Overview
- Tipoff is Saturday night in Spokane, where Mark Few called facing the Sooners a big challenge for the Bulldogs.
- Gonzaga opened with a 98-43 win over Texas Southern as the bench scored 48 points and Tyon Grant-Foster played after a court order restored his eligibility.
- Oklahoma debuted with a 102-66 victory over St. Francis (Pa.), highlighted by 18 points from redshirt freshman Kuol Atak and a double-double from Mo Wague.
- Portal additions Nijel Pack and Xzayvier Brown scored 16 each in their Sooners debuts, while observers note ample depth but no proven high-volume scorer.
- FanDuel lists Gonzaga as a 10.5-point favorite, and the programs last met in 2021 when the Zags won 87-71 in the NCAA Tournament.