Gonzaga faces an early test against John Calipari's loaded Arkansas roster

After a roller coaster of an offseason, Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs will take the court on Saturday for the first of two exhibition games leading into the official start of the 2026-27 campaign.

The Zags are heading to Fayetteville, AR, to take on John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks, a battle between two top 15 programs and two Hall of Fame coaches.

The game will tip at 1:00 PM PT and is available to stream on SECN+, giving fans an opportunity to take in a new look at the Gonzaga roster featuring just two returning rotation players from last year in Braden Huff and Davis Fogle.

The two coaches already discussed how they are approaching this game with each other, which could help each team improve in key areas before the season begins on Nov. 2.

Arkansas, like Gonzaga, has a very new-look roster, although in typical coach Cal fashion, they are very young and very talented.

Below is a scouting report on Arkansas' new-look roster and how they line up against coach Few's Gonzaga squad:

5 Arkansas starters who could challenge Gonzaga

Feb 14, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks wing Billy Richmond III (24) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Bud Walton Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

C: Senior Cooper Bowser (Furman transfer)

Bowser comes to Arkansas after three seasons at Furman in the Southern Conference. As a junior last year, the 6'11 big man averaged 13.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks while shooting an absurd 77% on two pointers in 25 games played.

He'll be a fun first matchup for Gonzaga's new-look frontcourt featuring Huff and Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop.

PF: Freshman Miika Muurinen

Muurinen is one of the most intriguing newcomers in all of college basketball. A 7'0 stretch four who spent last year with KK Partizan in Serbia, Muurinen oozes upside but has yet to put it all together.

He may be one of the best freshmen in the country by March, but how good he is early in the season is a huge x-factor for coach Cal and the Hogs - and Saturday will give fans a good look at where he's at currently.

SF: Junior Billy Richmond III

The lone notable returner for Arkansas, Richmond blossomed as a sophomore last year, averaging 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 63.5% on two pointers.

The 6'5 uber-athletic forward is a great matchup for Fogle and Isiah Harwell, both offensively and defensively, and will be a crucial part of Arkansas' squad in 2026-27.

SG: Junior Jeremiah Wilkinson (Georgia transfer)

Wilkinson is Calipari's big fish via the transfer portal, a 6'1 shooting guard who lit it up last year in the SEC at Georgia - averaging 17.4 points while shooting 47.1% on twos and a tidy 35.7% from three on 7.1 attempts per game.

A veteran scorer who Calipari is sure to let loose as a junior, Wilkinson will be a great test for Gonzaga's perimeter defense.

PG: Freshman Jordan Smith Jr

There are few duos more notable in college basketball than Calipari and stud freshman guards, and he has himself another one in Smith. Smith is a 6'2 combo guard ranked No. 2 in the class at 247Sports, and widely considered a top candidate alongside Tyran Stokes to go No. 1 in the 2027 NBA draft.

The defensive assignment on Smith will be a fascinating one for Gonzaga - will senior Xaivian Lee draw the task? Or will Few toss Harwell out on the elite scoring guard? Smith is sure to be one of the toughest ball-handlers Gonzaga faces all season long - and a great preseason test for GU.

Arkansas' talented freshmen give John Calipari plenty of depth

Dec 6, 2025; North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks wing Isaiah Sealy (30) goes up for a dunk during the second half against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Simmons Bank Arena. Arkansas won 82-58. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Smith and Muurinen are not the only excellent freshmen on this roster. 6'6 wing JJ Andrews and 6'5 forward Abdou Toure are both 5-star, top-20 recruits in the 2026 class, and both could push for starting roles as the season goes on.

Calipari also brings in 6'2 4-star point guard Davion Thompson (No. 41), 6'10 4-star center Caleb Ourigou (No. 86), Australian 7'0 big man Maper Maker, and Real Madrid center Ilia Frolov.

It's a very young, but potentially very deep, team for coach Cal, which lines up nicely with a Gonzaga roster that is also very young, particularly on the second unit.

What Arkansas' roster could reveal about Gonzaga

Gonzaga forward Massamba Diop (35) at Kraziness in the Kennel | Photo by Myk Crawford

Playing a borderline top-10 team on the road is a tremendous way to start the season for Gonzaga. It gives the team's new college players - Nathan de Sousa, Izan Almansa, Luca Foster, Juwan Ekanga, Sam Funches, and Carter Nilson, valuable experience travelling out on the road, in a situation where a loss doesn't hurt the team's resume long term.

Going up against a team littered with backcourt talent will test Gonzaga's perimeter defense, an area of significant change after losing Jalen Warley, Tyon Grant-Foster, and Emmanuel Innocenti from last year.

Plus, Gonzaga's starting frontcourt duo of Diop and Huff will get an early test against Bowser and Muurinen, a great way for coach Few to see how this new look frontcourt plays together - and what, if any, adjustments must be made before the season opener on Nov. 2 against Purdue.

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