3 bold predictions for the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the 2025-26 college basketball season

The Zags open up the season on Monday against Texas Southern

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff (34). | Photo by Myk Crawford

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs officially begin the 2025-26 college basketball season on Monday, Nov. 3, at the McCarthey Athletic Center against the Texas Southern Tigers.

It is Gonzaga's final season as members of the West Coast Conference, with the Zags looking to win the WCC regular season title for the 23rd time in coach Few's tenure, and first time since 2023 after Saint Mary's took it the past two years.

Gonzaga only has four returners who played in the rotation last year, although two of them — Graham Ike and Braden Huff — are primed to form perhaps the most dominant offensive frontcourt duo in the country. Plus, the Zags have veteran talent littered all over the roster, including senior transfers Jalen Warley, Adam Miller, and Tyon Grant-Foster, as well as Steele Venters coming off two season-ending injuries and redshirt Braeden Smith primed to step into the team's point guard role.

With opening day nearly upon us, here is a look at three bold predictions for this Gonzaga team entering the 2025-26 season:

1. Braden Huff is Gonzaga's leading scorer

Casual college basketball fans likely find this prediction quite bold, but those who have been watching Gonzaga regularly the past few years won't be nearly as surprised. Huff has been one of the most efficient high-volume scorers in all of college basketball the past two seasons, while serving in a backup role to Ike.

Huff averaged 9.3 points in 13.5 minutes as a redshirt freshman in 2023-24, and 11 points in 16.7 minutes last year. Those numbers translate to a ridiculous 27.1 points per 40 minutes, which is right around Ike's 28.7 mark across his two seasons in Spokane.

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Braden Huff (34). | Photo by Erik Smith

Last year, Gonzaga added Huff to the starting lineup alongside Ike for the final three games of the season. Huff outscored Ike in the first two of those games, 18 to 11 and 18 to 13, before Ike dropped 27 against Houston in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Gonzaga is going to play the matchups with these two out on the floor, and there is a good chance opposing teams will default to putting their best post defender on Ike. Most teams' second-best post defender won't be able to adequately handle Huff's footwork and touch around the rim, which should lead to plenty of points for the big man, as long as he is able to stay on the floor for 25+ minutes per night.

2. Gonzaga does not have a single player average 30+ minutes per game

This may not sound super bold on paper, but it is worth noting Mark Few has NEVER coached a season without a 30+ minute per game player.

Most of the time, Gonzaga's starting point guard is the team's leader in minutes played, with coach Few relying heavily on his floor generals. Guys like Ryan and Andrew Nembhard, Kevin Pangos, Josh Perkins, and Derek Raivio were iron men who played 35+ minutes on the regular, but that doesn't seem as likely to happen this season.

Braeden Smith is the starting point guard for the Zags this year after redshirting last season and learning the ropes from Nembhard. He's likely going to play the most minutes on the team, but will face plenty of competition for playing time from Spanish freshman Mario Saint-Supery.

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Braeden Smith (3). | Photo by Erik Smith

Saint-Supery is still adjusting to college rules and officiating, but coach Few already indicated the 6'3 guard is pushing Smith for playing time, and it would not be a surprise at all to see Smith end up closer to 25-28 minutes per game on average, with Saint-Supery playing quite a bit at both point guard and shooting guard.

If Smith doesn't average 30 minutes per game, the Zags likely won't have anyone who does. The insane amount of depth on the wing for this team makes it very unlikely anyone in that group averages 30, especially with Steele Venters coming off two major injuries and Tyon Grant-Foster getting eased back into action after missing most of the offseason.

That leaves Ike and Huff, although neither has ever averaged more than 25 minutes per game in a Gonzaga uniform. It's possible one of them gets there if they dramatically improve at avoiding foul trouble, but with Ismaila Diagne primed for a bigger role and Jalen Warley chipping in as the team's backup power forward, Gonzaga could very easily get away with not having a single 30+ MPG player for the first time in Few's 26 years as head coach.

3. Gonzaga leads the country in free throw percentage

Gonzaga was fourth in the country with an 80.4% mark from the charity stripe last year, and they could be even better this season despite losing Khalif Battle and his ridiculous 93.2% clip. Gonzaga also lost Nolan Hickman's 93.1% mark, but he only took 29 free throws all season.

The Zags were led in attempts by Ike, who took 169 of them and knocked them down at an outstanding 80.5% mark. Assuming he stays in that range, Gonzaga should be at or near the top of the country.

Plus, Gonzaga's newcomers on the wing are all very strong shooters. Venters (84.6%), Smith (80.6%) and Miller (78.9%) are all excellent from the line, while freshman Davis Fogle went 9-9 from the stripe in the team's exhibition win over Western Oregon on Monday.

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Davis Fogle (4). | Photo by Erik Smith

The two big X-factors for Gonzaga getting to the top are Grant-Foster and Huff. Huff improved dramatically from 55.4% as a freshman to 70.2% as a sophomore, and will need to jump up to at least over 75% for this to happen, especially if he improves at drawing contact and getting to the line.

Grant-Foster shot a respectable 74.5% from the line on over eight attempts per game at Grand Canyon in 2023-24, but that dipped to just 68.6% in 2024-25. He won't get to the stripe as often with the Zags, but should still be among the team's leaders in attempts — and will drag the overall percentage down quite a bit if he can't get back to that 75% range.

Wisconsin led the country last year and will almost certainly be over 80% again this season, but Gonzaga has the recipe to be in the conversation all year long.