Gonzaga to host mid-major opponent as part of nonconference schedule

Gonzaga's nonconference schedule took greater shape Wednesday with the addition of Southern Utah to the calendar.

The Bulldogs will host the Thunderbirds at the McCarthey Athletic Center on Nov. 17, according to Southern Utah's schedule that released on Wednesday. Game time and broadcast details have not been disclosed.

The collection of opponents set to visit the Kennel this upcoming season now includes Texas Southern for the opener (Nov. 3), as well as Creighton (Nov. 11), Southern Utah (Nov. 17) and Campbell (Dec. 17). The Zags will also host Oklahoma at the Spokane Arena on Nov. 8 and Division II constituent Western Oregon in an exhibition game on Oct. 27.

Gonzaga's calendar is highlighted by dates with Alabama (Nov. 24) and Maryland (Nov. 25) at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, in addition to matchups with Arizona State (Tempe, Arizona; Nov. 14), Kentucky (Nashville, Tennesse; Dec. 5), UCLA (Seattle, Dec. 13) and Oregon (Portland, Oregon, Dec. 21).

Southern Utah enters its final season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference after announcing earlier this summer the school will move back to the Big Sky Conference in July 2026, alongside Utah Tech.

The Thunderbirds, previously in the Big Sky from 2013-23, reached new heights under their previous head coach Todd Simon, who guided the program to three straight 20-win seasons as the school transitioned to the WAC ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. Rob Jeter stepped in when Simon headed off to Bowling Green, though the transition hasn't been seamless for Southern Utah.

The Thunderbirds went 10-21 in Jeter's first season, then posted a 12-19 record in 2024-25, finishing No. 296 on KenPom.com in the process.

Jeter brought back one double-digit scorer from last season's squad in 6-foot-2 guard Taviontae Jackson (10.1 ppg in 19 contests). The Thunderbirds also reeled in Holy Cross transfer Jaiden Feroah, Fairleigh Dickinson transfer Dylan Jones, Jacksonville transfer Zach Bell and UNLV transfer Isaiah Cottrell out of the portal.

The Nov. 17 matchup will mark just the second all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Southern Utah, with the first ending in a 103-65 win for the Zags on Nov. 9, 2012, in Spokane.