Kentucky vs Gonzaga: 2024-25 College basketball game preview, TV schedule

Two Top 10 teams head to Seattle, with Gonzaga looking for another marquee win over Kentucky; can the Bulldogs get the job done or do the Wildcats bounce back with a key win?

TV schedule: Wednesday, December 7, 10:05 pm ET. ESPN2

Arena: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington

November went very well for Kentucky (7-1), who completed a perfect month mostly winning games at home. The Wildcats did look good against Duke during that stretch, but would lose their first road game earlier this week at Clemson as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge. Now, the Wildcats hunt for a big bounce back win in another major nonconference opportunity.

A myriad of new faces occupy the roster in Kentucky, though the leading scorer has been junior guard Otega Oweh (16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg). He’s really fitting in well as an offensive playmaker, but he’s far from alone in this talented lineup. The Wildcats are getting great plays on both ends from Lamont Butler (12.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.9 apg), who is likely even more valuable on defense. Sharpshooter Koby Brea (12.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) is another important name to watch; he’s been lights out beyond the arc eight games into the season.

Kentucky still sits at #4 in the AP Top 25, with that loss at Clemson coming since the poll was unveiled. They have fallen to 11th in the KenPom ratings, though they remain a decent 6th in the most recent NET rankings. This strong offensive unit has learned fast how to play together, while the defense has done solid work throughout the opening month, though there’s room for improvement on both ends.

On the opposite end, Gonzaga (7-1) also hunts for a major opportunity after their trip to the Bahamas fell short of expectations. This team scored impressive early wins over Baylor and San Diego State but lost to West Virginia in the first game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. They still salvaged a pair of wins in that tournament, but beating Kentucky would be another huge win for that resume come season’s end.

New faces are making big moves for the Bulldogs, with Khalif Battle (13.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg) really standing out after transferring from Arkansas in the offseason. The leading scorer and rebounder has been Graham Ike (13.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg), who has been playing well but has even greater potential in leading this frontcourt. There’s additional talent all over this roster, though a name to watch is certainly Ryan Nembhard (10.6 ppg, 10.8 apg), the senior guard who has developed into one of the nation’s best point guards.

After recent events, Gonzaga found themselves #7 in the AP Top 25, though they’ve risen to 4th in KenPom and 2nd in the NET rankings. This is another season where the Bulldogs boast one of the most efficient offenses in the entire country and have played dynamic basketball in all of their wins this season. This is a team that can beat you all over the court, though some of their best games have come when Ike and the frontcourt is eating inside.

Normally we’d talk revenge, since Gonzaga did win at Kentucky last February, though none of the current Wildcats participated in that game. Instead, we’re focused on two very strong offensive unites going to war in Seattle. We didn’t even mention Amari Williams, averaging nearly a double-double for Kentucky or Braden Huff, doing great things in the post for the Wildcats. Finding a way to slow down either offenses is the first mission, and it’s not an easy one for either side.

While this game isn’t at Gonzaga, they’re clearly going to have the advantage of a closer game; but how much will that affect the result? We saw Kentucky struggle in their first true road atmosphere, but we also know that these Bulldogs aren’t infallible. The Wildcats need their shooters to make their shots, but we’re leaning towards the Bulldogs with both the familiarity at home and familiarity in these lineups that know how to win together.

Prediction: Gonzaga 84, Kentucky 78