Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs will take on Will Wade and the LSU Tigers on Saturday afternoon in the first-ever matchup between these two programs.

Although Gonzaga and LSU are new to each other, Few and Wade are not - with the Zags beating Wade and his McNeese Cowboys, 86-65, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament back in 2024.

Both Gonzaga and LSU are undefeated to start the season, with the Tigers taking care of business against New Orleans, Texas Southern, and LA Tech by 43, 41, and 40 points, respectively. Those margins are gaudy and signal this team might be better than anticipated - although it is notable that those three opponents currently rank 285, 330, and 265 at KenPom, respectively.

Below is a look at this new look LSU roster, which includes plenty of familiar faces for Gonzaga fans, and how this matchup might play out at the Spokane Arena on Saturday:

Familiar faces lead LSU's experienced backcourt

Gonzaga fans will be plenty familiar with LSU's starting backcourt duo of Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark, who both played together last year at UCLA.

Gonzaga beat UCLA, 82-72, at Climate Pledge Arena last season, in a game where Dent had 12 points, 10 assists, and three blocks, while Clark added eight points and five rebounds.

Dent is off to an incredible start for the Tigers this year, with 25 assists and three turnovers in his first three games, along with ten steals and seven blocks. Clark, meanwhile, has been quieter, averaging just 4.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 31 minutes per game, shooting an ugly 1-16 from three.

These two give LSU one of the most experienced backcourts in the country, and their familiarity with each other is a major boost for a team that lacks roster continuity otherwise.

Outside of Dent and Clark, LSU added a high-scoring wing transfer in Abdi Bashir Jr., who scored 20.1 points per game at Monmouth in 2024-25 and 13.2 points on 44.4% shooting from three last year at Kansas State. This year, he is shooting nearly 38% from three on 9.7 attempts per game, and his outside shooting will stretch Gonzaga's defense and put added pressure on Isiah Harwell and/or Davis Fogle to lock in on the perimeter defensively.

International talent gives LSU a formidable frontcourt

LSU's frontcourt is the opposite of the backcourt - very inexperienced at the collegiate level, but also very, very big.

Only one of LSU's rotation bigs, Kentucky transfer Mo Dioubate, has CBB experience, with the others all joining this program from the international ranks.

So far, the Tigers are led by 18-year-old Croatian Michzel Ruzic, a 7'0, 235 pound big man who is averaging 15.7 points and 7.3 rebounds through three games, while shooting an absurd 20-21 (95%) on two pointers - most which have been dunks or lay-ins right at the rim.

Joining Ruzic and Dioubate is a pair of older international forwards in Saliou Niang and Brice Dessert. Niang is a 6'7 forward from Senegal who was drafted No. 58 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2025 NBA draft out of Trento in Italy, but instead opted to begin his college career at age 22. He has posted double-doubles in two of LSU's three games and is averaging 11.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.3 steals.

Meanwhile, Dessert is a 6'11, 255 pound 23-year-old French big man who spent last year with Anadolu in Turkey and previously played for Strasbourg in France - where former Zag Ben Gregg is entering his second professional season.

The quartet of Ruzic, Dioubate, Niang, and Dessert is sure to be among the toughest frontcourts Gonzaga faces all season long, although it could work in GU's favor that this LSU team has not faced anyone of note yet this season.

What LSU's revamped roster means for Gonzaga

Gonzaga's terrific frontcourt trio of Massamba Diop, Braden Huff, and Izan Almansa will be vital to this team's success on Saturday afternoon against this big, physical LSU lineup.

Almansa, who missed Gonzaga's home opener against New Mexico State with a calf injury, must be healthy and able to play big minutes for the Zags in this one, with his experience and rebounding prowess critical for GU - especially if Diop struggles with foul trouble against a team that gets to the line a lot.

The other fun matchup here is Dent vs. Xaivian Lee, two of the best fifth year senior point guards in the country - and two players who were strongly connected to Gonzaga this offseason.

Lee ended up coming to Spokane, and how he does against Dent will be the source of a lot of fan discussion in the coming weeks - no matter the outcome on Saturday.

Gonzaga vs. LSU will tip at 12:30 PM PT on Nov. 14 at the Spokane Arena, and the game will be televised on the USA Network.