Southern Utah at Gonzaga Preview: Final Test Before Players Era Festival

Gonzaga coach Mark Few is still trying to figure out the best rotation possible through the depth this team possesses. Starting out games with a quicker and more polished beginning from the tip is what he’s looking for from his group while continuing to get better and better each day.

The second unit of Mario Saint-Supery, Tyon Grant-Foster, Jalen Warley, and Steele Venters has been nothing but spectacular. An abundance of weapons out on the wing. The athleticism and rebounding ability from Grant-Foster have stood out the most when it comes from this bunch, who snagged his first double-double in a Zag uniform against Arizona State with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks.

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Although, Grant-Foster is struggling on the three-point mark (16.7 percent) by rushing his looks. Venters is even worse, having the lowest percentage amongst his teammates (11.1 percent). That needs to be addressed immediately by the two, especially from Venters, who has made his money as a sniper with Eastern Washington.

All is well in Graham Ike’s world. According to KenPom, the big man on campus is now fourth in the Player of the Year rankings while averaging a double-double (team-leading 18.0 points on a shooting split of 57.8/44.4/80.0 and 10.3 rebounds per game). He’s been as dominant as anyone in all of college basketball.

As a team, Gonzaga ranks No. 2 overall with the No. 4-ranked defensive adjusted efficiency (92.1) and No. 9-ranked offensive adjusted efficiency (121.6).

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Player to Watch For:

Southern Utah senior forward Jaiden Feroah

Starting out his career at the junior college level at Green River in nearby Auburn, Washington, and then transferring to Holy Cross, the Draper, Utah native wanted to move back closer to home.

At 6-9 and 214 pounds, Feroah is averaging 14.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game to lead coach Rob Jeter’s unit. He’s a patient and explosive rim protector with his 3.8 blocks per game near the rim.

Crucial Key to the Game:

Hit your three-pointers

In preparation for Southern Utah (1-3, 0-2 on the road) out of the Big Sky Conference, being locked in from beyond the arc and improving the overall shot selection compared to what was witnessed in Tempe are the top priorities. The Thunderbirds are allowing Division I opponents to shoot 50.0 percent from three, thus far, which is the worst in the entire country. Taking advantage of their major weakness is a necessity through quick sets with stagger screens and swift ball movement in the half-court offense.

The Zags are knocking down just 30.4 percent of their opportunities from deep, ranking all the way near the bottom at No. 255 within 355 schools.

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Betting Odds:

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Gonzaga is the favorite over Southern Utah by 35.5 points. The over/under is set at 159.5.

The Zags are 3-0 inside the Kennel to start this season and have an average margin of victory of 27.3 points through the first four games in 2025-26.

Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho