Gonzaga’s late-February date with Duke now has a tip time, and the matchup only looks bigger.
Duke announced that the Blue Devils’ game against the Bulldogs will start at 5:00 PM PT on Feb. 20 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The matchup is part of Duke’s slate of Amazon Prime games, alongside a Nov. 25 meeting with UConn at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and a Dec. 21 clash with Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden.
For Mark Few and Gonzaga, the Duke game stands out as one of the marquee chances on the schedule to strengthen the résumé before Selection Sunday. It also arrives as the final non-conference game for the Zags, landing in the middle of Pac-12 play.
The matchup adds another chapter to a series that has delivered some of Gonzaga’s biggest regular-season moments. Duke and Gonzaga have met only five times before, and this will be the first meeting since 2021, when No.
5 Duke edged No. 1 Gonzaga, 84-81, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The most famous game in the series came before that. In the 2018 Maui Invitational championship game, No.
3 Gonzaga knocked off No. 1 Duke, 89-87, in a contest that featured Rui Hachimura, Corey Kispert, Brandon Clarke, Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cam Reddish.
That remains Gonzaga’s only win in the series. Duke took the first three matchups, including two games at Madison Square Garden in 2007 and 2010, plus the lone NCAA Tournament meeting in the 2015 Elite Eight. The Blue Devils won that one 66-52 and went on to claim the national championship.
Duke is not the only notable non-conference opponent on Gonzaga’s 2027 schedule. The Zags are also set to face Oregon at Climate Pledge Arena on Jan. 30.
In all, Duke and Oregon are two of 10 high-major opponents for Gonzaga this season. The list begins with Purdue on opening day, Nov. 2, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Other highlighted games include LSU at the Spokane Arena on Nov. 14, UCLA on Dec. 5 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, a road game at Creighton on Dec.
12, Michigan State at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs on Dec. 19, and three opponents in the Players Era Festival from Nov. 24-27, starting with Kansas State on Nov. 24.
Before the regular season gets rolling, Gonzaga will also travel to Fayetteville for an exhibition against John Calipari and Arkansas on Oct. 25, one of three allowed exhibition games for the Zags. The other two have not been announced.
Fans will get their first look at this Gonzaga team on Saturday, Oct. 3, when Kraziness in the Kennel begins at 2:00 PM PT.
In Other News...
Gonzaga Finally Gets A Break At Point Guard When It Needed One
Nathan de Sousas path to Spokane had already included one hurdle after another, from securing a travel visa to waiting on the NCAA to sort out his status. Now the 23-year-old French guard has been cleared to play next season, giving Gonzaga a much-needed answer at a spot that has been under pressure as the roster has dealt with lingering eligibility issues elsewhere.
For a team that has spent the offseason juggling uncertainty, having a reliable point guard option matters as much as almost anything else. De Sousas arrival gives the Bulldogs some stability in the backcourt and a player they can count on as the season approaches, even as questions remain around the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzaga Finally Has One Answer At Point Guard But Not Full Clarity
Gonzagas point guard picture got a little clearer this week with the addition of Nathan De Sousa, a 23-year-old from France who has been cleared by the NCAA to compete for the Bulldogs in the 2026-27 season. De Sousa has signed a financial aid agreement with the school, and Gonzaga officially added him to the roster, giving the program at least one established option at the position as the season approaches.
Still, the full answer at point guard remains unsettled. Gonzaga is waiting on eligibility rulings for transfers Xaivian Lee and Javon Bennett, both of whom are tied up in ongoing legal proceedings with the NCAA, so the Bulldogs have one piece in place but not the complete board yet. For a team that has leaned on guard play for so much of its success, the next decision or two could shape how the backcourt comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzaga's Next Duke Showdown Just Got Even Bigger
A familiar nonconference heavyweight is back on Gonzagas schedule, and this one comes with a different kind of stage. The Bulldogs will meet Duke on Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. PT at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, with the game set for exclusive broadcast on Amazon Prime as part of Dukes multiyear streaming deal.
It will be the sixth time the programs have faced each other, adding another chapter to a series that has already carried plenty of name value and tournament history. For Gonzaga, it is another chance to measure itself against one of the sports standard-bearers, with the spotlight on Detroit and the access point now tucked behind a streaming paywall. [Read more 🡒]