Gonzaga and UConn set tipoff time, television details for Elite Eight rematch in Seattle

Oct. 3—One of the most anticipated matchups of Gonzaga's nonconference schedule — and the 2023-24 college basketball season at large — has a tipoff time.

A rematch of the Gonzaga and UConn teams that met March 25 in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament will tip at 7 p.m. on Dec. 15 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, according to a school news release Tuesday.

The game, labeled the Continental Tire Seattle Tip-Off, will air on ESPN2.

UConn cruised past Gonzaga 82-54 in the Elite Eight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas before capturing the national championship with a 76-59 victory over San Diego State in Houston.

The Bulldogs also have San Diego State on their nonconference schedule this season, hosting Brian Dutcher's team on Dec. 29 at McCarthey Athletic Center — the first game of a home-and-home series that sends Gonzaga to Viejas Arena during the 2024-25 series.

Gonzaga's two-game series with UConn will conclude with a nonconference game at a neutral site closer to the Huskies' campus next season: Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Gonzaga's Mark Few and UConn's Dan Hurley lost integral players from last year's teams that clashed in Vegas, but both rebuilt in a way that has prognosticators confident in their ability to make another deep postseason run.

The Bulldogs, ranked No. 7 in ESPN's most recent way-too-early preseason Top 25 poll, did most of their work in the transfer portal, adding Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard, Wyoming big man Graham Ike and Eastern Washington wing Steele Venters to help offset the losses of Drew Timme, Julian Strawther and Rasir Bolton.

The Huskies, ranked No. 5 in the same poll, bring in one of the nation's top recruiting classes led by top-20 national recruit and Seattle native Stephon Castle.

UConn also brings back Tristen Newton, Donovan Clingan and Alex Karaban from last year's squad.