (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington) – November 11th
Arizona State (Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona) – November 14th
Southern Utah (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington) – November 17th
*Alabama (Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada) – November 24th
*Maryland (Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada) – November 25th
*Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada (consolation/third place/championship) – November 26th
Kentucky (Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee) – December 5th
North Florida (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington) – December 7th
UCLA (Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington) – December 13th
Campbell (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington) – December 17th
Oregon (Moda Center in Portland, Oregon) – December 21st
#Exhibition
*Arena location for the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be at either the MGM Grand Garden Arena or the Michelob ULTRA Arena; Winner receives $1 million, 2nd place at $500,000, 3rd place receives $300,000, 4th place with $200,000
The final 18-game slate of opponents for West Coast Conference play will start on December 28th (official dates/times to be announced later):
Home: Loyola Marymount, Pacific
Away: Oregon State, San Diego
Home and Away: Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Washington State, Seattle, Portland, Pepperdine
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Arden Cravalho</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[How Did the Two Zags Finish In FIBA AmeriCup?]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/general/22559/how-did-the-two-zags-finish-in-fiba-americup" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22559</id>
<updated>2025-09-02T01:32:14-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-09-02T01:32:14-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="General" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Despite not medaling at the FIBA AmeriCup in Managua, Nicaragua, Canada’s Kyle Wiltjer and the Dominican Republic’s Angel Nunez showed that they are still capable of filling up the basket at an efficient level, especially from deep. Both teams won their respective groups after going 3-0: Canada in Group B and the Dominican Republic in […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
<![CDATA[
<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="BELGRADE, SERBIA – JULY 03: Michele Vitali (L) of Italy is blocked by Angel Thomas Nunez Castillo (R) of Dominican Republic during the FIBA Basketball Olympic Qualifying Tournament semi final match between Italy and Dominican Republic at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall on July 03, 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.slipperstillfits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/146/2025/09/gettyimages-1233782949.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.4,7.9509582555835,99.6,58.885172923147" />
<figcaption>
BELGRADE, SERBIA – JULY 03: Michele Vitali (L) of Italy is blocked by Angel Thomas Nunez Castillo (R) of Dominican Republic during the FIBA Basketball Olympic Qualifying Tournament semi final match between Italy and Dominican Republic at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall on July 03, 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images) </figcaption>
</figure>
Despite not medaling at the FIBA AmeriCup in Managua, Nicaragua, Canada’s Kyle Wiltjer and the Dominican Republic’s Angel Nunez showed that they are still capable of filling up the basket at an efficient level, especially from deep. Both teams won their respective groups after going 3-0: Canada in Group B and the Dominican Republic in Group C.
For Wiltjer, his country fell short in the bronze medal game against the United States of America, 90-85. The 6-10 sharpshooter had his worst performance in Nicaragua, only contributing two points on 1-for-4 shooting from the field. The Canadians wouldn’t have reached that point in this tournament without Wiltjer’s contributions off the bench, averaging 8.7 points per game on a shooting split of 50.0 field goal percentage/38.1 three-point percentage/85.7 free throw percentage while scoring in double-figures in three of the six games. He also grabbed 3.5 rebounds per game and dished out 1.8 assists per game during that span.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Wiltjer with the 3️⃣<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmeriCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmeriCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CanBball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CanBball</a> <a href="https://t.co/J7fjYqCZPR">pic.twitter.com/J7fjYqCZPR</a>— FIBA AmeriCup (@AmeriCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmeriCup/status/1960184485934178707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
The 2012 national champion with the Kentucky Wildcats and 2015 second-team All-American now moves his attention to preparing for his tenth professional season, his third with Reyer Venezia in Venice, Italy, of the Lega Basket Serie A and EuroCup. 
As for Nunez, the Dominican Republic lost to the eventual FIBA AmeriCup champion Brazil in the quarterfinals, 94-82. His best performance came in the final game of group play against Nicaragua, scoring 17 points on 4-for-7 three-pointers, plus adding eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">🇩🇴 Angel Nuñez scores 17 to close out group stage and win TCL Player of the Game! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmeriCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmeriCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/5sETlbXuWk">pic.twitter.com/5sETlbXuWk</a>— FIBA AmeriCup (@AmeriCup) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmeriCup/status/1960196613705490570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
Starting his college basketball career with the Louisville Cardinals in 2011-12, Nunez then transferred to Gonzaga and played under coach Mark Few from 2013-15. He used his final season of eligibility in 2015-16 to transfer once again to the South Florida Bulls. In the professional portion of his career, Nunez will be playing with Leyma Coruña in Galicia, Spain, in the EBA League this upcoming season. 
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Mac Smith</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Bracket Math 101: Gonzaga’s Early-Season Games That Count Double]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/general/22563/bracket-math-101-gonzagas-early-season-games-that-count-double" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22563</id>
<updated>2025-09-01T19:54:35-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-09-01T10:00:00-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="General" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[For Gonzaga, the non-conference calendar matters more than it does for almost any other perennial tournament contender, because the West Coast Conference offers few opportunities to impress the selection committee once January begins, which means that every November and December matchup shapes the résumé far more than the efficiency metrics that place the Zags among […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
<![CDATA[
<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 28: Sebastian Mack #12 of the UCLA Bruins dribbles the ball past Ryan Nembhard #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first half at Intuit Dome on December 28, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.slipperstillfits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/146/2025/09/gettyimages-2191011308.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
<figcaption>
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 28: Sebastian Mack #12 of the UCLA Bruins dribbles the ball past Ryan Nembhard #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first half at Intuit Dome on December 28, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) </figcaption>
</figure>
For Gonzaga, the non-conference calendar matters more than it does for almost any other perennial tournament contender, because the West Coast Conference offers few opportunities to impress the selection committee once January begins, which means that every November and December matchup shapes the résumé far more than the efficiency metrics that place the Zags among the nation’s offensive elite, and in 2025–26 those matchups arrive in bulk, with guaranteed dates against Alabama and Maryland at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, potential follow-ups against other national powers from that loaded field, and high-profile stages against Kentucky, UCLA, and Oregon, all of which combine to determine whether Gonzaga carries a protected seed into March or repeats the path of last year’s team, which dropped too many of its early tests, landed on the eight line, and had to face a top-seeded Houston juggernaut in the second round that ultimately ended its season.
The selection committee’s framework places Gonzaga’s non-conference results under intense scrutiny: only home opponents within NET ranks 1–30 qualify as Quad 1, neutral-site wins against the top 50 qualify, and road victories count up to the top 75. Postseason seeding thus hinges on a few marquee early games, unlike teams in power conferences that accumulate Quad 1/2 wins consistently. Despite Gonzaga ranking 8th in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin (Net Rating) with a +28.01 and possessing the nation’s second‑best adjusted offensive rating in preseason projections (116.1), that firepower was undercut last season by a weak non-conference résumé—just 1 win over a Quad 1 opponent, which contributed to being seeded 8th and drawing top-seeded Houston in the second round. The math is unambiguous: scoring efficiently doesn’t flip seeding unless paired with signature non-conference victories.
Here’s a Quad projection breakdown for Gonzaga’s 2025–26 non-conference slate, based on recent NET cut lines, team strength, and location effects:
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Non-Conference Quad Projections — With Preseason Data</h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tier One: Anchor Games (Quad 1 locks or near-locks)</h3>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Alabama (Neutral, Las Vegas, Nov 24) Preseason KenPom ranks Alabama #6 with a +30.34 efficiency margin, plus the #1 adjusted offensive rating in the country, making them a Quad 1 anchor nobody will downplay.<a href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/news/22541/gonzaga-officially-adds-southern-utah-to-non-conference-schedule?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> </a></li>
<li>Maryland (Neutral, Las Vegas, Nov 25) SEC returners and roster continuity put the Terps in the preseason top‑25 range across composite polls. That places them safely in the Quad 1 bracket.</li>
<li>Players Era Day‑3 Opponent (Nov 26) — Potential foes include Houston, Kansas, Oregon, Tennessee, Baylor, Creighton, Michigan, San Diego State, Auburn. All of these teams currently project within the Quad 1 net if Gonzaga reaches this round. Notably:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Oregon — Finished the previous season ranked #27 in KenPom with a +21.85 mark, a proven neutral-court threat.</li>
<li>Baylor (#30), Kansas, Houston, Tennessee, Creighton — all crowd the preseason top‑30 to 40 composite lists, with solid Quad 1 credentials.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kentucky (Neutral, Nashville, Dec 5) Preseason composite rankings consistently slot Kentucky in the top‑10 nationally, making them a Quad 1 heavyweight.<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/1m9a3y3/an_introduction_202526_college_basketball/?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> </a></li>
<li>UCLA (Neutral, Seattle, Dec 13) Again, preseason polls (composite top‑15) and conference pedigree put the Bruins in solid Quad 1 territory.</li>
<li>Oregon (Neutral, Portland, Dec 21) As noted, Oregon’s efficiency metrics and recent performance (including a PEF Championship) support a Quad 1 classification.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tier Two: Insurance Games (Quad 1/2 swing opportunities)</h3>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Creighton (Home, Nov 11) Pre‑season under Boulder composite rankings place Creighton in the top‑25, but playing at home caps them at Quad 2 unless they crack the NET top‑30.<a href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/news/22518/gonzaga-adds-exhibition-vs-western-oregon?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> </a></li>
<li>Oklahoma (Neutral, Spokane Arena, Nov 8) Early projections peg Oklahoma in the top-50 zone, which would make a neutral-site win Quad 2, but a NET slip inside the top-50 would elevate it to Quad 1.</li>
<li>Arizona State (Road, Nov 14) A road location amplifies their profile. If ASU holds inside the NET top-75, this becomes Quad 1; otherwise, it sits in Quad 2.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tier Three: We Better Win These Games (Quad 3/4)</h3>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Texas Southern (Home, Nov 3) A SWAC opponent with a modest resume – Quad 4.</li>
<li>Southern Utah (Home, Nov 17) Similarly low NET placement makes this a Quad 4 fixture.</li>
<li>Campbell (Home, Dec 17) Quad 4, no margin for slip.</li>
<li>Western Oregon (Oct 27 Exhibition) Not NCAA-eligible for Quad projections… a pure tune-up.</li>
</ul>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why This Matters for Gonzaga’s Résumé</h3>
For most power-conference programs, the committee’s quadrant system rewards sheer volume. A Big 12 or SEC team can stumble in November and December, then stack ten or more Quad-1 wins simply by surviving league play. Gonzaga has no such cushion. Once January begins, the West Coast Conference produces at most two or three games that qualify as Quad-1, usually trips to Saint Mary’s or San Francisco. The rest of the slate lives in Quad-3 or Quad-4 territory, which means that a résumé built on overwhelming offensive efficiency but lacking headline wins gets flattened against teams with deeper schedules.
That reality explains why last year’s WCC Tournament championship carried little weight. Gonzaga entered Selection Sunday with a top-10 KenPom offense and yet only a single non-conference Quad-1 victory, and the committee left them on the eight line. From that position, the Zags were funneled straight into a second-round matchup with top-seeded Houston, which ended their season before the second weekend. The metrics said Gonzaga was dangerous; the résumé said they had not beaten enough teams that mattered. The committee trusted the résumé.
This season offers more opportunities but also higher stakes. The Players Era Festival alone guarantees two, and probably three, Quad-1 chances, and December layers on Kentucky, UCLA, and Oregon. That’s the kind of non-conference volume Gonzaga has lacked in recent years, but it also means the Zags cannot afford a repeat of last season’s pattern, when they dropped winnable games early and left themselves with no path to repair. Each November and December result functions like a lever: win enough to stack three to five Quad-1s before league play, and Gonzaga secures a protected seed; fall short, and even an undefeated WCC slate might only hold the line at a four or five.
Saint Mary’s lingers as the one potential exception. If the Gaels prove to be a top-25 team and Gonzaga dominates them head-to-head, that could buoy the résumé and soften the damage from one or two non-conference losses. But if Saint Mary’s stumbles and the rest of the league remains outside the top-75, the Zags are right back in the familiar bind: every meaningful piece of their profile must come before Christmas. That is why the non-conference schedule matters so much more for Gonzaga than it does for their peers.
The path to a protected seed is straightforward but unforgiving. A 3-0 sweep in Las Vegas, paired with two wins from Kentucky, UCLA, and Oregon, would leave Gonzaga with five Quad-1 victories before Christmas, the kind of résumé that (typically) locks a place on the two line and builds margin for error in WCC play. Even a 2-1 festival record, if combined with one or two marquee wins in December plus decisive wins against Creighton, Oklahoma, and Arizona State, sets the Zags up comfortably on the three or four line. The key is stacking multiple neutral-site wins, because the committee has shown again and again that those games carry more weight than dominant home efforts.
The floor is just as clear. Go 1-2 in Las Vegas and then lose two of the December anchors, and Gonzaga enters January with only one or two Quad-1s on the sheet, a profile that slides quickly toward the five or six line. Add a conference slip against a Quad-3 or Quad-4 opponent (as the Zags did last year), and the résumé collapses into the seven-to-nine range. In other words, November and December don’t just shape Gonzaga’s seed ceiling; they determine whether the committee even sees this roster as the same national contender the numbers insist it is.
For Gonzaga, the lesson is as stark as it is familiar: the committee will not reward gaudy offensive metrics or another WCC trophy unless those numbers are paired with signature victories before Christmas, which means the Players Era Festival and the December blue-blood tour aren’t side plots to the season but the season itself, the stretch that will decide whether the Zags are seeded as a contender or slotted once again into the landmine range of the bracket, and while Saint Mary’s could offer some late ballast if the Gaels are strong, the clearest path forward is to leave November and December with a résumé that speaks for itself.
Gonzaga’s challenge, then, is less about proving whether the roster can score or defend at an elite level—history has shown they can—and more about timing, about stacking the right wins in the right windows so that by March the résumé reflects the program’s actual quality. That means Las Vegas in November, Nashville in early December, and Seattle and Portland just before Christmas are not merely games on the schedule, but checkpoints that will define the season’s trajectory. Handle that stretch with conviction, and the Zags enter March as a protected seed with the bracket path of a contender; falter, and they are left hoping once again that dominance in a diminished WCC can paper over the gaps.
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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Arden Cravalho</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gonzaga Women’s 2025-26 Roster Announced]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/news/22539/gonzaga-womens-2025-26-roster-announced" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22539</id>
<updated>2025-08-31T19:55:29-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-29T01:44:51-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The official Gonzaga Athletics website posted a 13-woman roster with a handful of familiar Zags (five returning players), but plenty of new faces (three from the 2026 recruiting class, five out of the transfer portal). The max roster size for a women’s college basketball roster is 15 for the upcoming season, so two more players […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
<![CDATA[
<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 10: Head coach Lisa Fortier of the Gonzaga Bulldogs looks up the court during the game against the Oregon State Beavers in the first half of a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference women’s basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 10, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Beavers defeated the Bulldogs 63-61. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.slipperstillfits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/146/2025/08/gettyimages-2204422062.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
<figcaption>
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 10: Head coach Lisa Fortier of the Gonzaga Bulldogs looks up the court during the game against the Oregon State Beavers in the first half of a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference women’s basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 10, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Beavers defeated the Bulldogs 63-61. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) </figcaption>
</figure>
The official Gonzaga Athletics website posted a 13-woman roster with a handful of familiar Zags (five returning players), but plenty of new faces (three from the 2026 recruiting class, five out of the transfer portal). The max roster size for a women’s college basketball roster is 15 for the upcoming season, so two more players could potentially be added later on.
Here is the 2025-26 squad looking to return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season:
5-9 freshman guard Paige Lofing – Huntley Project/Billings, Montana
5-9 senior guard Vera Gunaydin – South Georgia Tech/Ankara, Turkey
5-10 freshman guard Julia Wilson – Rancho Christian/Temecula, California 
6-0 graduate forward Sierra Lichtie – Cal Poly/Riverton, Utah
5-9 senior guard Ines Bettencourt – UConn/Sao Miguel, Portugal
5-8 sophomore guard Allie Turner – John Burroughs/Saint Louis, Missouri
5-11 sophomore guard Christabel Osarobo – Ipswich Basketball Academy/Tudela, Spain
6-2 junior forward Taylor Smith – Weber State/Pocatello, Idaho
6-0 junior forward McKynnlie Dalan – Minnesota/Montesano, Washington
6-2 freshman forward Jaiden Haile – West Fargo Horace/Fargo, North Dakota
5-10 sophomore guard Teryn Gardner – Boise State/Spokane, Washington
6-3 redshirt freshman forward Lauren Whittaker – Canterbury, New Zealand
5-10 junior guard Zeryhia Aokuso – Saint Mary’s/Amarillo, Texas
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">The faces of the season. Let’s get to work. 🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoZags?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoZags</a> <a href="https://t.co/LHhZ5JA9ed">pic.twitter.com/LHhZ5JA9ed</a>— Gonzaga Women's Basketball (@ZagWBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZagWBB/status/1960824658963337631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
The upcoming group will look a lot different without star Yvonne Ejim on it, as well as with the departures of Tayla Dalton, Esther Little, Maud Huijbens, Bree Salenbien (transferred to Ball State), and Claire O’Connor (transferred to Colorado). With Ejim specifically moving on, it’s time to look for the new face of the Gonzaga program. All signs point to the sharpshooting sophomore guard Allie Turner. She is being handed the keys by coach Lisa Fortier after a spectacular freshman campaign.
Turner hit a staggering 105 three-pointers last season, and no returning player in all of women’s college basketball had more. That was the eighth-most by a freshman in NCAA women’s history.
She ended up averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game last season. Turner finished as one of only three players in the sport to average at least 3.0 three-pointers made per game on 45.0 percent from beyond the arc.
The sky is now the limit for Turner and the rest of her teammates (including her new backcourt partners: Spokane native, Mead alum, and Boise State transfer Teryn Gardner/Saint Mary’s transfer Zeryhia Aokuso, who look to make an immediate impact) as they chase their first West Coast Conference tournament title since 2022. Under Fortier, the Zags have made the NCAA Tournament a total of eight times since being handed the lead job in 2014-15.
Gonzaga’s annual FanFest will take place on October 11th. 
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Arden Cravalho</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gonzaga Officially Adds Southern Utah to Non-Conference Schedule]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.slipperstillfits.com/news/22541/gonzaga-officially-adds-southern-utah-to-non-conference-schedule" />
<id>https://www.slipperstillfits.com/?p=22541</id>
<updated>2025-08-29T15:50:29-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-08-29T00:16:30-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.slipperstillfits.com" term="News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[This was first reported by Alex Rosinski back in July, but now Southern Utah has made it certified after posting its full 2025-26 non-conference slate. Gonzaga will host the Thunderbirds in the Kennel on November 17th. In the Western Athletic Conference last season, coach Rob Jeter’s group finished second-to-last in the conference standings with a […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
<![CDATA[
<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="Dec 7, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) steals the ball from Southern Utah Thunderbirds forward Brock Felder (33) during the second half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.slipperstillfits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/146/2025/08/imagn-24934957.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
<figcaption>
Dec 7, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) steals the ball from Southern Utah Thunderbirds forward Brock Felder (33) during the second half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images </figcaption>
</figure>
This was first reported by Alex Rosinski back in July, but now Southern Utah has made it certified after posting its full 2025-26 non-conference slate. Gonzaga will host the Thunderbirds in the Kennel on November 17th. 
In the Western Athletic Conference last season, coach Rob Jeter’s group finished second-to-last in the conference standings with a 4-12 record in conference play, 12-19 overall. Southern Utah will be making a return to the Big Sky Conference starting in the 2026-27 school year. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">The 2025-26 season is officially set… Mark your calendars ✍️ 🗞️ : <a href="https://t.co/f03IE7tVs9">https://t.co/f03IE7tVs9</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TBirdNation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TBirdNation</a> ⚡️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RaiseTheHammer?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RaiseTheHammer</a> <a href="https://t.co/K6M3T1R5cv">pic.twitter.com/K6M3T1R5cv</a>— SUU Men's Basketball (@SUUBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/SUUBasketball/status/1960808443717279825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
In other scheduling news, the second meeting between Gonzaga-Baylor in their three-game series has been pushed back at least one season. This opens up one more slot for Gonzaga’s 2025-26 non-conference schedule, most likely another buy game opportunity in the McCarthey Athletic Center. A college basketball team can have 31 games on its schedule, 32 starting in 2026-27.
Gonzaga will face off against seven (possibly eight) programs that received a bid into last season’s NCAA Tournament during the non-conference. Here is where the full 2025-26 schedule currently stands, filled with Quad 1 opportunities:
Kraziness in the Kennel (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane) – October 4th
#Western Oregon (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane) – October 27th
Texas Southern (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane) – November 3rd
Oklahoma (Spokane Arena in Spokane) – November 8th
Creighton (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane) – November 11th
Arizona State (Desert Financial Arena in Tempe) – November 14th
Southern Utah (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane) – November 17th
*Alabama (Players Era Festival in Las Vegas) – November 24th
*Maryland (Players Era Festival in Las Vegas) – November 25th
*Players Era Festival in Las Vegas (consolation/third place/championship) – November 26th
Kentucky (Bridgestone Arena in Nashville) – December 5th
UCLA (Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle) – December 13th
Campbell (McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane) – December 17th
Oregon (Moda Center in Portland) – December 21st
#Exhibition
*Arena location for the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas will be at either the MGM Grand Garden Arena or the Michelob ULTRA Arena; Winner receives $1 million, 2nd place at $500,000, 3rd place receives $300,000, 4th place with $200,000
The final 18-game slate of opponents for West Coast Conference play will start on December 28th (official dates/times to be announced later):
Home: Loyola Marymount, Pacific
Away: Oregon State, San Diego
Home and Away: Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Washington State, Seattle, Portland, Pepperdine
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
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