Gonzaga vs. Tennessee: Storylines to watch in top-10 matchup

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 22: Rui Hachimura #21 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts in the first half while taking on the Florida State Seminoles in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Staples Center on March 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 22: Head coach Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts against the Florida State Seminoles during the first half in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional at Staples Center on March 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Two NCAA Basketball top-10 teams will meet for the first time in over two weeks between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers.

For the third time in four years, Gonzaga is set to face to the Volunteers of Tennessee in a December non-conference matchup. The Bulldogs have won each of the last four matchups between the two, but the pair has never both been top-10 teams while facing each other.

It’s an emerging rivalry in a way; teams on opposite ends of the country rarely face each other three times in a decade let alone three times in four years.

The most recent contest featuring the two was dominated by Gonzaga, although the scoreboard may not have reflected it. Nigel Williams-Goss posted 20 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in Gonzaga’s 86-76 victory; Tennessee’s Grant Williams, its best player this season, had 11 points and seven rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end, in a mere 15 minutes.

Obviously, Gonzaga has had more success this season thus far, including an 89-87 win over former No. 1 Duke in perhaps the best game college basketball will have all season. But Gonzaga’s resume is far more impressive than the lone win over the Blue Devils–the Bulldogs also have quality wins over Texas A&M, Arizona, Creighton, and Washington.

The Bulldogs are halfway through possibly the toughest four-game stretch of games that any team will have this season. Mark Few’s squad earned an impressive 102-93 win at Creighton last weekend and edged Washington by two on Wednesday. Following their matchup against Tennessee, Gonzaga travels to Chapel Hill to face No. 14 North Carolina.

The Volunteers haven’t had nearly as much success as Gonzaga has. Their contest against No. 2 Kansas two weeks ago produced one of the most entertaining games of the season, but Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams’ combined 39 points and 14 rebounds were not enough to knock off the Jayhawks in a six-point loss.

Tennessee’s lone impressive win came against Louisville when Williams posted 24 points and nine rebounds en route to a 92-81 win. Aside from that, Tennessee’s 6-1 record isn’t too sexy yet, but a win over No. 1 Gonzaga will earn them first-place votes in the next AP Poll.

Here are storylines to follow in one of the most highly anticipated games of the season: