Five of the best players Gonzaga will face in non-conference play

With an absolute gauntlet set for themselves, filled with burgeoning rivalries and familiar foes, the Zags are in for a rough and thrilling ride during this year’s non-conference schedule. Thanks to the chaotic roster reorganization fueled by the transfer portal era, fans are often left in the dark as to who they can actually expect to be on the court each night. Here’s a rundown of some of the best players the Zags will face in the early part of this season.

Jayden Quaintance – Arizona State University

The Sun Devils pulled together the 8th-ranked recruiting class of 2024-2025 after a dismal end to last season. Coach Hurley basically overhauled the entire roster, bringing in elite transfers and high-profile freshmen to power this year’s squad. Fans should prepare to witness a whole new team compared to what ASU brought to the table last year.

Leading the charge is Jayden Quaintance, a 5-star freshman center and the 8th-ranked prospect in the class of 2024, according to Rivals.com. Quaintance decommitted from Kentucky after John Calipari’s departure in April, and in a jaw-dropping twist, chose ASU over Missouri, Louisville, Arkansas, and a host of others.

Standing at 6’10” with a ridiculous 7’3” wingspan, Quaintance has been dubbed the most naturally skilled player in the 2024 class. He’s set to be the focal point of ASU’s offense this year and at just 17 years old, he’s not only the highest-ranked recruit the Sun Devils have ever snagged but also one of their youngest. What’s even scarier? Barring an unforeseen transfer, ASU gets him for two full years since he won’t meet the NBA’s age requirements until after his sophomore season.

Quaintance runs the floor like a gazelle, attacking off the dribble with the finesse of a guard, but he can also dominate down low with his vertical leap and athleticism. With a rare mix of power and agility, he likes to throw down vicious dunks whenever the rim is even in the same timezone. An elite-level rim protector with a knack for using his size without fouling, he relies on a high motor to wear opponents down inside. Gonzaga’s frontcourt is in for a nightmare trying to contain him.

Last year, Quaintance averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game at Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina. In this year’s McDonald’s All-American game, when he was just 16, he went 4-for-4 from the field, snagged 7 boards, and racked up 3 steals.

Quaintance is the real deal and will serve as the cornerstone of ASU’s quest for basketball relevance this season. The Zags will need to figure out how to slow him down—preferably without fouling–or they’re in for a long night against the Sun Devils.

Jeremy Roach – Baylor University

The list of guards boasting Jeremy Roach’s skill and experience is short this year: Caleb Love (Arizona), Mark Sears (Alabama), and RJ Davis (UNC) are pretty much it. After transferring from Duke, Roach is set to make his final year of eligibility count in an uptempo, guard-friendly offense that could elevate him to one of the nation’s best floor marshalls.

An athletic sharpshooter who thrives on pushing the pace, Roach has been lighting up ACC defenses since he first stepped onto the court for the Blue Devils as a 5-star freshman in 2020. Containing him will be crucial if the Zags hope to secure a win. Fans don’t need reminding of what happens when Baylor’s backcourt gets hot, and Roach brings a level of leadership and experience that the Bears will rely on to continue dismantling opposing defenses.

Last season, Roach shot 43% from beyond the arc over 33 starts with the Blue Devils, boasting a 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. He wrapped up his Duke career with nearly 1,500 points and 402 assists.

And just to rub salt in the wound for opponents, Baylor also snagged electrifying freshman VJ Edgecombe, a 5-star prospect with one-and-done potential, to complement Roach in the backcourt. It’ll be a pick-your-poison track meet against Baylor, and the Zags need to do everything possible to slow the Bears down right from tip-off. The success of that strategy will hinge on how well they contain Baylor’s veteran point guard.

Surprise, surprise: Baylor’s guards are physical, fast, skilled, and downright terrifying this year. With Roach at the helm and Edgecombe playing off the ball, the Bears will be a nightmare to keep up with, let alone beat.

Koby Brea – Kentucky

In May, the best shooter in college basketball made waves by transferring to Kentucky to play for Mark Pope, a coach who values the deep ball more than anyone else in the NCAA. This isn’t hyperbole. Brea’s 49.8% shooting from three last season outshone all D1 players, while Pope’s BYU squad led the nation in average 3-point attempts per game at 32.

Since taking over at Kentucky, Pope has assembled a roster loaded with knockdown shooters and clearly aims to continue the high-volume shooting style he perfected in Provo. Kentucky Assistant Coach Cody Fueger stated that the Wildcats plan to fire off 35+ threes per game—an absurd volume from beyond the arc. Koby Brea is likely to be the spearhead of that assault, and teams will struggle to slow down the Wildcats if they can’t contest his shots and secure rebounds.

While Brea wasn’t a high-volume scorer for the Flyers last year—averaging 11 points in 29 minutes per game—no shooter in the country was as consistent from deep as he was. When he got his open looks, they usually fell.

The Wildcats may face growing pains with a new roster and a fresh coaching staff, but two things are certain: (1) they’re going to shoot A LOT of threes, and (2) Koby Brea is one of the best at it. Hopefully, Few’s familiarity with Pope’s system will give the Bulldogs an edge in stifling Kentucky’s outside attack.

Alex Karaban – UConn

Alex Karaban might just finish this season with a Wooden Award in hand. After two consecutive NCAA championships with the UConn Huskies, he’s back as the lone starter from last year’s stacked roster. The Huskies begin this season without four of last year’s stars (Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, Tristen Newton, and Cam Spencer), leading some critics to doubt Coach Hurley’s chances of a three-peat. Apparently, memories are short in college basketball.

These same concerns were voiced after UConn’s 2022-2023 season when they lost Andre Jackson, Jordan Hawkins, Adama Sanogo, and Joey Calcaterra right after Hurley’s first national championship. Yet, lo and behold, the Huskies once again emerged as the most dominant team in college basketball. Never count out UConn: fool me once, etc.

Karaban finished last season averaging 13.3 points on 49.5% shooting. He’s a versatile player who does a bit of everything for the Huskies and is poised to shine in one of the nation’s most dynamic offensive systems. With reliable outside shooting and a knack for hitting big shots, his chemistry with a new cast of teammates will largely dictate his season. If he maintains last year’s trajectory, he could emerge as a national player-of-the-year candidate.

UConn’s upcoming season is a puzzle, but they’ve shown time and again that they shouldn’t be underestimated. Despite the chemistry issues, they’ve given fans no reason to doubt their potential for another national title, even with only one returning starter.

Aidan Mahaney – UConn

I can’t shake the feeling that Aidan Mahaney is going to show up with violence in his heart when the Zags face UConn in December. After two years at St. Mary’s, Mahaney has found a new home better suited to his reckless, relentless playing style, and under coach Dan Hurley, he’s likely to shine against his former conference rivals.

Let’s be real: I don’t think Aidan Mahaney will have an All-American caliber season with UConn. In fact, by season’s end, he might not even be the best guard on their roster. But the purpose of this list is to highlight the best players Gonzaga will face in their nonconference run, and I have a sneaking suspicion Mahaney will be at his best against the Zags.

Despite Mahaney’s unique skills, “uptempo” is not a word anyone in the history of basketball watching would use to describe Randy Bennett’s offense during Mahaney’s tenure at St. Mary’s. In fact, St. Mary’s finished last season ranked 352nd in the nation in average offensive possessions per game at just 62. At times last year, it seemed Mahaney was frustrated with Bennett’s insistence that his team keep their offensive tempo somewhere near the “painful” end of the slowness spectrum, and while some critics have praised Bennett’s control in executing his plodding offense, others (myself and Mahaney apparently included) see it as sucking all the fun out of college basketball. Although St. Mary’s fans were shocked when Mahaney entered the portal, others immediately understood his reasoning.

Mahaney is exactly the type of point guard Hurley loves: he pushes the pace, attacks unpredictably off the dribble, and isn’t afraid to hoist questionable shots from deep (often with devastating accuracy at the worst possible moments for opponents). Few teams are as stylistically different from St. Mary’s than UConn, and Mahaney may just maximize his playing potential with his new squad.

Last season, Mahaney averaged 13.9 points on 38% shooting for St. Mary’s, along with 2.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. Those numbers aren’t jaw-dropping for a player poised to take the reigns for the nation’s most dominant college basketball team, but he also possesses that intangible ability to take over games when he’s able to corral momentum. As Zag fans know, Mahaney can be a nightmare to deal with.

Gonzaga has plenty to worry about against UConn without the Mahaney-of-it-all. The Huskies will also reature returners Alex Karaban and Hassan Diarra who will share the scoring load and help contain Gonzaga’s fast-paced offense. Still, Mahaney could easily put together a career night against the Bulldogs, especially if he’s given the freedom to play to his strengths in a more fluid offensive system than what he’s endured in the past.

If you feel there’s anyone I’ve forgotten or would like to talk more about, put it in the comments!