5 questions Gonzaga basketball needs to answer against Arkansas

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs play an exhibition game on Saturday against John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks – the first of two exhibitions for the Zags before the season tips off officially on Nov. 2 vs. Purdue.

Gonzaga vs. Arkansas is a matchup of two top 15 teams in the preseason AP poll, although the two coaches are focused far more on developing their teams rather than winning the contest.

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Gonzaga has a roster full of new talent, and how the pieces fit together remains a big question mark. Saturday won’t answer every question, especially with two players still ineligible: Chauncey Wiggins and Izan Almansa – but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty for fans to look out for in this big-time afternoon showdown:

1. Can Braden Huff and Massamba Diop form a dominant frontcourt?

Gonzaga forward Braden Huff (34) looks to score as Massamba Diop (35) chases at Kraziness in the Kennel | Photo by Myk Crawford

Braden Huff returns as Gonzaga’s starting power forward, but he’ll have a new frontcourt mate in Arizona State transfer big man Massamba Diop.

Diop and Huff look on paper to be a perfect pairing, with Diop’s rim protection, screen setting, and ability to handle the ball away from the rim matching up nicely with Huff’s interior scoring, short roll mastery, and offensive rebounding.

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The duo played against each other earlier this month at Kraziness in the Kennel, so this will be a first look at how they play together – and it comes against a formidable frontcourt of Cooper Bowser and Miika Muurinen at Arkansas.

2. How will Mark Few utilize Gonzaga’s three point guards?

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Xaivian Lee (5). | Photo by Myk Crawford

Now that Gonzaga is likely going into the regular season with all three point guards – Xaivian Lee, Javon Bennett, and Nathan de Sousa – eligible, they’ll have to figure out how to get them all on the floor.

Few has long loved playing two point guards at the same time – a staple of both national championship squads – and it…

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Publish date : 2026-10-23 00:00:00

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