Gonzaga vs UConn Men's Basketball Preview

A men's college basketball showdown is set to take place on Saturday at 8:00. The No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs face off against the No. 18 UConn Huskies at home. The Huskies are looking to climb up the AP Poll while the Bulldogs look to remain in good standings.

It's been a tough season for The Huskies, after falling to No. 25 in the AP rankings they have been fighting their way back up. Losing three straight to unranked opponents in the Maui Invitational, UConn swiftly bounced back with a blowout win against Maryland Eastern Shore and started to turn a corner with a win over No. 15 Baylor at Gampel Pavilion. The team was able to build some extra confidence and then a win over The Texas Longhorns on Sunday.

Alex Karaban returned this weekend, earning a spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll after leading the team to a key road win at Texas, which had won seven games in a row.

The redshirt junior forward and two-time national champion got straight to work, scoring 14 points on four of six shooting and grabbing eight rebounds in the first half. He finished with his first career double-double 21 points and 11 rebounds plus four assists two blocks and two steals.

For Gonzaga, this game comes at an opportunistic time. The Zags head across the country for this nonconference match following a tough 90-89 overtime loss to the Kentucky Wildcats in Seattle.

Despite leading by 18 points early in the second half, Gonzaga fell flat during a 16-2 scoring run from Kentucky. Graham Ike led all scorers with 28 points and 11 rebounds, while Ryan Nembhard had 13 points and 10 assists.

Looking to gain their mojo back, and remain in the top 10 in the AP poll, Gonzaga is counting on this game to set them back on the right path. For both teams, this game presents big opportunities for change.

All in all this game is set to be one for the books. We have the opportunity to see a massive change in the college basketball standings and the AP poll rankings, as well as the chance to see one team rise and another fall. The winner in this game will have paved their own path into the top of the AP poll, leaving the other team with major consequences. One thing I know for sure, this isn’t a game you’ll want to miss.

Brooke Casey is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her email, bec5457@psu.edu.