Gonzaga is getting thrown right into the fire.
Mark Few’s team opens its exhibition schedule Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark., where the Bulldogs will face John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks in a matchup between two top 15 programs and two Hall of Fame coaches. The game tips at 1:00 PM PT and will stream on SECN+.
For Gonzaga, this is more than a tune-up. With only two returning rotation players from last season in Braden Huff and Davis Fogle, this first look will show how the new group handles a tough road environment against one of the deepest young rosters in the country.
Arkansas comes in with a roster that is almost entirely rebuilt, but the talent level is obvious. Calipari has assembled a team with size, athleticism, and plenty of high-end upside, and Saturday gives Gonzaga an early chance to see exactly what it is dealing with before the season begins on Nov. 2.
One of the most interesting names on the Arkansas front line is Malik Bowser, who arrives after three seasons at Furman in the Southern Conference. As a junior last season, the 6'11 big man averaged 13.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 77% on two pointers in 25 games. He should be a strong early test for Gonzaga’s new frontcourt pairing of Huff and Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop.
Another major piece is 7'0 stretch four Muurinen, one of the most intriguing newcomers in college basketball. He spent last year with KK Partizan in Serbia and brings real long-term upside, though he has not yet fully put it together. How quickly he settles in is a major question for Arkansas, and Saturday will offer an early snapshot of where he stands.
The Razorbacks also bring back their lone notable returner in Richmond, who broke out as a sophomore. He averaged 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 63.5% on two pointers. The 6'5 forward gives Arkansas a versatile, athletic piece who should be a difficult matchup for Fogle and Isiah Harwell on both ends.
In the backcourt, Calipari added one of the biggest portal prizes in Wilkinson, a 6'1 shooting guard who had a huge season at Georgia in the SEC. He averaged 17.4 points while shooting 47.1% on twos and 35.7% from three on 7.1 attempts per game. That kind of shot-making makes him a major stress test for Gonzaga’s perimeter defense.
Then there’s Smith, the headline freshman. The 6'2 combo guard is ranked No. 2 in the class at 247Sports and is viewed by many as a top contender with Tyran Stokes to go No. 1 in the 2027 NBA draft. His matchup with Gonzaga will be one of the most intriguing parts of the game, with senior Xaivian Lee and Harwell both possible defensive options.
Smith is not Arkansas’ only high-end freshman threat, either. JJ Andrews, a 6'6 wing, and Abdou Toure, a 6'5 forward, are both 5-star recruits in the 2026 class and top-20 prospects who could work their way into starting roles as the year goes on.
Calipari also added 6'2 4-star point guard Davion Thompson, 6'10 4-star center Caleb Ourigou, Australian 7'0 big man Maper Maker, and Real Madrid center Ilia Frolov. The result is a roster that is very young, but also deep enough to cause problems.
That makes this a useful opening test for Gonzaga in a few different ways. It gives new college players Nathan de Sousa, Izan Almansa, Luca Foster, Juwan Ekanga, Sam Funches, and Carter Nilson a chance to experience a true road setting, and it does so in a game where the result won’t carry long-term resume damage.
It also forces the Bulldogs to deal with a backcourt loaded with talent, which should put immediate pressure on a perimeter defense that has changed quite a bit after the departures of Jalen Warley, Tyon Grant-Foster, and Emmanuel Innocenti.
And in the paint, Diop and Huff will get a first real look at how they work together against Bowser and Muurinen, giving Few a chance to see what this new frontcourt can handle and what adjustments might be needed before the season opener against Purdue.
In Other News...
Gonzaga Just Got A Frontcourt Boost Fans Have Waited For
Gonzaga finally has a clearer picture in the frontcourt with Izan Almansa officially cleared by the NCAA to suit up for the Bulldogs. The 21-year-old forward from Spain arrives with a resume that is anything but ordinary, having spent time with NBA G League Ignite, Australias NBL and Real Madrid before landing in Spokane, and he now brings three seasons of college eligibility with him.
For a Gonzaga team that has been waiting to see how he fits into the rotation, the next step comes quickly with an upcoming exhibition against Arkansas. Almansa is expected to join the roster for that game in Fayetteville, giving the Bulldogs another option up front and adding some intrigue to a preseason stretch that has already featured a few roster-related delays. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzagas Arkansas Exhibition Could Reveal What Mark Few Really Has
The build toward Gonzagas 2026-27 roster is starting to look more tangible, and the exhibition against Arkansas should offer an early read on how the pieces fit. Javon Bennett and Xaivian Lee are part of the conversation as the Bulldogs sort through backcourt roles, while the frontcourt picture also includes Izan Almansa and Chauncey Wiggins, two additions who give Mark Few more size, skill and lineup flexibility than he had a year ago. Even in a scrimmage setting, this is the kind of matchup that can tell a lot about how much offense the Bulldogs can create and how far their defensive ceiling might rise against a quality opponent.
The bigger question is not just who is on the floor, but how Gonzaga chooses to use them. The staff is weighing shooting improvement, positional combinations and which groups can hold up when the opposition gets physical and the pace changes, and Arkansas should pressure those ideas right away. For a team trying to define its next version, this is the sort of early test that can expose whether the roster has the balance to score efficiently and defend well enough when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]