Gonzaga looking forward to first trip to Rupp Arena

Mark Few has seen a lot in his 25 seasons at Gonzaga. Saturday will be a first for him and the Bulldogs. Gonzaga’s trip to Lexington is the first in the program’s history. It’s the second game vs. Kentucky in a six-year series. The Bulldogs won the first round, beating the Cats 88-72 in Spokane Arena in November 2022. After neutral-site games in Seattle and Nashville, the Zags will return to Rupp during the 2026-2027 season before the Cats make their first trip to McCarthey Athletic Center the following year.

After Gonzaga’s win over Portland last night, Few said he’s looking forward to coaching in Rupp for the first time.

“It’s one of the legendary places to play in all of college basketball. We’ve been pretty much everywhere with this program; we just haven’t been there.”

John Calipari tends to favor neutral site games over home-and-home series; the agreement with Gonzaga provides a unique blend of both. Few said he’s grateful he and Cal were able to work together to give their teams and fans the chance to experience each other’s home court — even if Kentucky won’t play in Gonzaga’s true home gym until the 2027-28 season.

“That’s what’s so cool about Cal agreeing to do this and he deserves a lot of credit for that; he didn’t have to. The fact that it’s in-season, in conference play, it bumps it up a couple of notches.”

Most of Gonzaga’s players hail from the West Coast, but redshirt freshman forward Braden Huff is from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, just outside Chicago. His family will be making the trek to Lexington this weekend.

“I’m excited for the experience,” said Huff, who averages 10.8 points per game. “I’ve got a lot of family coming down for that one. It’s kind of close to where I’m from, so I’m excited. Historic place. Gonna be a great atmosphere. Really, really excited for that game.”

“It’s gonna be crazy,” added Anton Watson, Gonzaga’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer. “Kind of like we played Alabama last year, but we didn’t play at their arena, but playing in Rupp, I think that’s a once-in-a-lifetime type thing, especially for Gonzaga. I’ve got some family down there that’s going to go, so I think it’s going to be special.”

The game comes at a challenging time for both teams. Kentucky risks losing three straight games in Rupp for the first time ever. Gonzaga is at risk of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. Both squads desperately need a win for their Selection Sunday resume. Recent struggles aside, Few said the fact that the Bulldogs are playing in a venue like Rupp is significant.

“When Gonzaga plays Kentucky, it’s a really, really big thing for college basketball regardless of what’s happening with their particular seasons.”

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.