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5 questions Gonzaga basketball needs to answer against Arkansas
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- 5 questions Gonzaga basketball needs to answer against Arkansas
Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Luca Foster (0). | Photo by Myk Crawford
Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs play an exhibition game on Saturday against John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks - the first of two exhibitions for the Zags before the season tips off officially on Nov. 2 vs. Purdue.
Gonzaga vs. Arkansas is a matchup of two top 15 teams in the preseason AP poll, although the two coaches are focused far more on developing their teams rather than winning the contest.
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Gonzaga has a roster full of new talent, and how the pieces fit together remains a big question mark. Saturday won't answer every question, especially with two players still ineligible: Chauncey Wiggins and Izan Almansa - but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty for fans to look out for in this big-time afternoon showdown:
1. Can Braden Huff and Massamba Diop form a dominant frontcourt?
Gonzaga forward Braden Huff (34) looks to score as Massamba Diop (35) chases at Kraziness in the Kennel | Photo by Myk Crawford
Braden Huff returns as Gonzaga's starting power forward, but he'll have a new frontcourt mate in Arizona State transfer big man Massamba Diop.
Diop and Huff look on paper to be a perfect pairing, with Diop's rim protection, screen setting, and ability to handle the ball away from the rim matching up nicely with Huff's interior scoring, short roll mastery, and offensive rebounding.
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The duo played against each other earlier this month at Kraziness in the Kennel, so this will be a first look at how they play together - and it comes against a formidable frontcourt of Cooper Bowser and Miika Muurinen at Arkansas.
2. How will Mark Few utilize Gonzaga's three point guards?
Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Xaivian Lee (5). | Photo by Myk Crawford
Now that Gonzaga is likely going into the regular season with all three point guards - Xaivian Lee, Javon Bennett, and Nathan de Sousa - eligible, they'll have to figure out how to get them all on the floor.
Few has long loved playing two point guards at the same time - a staple of both national championship squads - and it seems likely we'll see Lee and Bennett, and/or Lee and de Sousa, on the floor together this season.
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Saturday's matchup is a great opportunity for Few to deploy said lineups and see how they work, and how often they should be utilized on a team that has two very talented wings who need minutes in Davis Fogle and Isiah Harwell.
3. Is Isiah Harwell ready for a bigger role?
Gonzaga guard Isiah Harwell (1) at Kraziness in the Kennel | Photo by Myk Crawford
Harwell is a former McDonald's All-American who battled through injuries as a freshman at Houston last year, but looked very good for Gonzaga at Kraziness, dropping 17 points and shooting 4-5 from three.
Saturday will be Zag fans' first look at him against a strong opponent, and it will help determine how ready he is for a big role in Spokane. Harwell faces plenty of competition for playing time - with both Bennett and de Sousa capable of playing off the ball, while freshman Luca Foster and - if eligible - senior Chauncey Wiggins could push him for minutes as well.
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His entire season is not dependent on what happens Saturday, but it'll be a good picture of where he's at with the regular season less than two weeks away.
4. Which Gonzaga newcomers will make an early impression?
Sam Funches (33) looks on at Gonzaga's Kraziness in the Kennel | Photo by Myk Crawford
Five Gonzaga players are expected to take the floor against a real college opponent for the first time on Saturday - freshmen Luca Foster, Sam Funches, Carter Nilson, and Juwan Ekanga, as well as 23-year-old French guard Nathan de Sousa.
Izan Almansa is also a college newcomer, but he will not suit up unless the NCAA clears him before Saturday's 1:00 PM tipoff.
Presently, it doesn't appear that any of the freshmen will play a significant role for the Zags this season - depending on eligibility - but Saturday is a huge learning experience for each of them, and will be an opportunity for fans to see them in action.
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de Sousa, meanwhile, is a big X-factor for this team, and how he looks in that environment could tell fans a lot about this team's backcourt depth.
5. Can Davis Fogle build on his breakout performance?
Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Davis Fogle (4). | Photo by Myk Crawford
All signs point to yes for Fogle, who lit up the scoreboard with 30 points on 11-15 shooting at Kraziness back on Oct. 3.
The 6'7 wing looked unafraid all last season, and has a chance to put the college basketball world fully on notice this Saturday against Billy Richmond, Abdou Toure, and the rest of this Arkansas backcourt.
Fogle played well no matter the opponent last year, but it's never a bad thing to get more experience on the road against good teams - even for a player with sky-high expectations heading into his sophomore season.
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Gonzaga vs. Arkansas tips at 1:00 PM PT on Saturday, Oct. 24 and the game will be available to stream on SECN+.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/gonzaga as 5 questions Gonzaga basketball needs to answer against Arkansas .
