Gonzaga versus Kentucky Nov. 20 announced during UK Flood Relief Telethon
Mark Few and John Calipari both agreed on Tuesday to having the first game of the series at the Kennel on Nov. 20 this year.
Thanks to Coach John Calipari’s Flood Relief Telethon, a lot of money has been raised for the people of Kentucky who are currently suffering from one of the worst floods in recent memory. An open practice was set up by the SEC coaching legend, which at the latest report, has raised more than $2.4 million in three hours that will go to Red Cross aid helping people recover from this massive tragedy.
The telethon offered a lot of good news in rather dire times for local Kentuckians, and one particular bit of news will also bring a smile to the face of basketball fans in Spokane. Per a live conversation that Calipari had with Zags head coach Mark Few, it was revealed during the fundraiser Tuesday that Kentucky will be traveling to the Kennel this season on Nov. 20 and then the Zags will return the favor next season at Rupp Arena.
The news was broken over some friendly banter between two of college basketball’s most preeminent coaches when Calipari called Few while streaming the event. Calipari poked at Few and said that while the Gonzaga coach had talked about scheduling a game between the two programs, it had to be on his terms.
“I thought we were Kentucky,” Calipari joked.
“First of all, we were fine,” Few replied. “We were looking good and then you just said, ‘hey you want to play?’ and I was like, ‘ya I’m good with playing…but it needs to be in Spokane.’
It’s true, the Zags already have a packed schedule commensurate with what Few draws up for them every other year. They’ve got to finish their home and home with Texas and Alabama, both away, play Michigan State on a aircraft carrier, take on Scott Drew’s loaded Baylor squad on Dec. 2, and potentially play West Virginia, Purdue, Xavier and/or Duke in the Phil Knight 85 over Thanksgiving weekend, all before conference play kicks off New Year’s Eve.
Still, it didn’t appear to be too much for Few’s guys, and offered up Nov. 20 as the date for Kentucky to travel to Spokane.
“Here’s the problem, you’re the number one team in the country and we got to go to you,” Calipari said. “Let me ask you this and maybe this is crazy, but will you come back here the following year or is this a one-game shot in Spokane?”
“Let’s do it,” Few answered. “And for the telethon, see if you can fundraise for two courtside (seats) right beside me.”
It appears that the game for this season is now locked into both teams’ schedules on Nov. 20, which will likely be the McCarthy Athletic Center’s biggest game since Texas came to town at the start of last season. For Kentucky, it adds another giant to their schedule on top of Michigan State as well, Michigan, UCLA and Kansas.
While the telethon has ended in Lexington, you can still donate to help support people recovering from the flood here with the link to donate on Kentucky’s page still active. You can find that link here.
