Gonzaga vs. Howard: College basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Connor Hope
The Gonzaga Bulldogs will look to continue their slow rise in the Top 25 with a win over the visiting Howard Bison.
TV Schedule: Wednesday, November 15, 9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Arena: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, WA
The Gonzaga Bulldogs began their season by silencing many of the doubts their critics have had, beating the Texas Southern Tigers 97-69.
Led by an incredible shooting performance by Josh Perkins, the Bulldogs dealt with some early turnover issues before pulling away from the Tigers. Killian Tillie had 12 rebounds, while Silas Melson, Johnathan Williams, and Rui Hachimura all scored in double digits.
In addition to solid contributions from their veteran players, the Zags saw great performances from their freshman: Zach Norvell, Corey Kispert, and Jacob Larsen. Larsen, the redshirt freshman center from Denmark, scored had 9 points and 7 rebounds in just 7 minutes played.
The No. 17 Bulldogs’ next opponent will be the Howard Bison out of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The Bulldogs will be Howard’s third game in a seven-game road trip. The Bison dropped their first two games, to George Washington and Indiana, by nine points each.
While Howard has shot 38.3% from three-point range, their field goal percentage is a low 35.6%. RJ Cole has been the one bright spot for the Bison, averaging 25 points, 7 assists, and 1.5 steals during the first four games. Charles Williams and Kyle Foster have also been impressive, averaging more than 13 points per game each.
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Cole will provide a much-needed spark for Howard as they take on the deeper, more athletic Zags, but Gonzaga should have an answer for his scoring ability. If the Bulldogs can continue to improve their cohesiveness, and the younger players rid themselves of their nerves, this game should be over quickly.
Prediction: Gonzaga 92, Howard 63