Gonzaga lines up Lewis-Clark State College for Nov. 3 exhibition contest
Sep. 12—Gonzaga hasn't announced its full nonconference schedule, but the Zags have reportedly set up an exhibition contest.
The Zags will entertain Lewis-Clark State College on Nov. 3 at the McCarthey Athletic Center, according to a LCSC release.
Lewis-Clark State, based in Lewiston, finished 14-15 last year, 11-11 in the NAIA Cascade Collegiate Conference.
The Warriors' roster includes guard Sam Stockton, son of former Gonzaga great John Stockton, Colfax High grad John Lustig and forward Grayson Hunt, a former Pullman Greyhound. Stockton is listed as a senior while Lustig and Hunt are sophomores.
Stockton finished with two points, two rebounds and five assists in 19 minutes in LCSC's 112-62 loss to the Zags in a November 2021 exhibition game. The 6-foot-2 Stockton, who played with GU fifth-year senior Anton Watson at Gonzaga Prep and on AAU teams, has played three seasons for the Warriors, making nine starts over the last two years.
John Stockon watched the 2021 exhibition game at the McCarthey Athletic Center, but his season tickets were suspended by GU in January 2022 for failing to comply with the mask mandate.
Stockton apparently didn't attend Gonzaga home games last season, citing his objection to the school's vaccine mandate in an interview with The Spokesman-Review last January.
The Zags' season and home opener is set for Nov. 10 against Yale. They're scheduled to open against Purdue on Nov. 20 at the Maui Invitational, which is reportedly being moved to the University of Hawaii's Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu following the devastating August wildfires in Lahaina.
Other highlights on Gonzaga's nonconference schedule include road games against Washington (Dec. 9) and Kentucky (Feb. 10), defending national champion Connecticut in Seattle on Dec. 15 and a home date vs. national runner-up San Diego State on Dec. 29.
The Zags also were reportedly in negotiations to face USC in Las Vegas.
Lewis-Clark State will also face Arizona, led by former Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd, on Oct. 20 in Tucson in an exhibition .
"We are extremely grateful to Coach (Mark) Few at Gonzaga and Coach Lloyd at Arizona along with their staffs/administration for scheduling us," LCSC coach Austin Johnson said. "As much as what we do here at LC is about trying to compete for championships, we're also in the memory making business for our student-athletes.
"These two opportunities will no doubt have a lasting impact on our guys as they represent LC in two of the toughest environments in all of college basketball and further the big-time experience our players receive while a part of our program. We're thankful for the opportunity to compete."
The Zags thumped the Warriors 116-61 in a 2019 exhibition contest.
