How to watch, listen to Gonzaga vs. UCLA in the Battle in Seattle

Gonzaga is looking to even the series after losing to UCLA in Los Angeles last year
Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few.
Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. | Photo by Erik Smith

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Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs head to Seattle to take on Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins on Saturday evening, one of the few remaining marquee non-con games for either team.

Gonzaga will look to not only avenge last year's agonizing 65-62 loss to UCLA at the Intuit Dome, but to end the curse of Climate Pledge Arena. Gonzaga is 0-3 at the building formerly known as Key Arena since it was reopened as Climate Pledge in 2021. The Zags lost to Alabama in 2021, UConn in 2023, and Kentucky last year - despite holding an 18 point lead in the second half.

The history between Gonzaga and UCLA makes this one of the most exciting non-conference rivalries in all of college basketball. A trio of electric NCAA Tournament matchups are among the most memorables games of the past 20 years: Adam Morrison's infamous crying on the court in 2006, Jalen Suggs' 37 foot buzzer-beating three pointer to send Gonzaga to the national title game in 2021, and Julian Strawther's game-winning triple in 2023 which put the Zags in the Elite Eight.

This year's game won't have the same stakes as a late-March battle, but it still means a lot to both teams. Gonzaga is looking to pick up a third win over a ranked opponent this year, having already defeated Creighton and Alabama. This is coach Few's final marquee non-con matchup, with the Oregon Ducks - who the Zags face in Portland on Dec. 21 - struggling to open up the campaign.

Meanwhile UCLA only has two wins over high major opponents, with both coming in the first week of Big Ten conference play against Washington and Oregon. The Bruins lost a close one to Arizona and blew a big lead against Cal in San Francisco, putting them at 7-2 heading into Saturday's tilt.

UCLA boasts a strong outside shooting team and plenty of size down on the block. Tyler Bilodeau leads the team at 15.4 points per game, and the 6'9 forward has significant versatility as a shooter, scorer, and offensive hub. Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker leads the team with 1.6 blocks per game, and he'll likely be tasked with trying to slow down the freight train that is Graham Ike - assuming Gonzaga's big man is good to go after sitting out against North Florida with a nagging ankle injury.

Gonzaga will need to win the battle on the offensive glass and control the tempo in order to leave Seattle with a win over UCLA.

Below is a look at how to tune in to the Battle in Seattle on Saturday evening:

How to watch Gonzaga vs. UCLA

Date: Saturday, Dec. 13

Game time: 8:30 p.m. PT

Where: Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle, WA)

How to watch: ESPN

How to listen: 96.1 FM (local) and Varsity Sports App


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Andy Patton
ANDY PATTON

Andy Patton is a diehard fan and alumnus of Gonzaga, graduating in 2013. He’s been the host of the Locked On Zags podcast covering Gonzaga basketball since 2021, and one of two co-hosts on the Locked On College Basketball podcast since 2022. In addition to covering college basketball, Andy has dabbled in sports writing and podcasting across nearly every major sport dating back to 2017. He was a beat writer covering the Seattle Seahawks from 2017–2021 for USA TODAY, where he also spent one year each covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and had a stint as the lead writer for College Sports Wire. Andy has also written about the NBA, NHL, and MLB for various news outlets through TEGNA, including KREM in Spokane, CBS8 in San Diego, and KING 5 in Seattle. After stints in Spokane and Seattle, Andy is back in Oregon near his hometown with his wife, daughter, and dog.

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