SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga men’s basketball will host Division II program Western Oregon in an exhibition game on Monday, Oct. 27, at the McCarthey Athletic Center, according to the Wolves’ schedule.
Gonzaga head coach Mark Few and first-year Western Oregon coach Ryan Orton share a connection that led to the preseason matchup. Orton is the son of Doug Orton, who was Few’s head coach at Creswell High School in Oregon in the late 1970s. After Few graduated, Doug Orton helped launch his coaching career by hiring him to coach Creswell’s freshman basketball team, according to The Spokesman-Review.
Ryan Orton, also from Creswell, Ore., spent the last 10 seasons at Alaska Anchorage, serving as an assistant and associate head coach during two stints with the program. He also had stops at Montana State (2006-08), Northwest Nazarene (2004-06), Eastern Washington (2000-03), and Lane Community College.
This will be the first meeting between Gonzaga and Western Oregon. In past seasons, Gonzaga has regularly played one to two exhibition games. This is the only known exhibition scheduled for the Zags at this point.
Gonzaga will host its annual Kraziness in the Kennel event on Oct. 4, which will air on SWX and stream on SWXLocalSports.com.
The Zags’ 2025-26 schedule has not yet been finalized.
Gonzaga Men’s Basketball 2025-26 Nonconference Schedule so far:
Monday, Nov. 3: vs. Texas SouthernSaturday, Nov. 8: vs. Oklahoma (Spokane Arena)Tuesday, Nov. 11: vs. Creighton (The Kennel)Nov. 24-27: Players Era Festival Nov. 24: vs. Alabama (6:30 p.m., Day 1) Nov. 25: vs. Maryland (6:30 p.m., Day 2)Saturday, Dec. 13: vs. UCLA (Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena)Tuesday, Dec. 17: vs. Campbell (The Kennel)Sunday, Dec. 21: vs. Oregon (Moda Center, Portland)TBD: vs. Kentucky (Nashville)TBD: vs. BaylorTBD: at Arizona State