Dramatic Airings Await Gonzaga Basketball Team This Season
Ever wondered just how visible Gonzaga's basketball prowess is on the national stage? Prepare to be dazzled! The Gonzaga Bulldogs are set to showcase their skills on national networks an impressive 17 times throughout the regular season. That's right, 17 times!
On Friday morning, a treasure trove of details about the 2025-26 basketball schedule was unveiled, including not only the tipoff times but also the television coverage specifics for both nonconference and West Coast Conference (WCC) games. The WCC's full national broadcast schedule was a much-anticipated reveal, locking in the television designations for 12 of the 13 nonconference games and the majority of Gonzaga's league games.
But here's where it gets intriguing. Following a pair of preseason exhibitions set to grace the airwaves on KHQ—Northwest on October 19 at 2 p.m. and Western Oregon on October 27 at 6 p.m.—the Zags will make another appearance on the same channel for the November 3 season opener against Texas Southern at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Following this, they'll be making a splash on ESPN platforms for three consecutive games.
And this is the part most people miss... The Zags' first true road game on November 14 at Arizona State will tip off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPN2. The excitement doesn't stop there, as they'll be heading to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival, where they're poised to play three national TV games in just three days.
The schedule takes a turn on November 24 when Gonzaga faces Alabama in the NIL tournament, kicking off at 6:30 p.m. on TNT. The tournament continues the next day with a clash against Maryland at 6:30 p.m. on truTV, culminating on November 26 or 27 against an opponent yet to be named.
Gonzaga's fourth encounter with Kentucky at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena in just four years is a highlight, with the game set to tip off at 4 p.m. PT and air on ESPN2. The Zags will then face North Florida and Campbell at home, with both games set for 6 p.m. and broadcasted on KHQ.
The Seattle Hoops Showdown against UCLA at Climate Pledge Arena on December 13 is another event to look out for, though the tipoff time remains a mystery. As for the December 21 nonconference finale against Oregon at Portland's Moda Center, it will tip off at 3 p.m. and be streamed on the NBC platform Peacock.
Gonzaga is not just stopping at nonleague games. They will participate in eight of the WCC's 24 nationally-televised regular-season matchups throughout January and February. Washington State also secures a handful of opportunities to play in front of a national audience, appearing on television six times during WCC play.
The Zags kick off WCC play at Pepperdine and San Diego on December 28 and 30, with TV designations yet to be announced. They'll then return home for a 6 p.m. tipoff against Seattle U on January 2 before hosting LMU two days later, again at 6 p.m. and broadcasted on KHQ.
The Zags' fifth WCC game against Santa Clara will be their first national broadcast appearance on ESPN's networks. They'll follow this with two high-profile games on CBS Sports Network against Washington State and San Francisco, though the tipoff times are yet to be announced.
The remaining nationally-televised games are set to air on ESPN networks, with specific TV designations and tipoff times still up in the air. This includes games against Saint Mary's, Washington State, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and the WCC regular-season finale against Saint Mary's.
Three home games will be broadcasted on KHQ, each starting at 6 p.m. The Zags are yet to learn the TV designations for two other road WCC games, including a game at Climate Pledge Arena against Seattle U on January 17 and one at Portland on February 4.
Washington State will also feature in several nationally-televised games, including appearances on ESPN networks and CBS Sports Network. All WCC games not shown on national networks will be accessible through ESPN's streaming service, ESPN+.
