Gonzaga's biggest weakness resurfaces in exhibition loss to Arkansas

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs lost their first exhibition game of the season, 76-72, on the road against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon.

Gonzaga was without star sophomore Davis Fogle (leg), who sat out for precautionary reasons, as well as forward Chauncey Wiggins, who remains ineligible while his lawsuit in Georgia is stayed.

It certainly looked like an exhibition game between the two top 15 teams on Saturday, with a lot of sloppy turnovers early on. Gonzaga held a lead for most of the first half, stretching to as big as 10 with four minutes to go, but Arkansas went on an extended 18-0 run between the two halves and led the rest of the way, with strong outside shooting and a big game from junior returner Billy Richmond III.

Below is a look at three takeaways from Gonzaga's first exhibition game of the season:

1. Gonzaga's three-point shooting problems aren't going away

Last year was the worst three point shooting season in Mark Few's history at Gonzaga, a feat he hopes the team won't repeat in 2026-27.

Saturday wasn't exactly a promising sign, however, with the Zags missing their first 11(!) attempts from beyond the arc before Izan Almansa hit from the corner with 4:15 left in the first half. Things really didn't improve much in the final 20 minutes, with Gonzaga finishing a putrid 6-28 in the game.

Oct 24, 2026; Fayetteville, AK, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few claps during the first half in the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fogle, who went 6-7 from three at Kraziness, and Wiggins - who shot 39% on 6.0 attempts per game last year at Florida State - are both expected to help the team's perimeter scoring this upcoming season, but even still, it was a disheartening performance by the Zags - with projected outside shooters like Luca Foster (0-4), Javon Bennett (0-4), and Nathan de Sousa (1-8) all struggling to hit from deep.

2. Isiah Harwell gives Gonzaga a reason for optimism

The best player on the floor for Gonzaga on Saturday afternoon was a sophomore wing with NBA aspirations - just not the one most were expecting. With no Fogle, Isiah Harwell stepped up and led the charge for Gonzaga - especially in a nearly perfect first half.

Oct 24, 2026; Fayetteville, AK, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Billy Richmond III (24) goes up for a layup as Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Isiah Harwell (1) defends during the first half at Bud Walton Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Harwell led Gonzaga with nine first half points, shooting a perfect 4-4 from the field including 1-1 from three, along with two steals, two rebounds and an assist. He did not have any turnovers or fouls.

He didn't score in the second half but was still productive, finishing with five rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes - while playing good perimeter defense and finishing as the only Zag who played five or more minutes who did not have a turnover.

The 6'6 transfer from Houston is a former McDonald's All-American who dealt with injuries last year with the Coogs, before hitting the transfer portal and landing in Spokane. After his strong 17 point performance at Kraziness, and Saturday's showing, it's clear he's ready for a massive sophomore leap - which is phenomenal news for Few and the Zags.

3. Gonzaga's new-look backcourt raises more questions than answers

The point guard position has been the biggest roller coaster for Gonzaga this offseason. Despite multiple departures, and constant eligibility issues, the Zags went into Saturday's game with three point guards - Xaivian Lee, Javon Bennett, and Nathan de Sousa - suited up and eligible.

It wasn't a great performance from the trio, however, with major shooting woes, poor decision making, and foul trouble plaguing the group throughout the game on Saturday.

Oct 24, 2026; Fayetteville, AK, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Cooper Bowser (21) goes up for a layup during the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Bud Walton Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lee was the best of the bunch, when he was on the floor, but foul issues limited him early in the second half. He hit a couple of big threes late however, and finished with eight points on 3-6 shooting, along with five rebounds and two assists.

Bennett and de Sousa both played huge minutes, often alongside each other, but were dreadful offensively, shooting a combined 3-25 from the field and 1-12 from three. They showed flashes, de Sousa is very good at drawing contact and Bennett is great at pushing the tempo, but it was overall a very rough night from GU's new look point guard room.

Gonzaga has one more exhibition game, set for Wednesday, Oct. 28, against Lewis-Clark State, before the regular season gets underway on Monday, Nov. 2, against Purdue in Las Vegas.

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