Mark Few and John Calipari made an unusual agreement ahead of Gonzaga-Arkansas exhibition

Longtime friends Mark Few and John Calipari will meet up on Saturday in an exhibition battle between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Arkansas Razorbacks.

It's the first of two exhibition games for Gonzaga this season, and it will take place at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1:00 PM PT.

Exhibition games are a chance for teams to essentially practice against each other, simulating a real game situation - especially for Gonzaga in what will be a true road environment.

Expectations for Zags vs. Hogs

Calipari spoke to the media on Tuesday ahead of the exhibition game, and he shared what he and coach Few discussed before the matchup - including specific strategies each will use against each other in an effort to help their teams grow.

"Mark and I talked the other day, I said 'Do you have your zone in yet?' 'Nope I have no zone.' Great, neither one of us are playing zone," Calipari explained. "He said, 'Do you want me to press some?' 'Yeah, let's press each other so that we can turn it over and at least have something to teach."

Arkansas' John Calipari: "Mark (Few) & I talked the other day, I said 'Do you have your zone in yet?' 'Nope, I have no zone.' Great, neither one of us are playing zone (Saturday). He said, 'Do you want me to press some?' 'Yeah, let's press each other.'"https://t.co/59yQaDDgIA
— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) October 22, 2026

This highlights what often gets missed about these exhibition games - particularly between high-level opponents. Few and Calipari have agreed ahead of time to certain play styles, and are focused entirely on what will make their individual programs better - not who wins the game on the court.

Obviously, no one wants to lose, and getting embarrassed in a preseason game can be a daunting sign of what's to come, but this particular matchup is more about preparing for the upcoming season - with two programs that have very new-look rosters, they are trying to integrate as quickly as possible.

"We're friends," Calipari continued. "I want it to be a war, and when you're playing this type of team there are times you're saying 'I hope we get beat so I can grab the attention of this team', but like I just tell everybody, come and enjoy watching these guys."

What this game means for Gonzaga

Gonzaga gets a huge opportunity to experience a road environment, which is critical for a roster that includes five new-to-college basketball players in Luca Foster, Sam Funches, Nathan de Sousa, Juwan Ekanga, and Carter Nilson. Izan Almansa is also new to college, but remains ineligible to suit up as the NCAA continues to evaluate his professional experience before clearing him.

The Zags will get a chance to show off their new frontcourt pairing of Braden Huff and Massamba Diop - who played against each other at Kraziness - as well as sophomore wings and potential breakout stars Davis Fogle and Isiah Harwell.

Plus, Gonzaga's trio of point guards - Xaivian Lee, Javon Bennett, and Nathan de Sousa - will all suit up as well, and fans will get an early glimpse at how those three will be deployed this season.

Gonzaga and Arkansas will tip at 1:00 PM PT on Saturday, Oct. 24, and the game will be broadcast on SECN+.

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