Former Gonzaga walk-on Matthew Lang playing grad year at Arizona

Lang never lost in the Kennel in his four years, and now will join former assistant Tommy Lloyd in Tucson

Lang played in 55 games in his time at Gonzaga, and started his last home game against Santa Clara in February (James Snook-USA TODAY Sports).

Matthew Lang will be heading from the Inland NorthWest to the SouthWest desert next year. The former Gonzaga guard announced on Tuesday that he will be playing at the University of Arizona next season as a graduate transfer under Tommy Lloyd, studying for his masters in accounting.

Stated on Instagram, the Zag walk-on thanked the McCarthey Athletic Center faithful for their support in his four years at GU.

“Zag nation, thank you for everything. I know it is overdue, but it is because it [is] so hard to say goodbye to my Zag family,” Lang said in his post. “Since the day I stepped on campus, my family has grown tremendously. I am proud to say I never lost a game in the Kennel thanks to the Zag Community.”

Lang also lauded how the Gonzaga teams he’s played for since 2018 were a perfect 70-0 at home in the Kennel and that the crowd has been behind him every step of the way.

Lang walked on to the Bulldogs after helping get his Jesuit High School Crusaders to 21 wins and a Portland State 6A quarterfinal his senior year of high school. He earned a full scholarship in the spring of 2020 and again at the beginning of this year to round out his college career.

In 55 minutes played last season, the Portland native went 7-for-14 from the field reeled in 14 rebounds.

Lang has previously said that Jack Beach and assistant coach Brian Michaelson, both Gonzaga walk-ons at one time themselves, were big influences on him. Heading down to the Tucson desert next season, Lang will have another former Zag walk-on in his presence, Wildcats assistant coach Rem Bakamus.

Going from one of the top programs in the country to another, Lang is joining an Arizona squad that won the PAC-12 and made it to the Sweet 16 last season where the team lost to Houston. More than just Lloyd and Bakamus, other Zags that Lang has spent time with in Spokane include incoming junior Oumar Ballo, recruiting coordinator TJ Benson, director of advanced scouting Ken Nakagawa and assistant coach Riccardo Fois.