Gonzaga vs. Alabama ranked as best college basketball game of feast week

The Zags and Crimson Tide tip off Monday night as part of the Players Era Festival

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Tyon Grant-Foster (7). | Photo by Erik Smith

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are taking on Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide on Monday evening in Las Vegas as part of the Players Era Festival. The game will tip off at 6:30 PM PT.

Gonzaga and Alabama have long been among the highest scoring offenses in college basketball, and although they have only played each other twice in the past half decade those were very memorable games: first with the Crimson Tide defeating the No. 3 ranked Zags in Seattle in 2021, followed by Gonzaga defeating No. 4 Alabama in Birmingham the following year by a score of 100-90.

So it shouldn't be much of a surprise that Monday's battle is one of the most anticipated matchups of the Players Era Festival, especially with both teams comfortably ranked inside the top 25 of the AP Poll.

However, college basketball insider Andy Katz went one step further, ranking this contest as the best game of 'feast' week - high praise considering the stacked slate of games taking place before Thanksgiving.

• LIVE UPDATES, SCORE: GONZAGA VS. ALABAMA

Gonzaga vs. Alabama topped a list that included Illinois vs. UConn, North Carolina vs. Michigan State, St. John's vs. Iowa State, and Houston vs. Tennessee in the top five.

Other Players Era Festival matchups on Katz's list include Michigan vs. Auburn at No. 7 and Oregon vs. Auburn at No. 8.

FEAST WEEK HAS ARRIVED 🦃@TheAndyKatz brings us the marquee matchups to look-out for 👀 pic.twitter.com/qPVDR4jCFO

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 24, 2025

Currently, Alabama boasts the nation's seventh-best offense according to KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency, while Gonzaga is one spot lower at No. 8. However, Gonzaga's adjusted defensive efficiency is at No. 5 overall, while Alabama's is down at No. 37.

How Gonzaga defends the perimeter will be crucial on Monday night, with the Crimson Tide living and dying by the outside shot. So far this season under coach Oats, Alabama has taken 52% of its field goal attempts from beyond the arc, and while it is only knocking them down at a 34% clip, that still translates to roughly 12 made threes per game.

Additionally, Alabama's floor spacing gives them plenty of good looks at the rim, and to date, they are shooting an outstanding 61.5% on two pointers as a team - good for 28th in the country.

Nov 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon (0). | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

For Gonzaga, a lengthy and versatile defensive group led by Jalen Warley, Emmanuel Innocenti, Tyon Grant-Foster, and Mario Saint-Supery will need to challenge perimeter shots from 'Bama's elite backcourt, which includes All-American candidate Labaron Philon and fellow talented guards Aden Holloway, Houston Mallette, and Latrell Wrightsell.

If Gonzaga can force tough shots and win the battle on the boards, they will have a great chance of picking up another win over a ranked opponent, and could compete for a championship in the Players Era Festival if they also take down Maryland on Tuesday, with the tip for that game starting at 6:30 PM PT.