Preview: Gonzaga vs. Alabama men's basketball game

Originally posted on Gonzaga Bulldogs on SI
By Andy Patton | Last updated Nov 23, 2025 2:02 PM ET

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have a rich history of playing electric, high-level basketball games over Thanksgiving week, and this year is no different.

The Zags are participating in the Players Era Festival for the first time, agreeing to be one of 18 teams in the event, which takes place in Las Vegas and promises each participating team $1M in NIL funds, and an additional $1M to the winning team.

Gonzaga will face the Alabama Crimson Tide on Monday and the Maryland Terrapins on Tuesday, and the third opponent will be determined after all the Tuesday games are complete, based on record and point differential. Gonzaga could face Houston, Kansas, Baylor, Saint John's, Michigan, and Tennessee, among others, in their final game in Vegas.

But coach Few is not focused on Gonzaga's still-to-be-determined third opponent, or even Buzz Williams' new look Terps - he's putting all his attention on preparing for a very dangerous Alabama team under coach Nate Oats.

"I mean, we play Alabama from the jump," Few said when asked about the upcoming tournament. "They're off to an incredible start. All Nate's teams have been terrific and we've had some good battles with them. This one is going to be a real big challenge. They looked every bit like a top five, top three team the other night when I was watching them."

View this post on Instagram

Gonzaga is 1-1 all-time against Alabama, with the two teams splitting a semi-home-and-home series a few years ago. The Crimson Tide defeated the No. 3 Zags at Climate Pledge Arena in 2021, while Gonzaga returned the favor by beating No. 4-ranked Alabama in Birmingham in 2022.

Gonzaga is 27-13 all-time against current SEC members, having defeated Oklahoma earlier this year. Alabama will be the second of at least three matchups with SEC teams this season for Gonzaga, which will also face Kentucky on Dec. 5 in Nashville at the Bridgestone Arena.

Alabama is 3-1 on the year with two wins over ranked teams away from home: a 103-96 victory over St. John's at Madison Square Garden back on Nov. 8, and a 90-86 win over Illinois at the United Center in Chicago on Wednesday. The Crimson Tide did fall at home to No. 1 Purdue in a tightly contested 87-80 battle, but it is clear they are one of the best offensive teams in college basketball - and will test Gonzaga's new look defense in a significant way on Monday evening.

Below is a look at how to watch Gonzaga take on Alabama in Las Vegas as part of the Players Era Festival: