Gonzaga prepares to face former player in WCC matchup

Gonzaga's first game of 2026 will come in Spokane against conference newcomer Seattle U

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Jun Seok Yeo. | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs don't have much time to wipe the stink of an ugly late game performance against San Diego off of them, with still two games to go this week.

First is a matchup that is a long time coming, with Gonzaga hosting WCC newcomer and in-state opponent Seattle University on Friday, Jan. 2 at 6:00 PM at the McCarthey Athletic Center.

Seattle (12-3, 1-1 in WCC) is off to an outstanding start in their return to the West Coast Conference, their home from 1971-1980 before they dropped from the Division I level. They returned in 2009 as an independent and played in the WAC from 2012 until last year, finally making it back to the league officially on July 1.

The Redhawks, coached by Chris Victor, picked up a true road win over Stanford back in November and a huge win over Washington at Climate Pledge Arena back on Dec. 19. They also secured wins over Eastern Washington and Washington State - making Gonzaga the lone DI program in Washington the Redhawks have yet to defeat this season.

Victor's team struggles at times to put the ball in the net - with an adjusted offensive efficiency that ranks 223rd in the country at KenPom - but where the Redhawks thrive is on defense.

Currently Seattle is 41st in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency - which puts them third in the WCC behind Gonzaga and Saint Mary's, and ahead of every team Gonzaga has faced this year save for Michigan and Kentucky.

Seattle is led by star guard Brayden Maldonado, who is averaging 15.7 points and 1.8 steals per game, while shooting 42.1% from three and a league leading 94.9% from the free throw line. Will Heimbrodt is the team's enforcer, leading the conference with 2.9 blocks per game while averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds.

However, it is Seattle's third leading scorer that will catch the most attention from Gonzaga fans. Jun Seok Yeo, who played two seasons at Gonzaga from 2023-2025, hit the transfer portal last Spring and landed in Seattle with the Redhawks, where he has started all 15 games and is averaging 11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 64.1% on twos and 29.7% from three.

The 6'8 Korean forward averaged just 2.1 points in 39 games for the Zags, struggling to crack a deep frontcourt rotation that included current stars Graham Ike and Braden Huff, as well as Anton Watson, Ben Gregg, and Michael Ajayi.

Yeo was one of four players to transfer from Gonzaga this past offseason, joining Ajayi (Butler), Dusty Stromer (Grand Canyon), and Graydon Lemke (Belmont).

Gonzaga has already seen one former player this year in Pavle Stosic, who started for Pepperdine on Sunday in GU's 40 point victory, scoring two points with three rebounds and an assist. The 6'8 forward appeared in 14 games for the Zags in 2023-24, and spent last season redshirting at Utah State before landing with coach Ed Schilling and the Waves.

Gonzaga will look to bounce back after an ugly second half against San Diego on Tuesday, and will have to do it against an excellent defensive team that has proven capable of beating big name programs. The Zags are a different animal - especially when they are firing on all cylinders - but this Redhawks team is certainly not an opponent Gonzaga can take lightly in their first game of the 2026 calendar year.