#6 Gonzaga @ #15 Arizona

Who will WIN this matchup?

#6 Gonzaga Bulldogs (10-1)

@ #15 Arizona Wildcats (10-1)

Current odds:

#6 Gonzaga Bulldogs: (+115)

#15 Arizona Wildcats: (-135)

• The line for this game is Arizona by 2 points.

• Sixth-ranked Gonzaga and 14th-ranked Arizona square off in a Western showdown on Saturday on the Wildcats’ home floor. This is the 10th meeting between the traditional powers with the Bulldogs winning six of the previous nine contests. Gonzaga’s lone blemish of the season is an 18-point loss to Michigan and the Bulldogs have responded with back-to-back wins, including last Saturday’s 83-76 road victory over Washington. “At the start of the year with all the new faces we had, I wondered how we’d be in tough environments against good opponents like this,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few told the Spokesman-Review of Spokane after the win over Washington. “We really responded. We didn’t play perfect, but we played hard and pretty darn smart for the most part.”

• Arizona won its first nine games before falling by five points to Baylor and it rebounded with a dominating 99-49 rout of Nebraska-Omaha on Wednesday. “We were able to do a number of things that we’re trying to be better at,” Wildcats coach Sean Miller told reporters. “And, obviously, we have a big test on Saturday and that’s where we’re at now.”

• Sophomore guard Joel Ayayi (10.1 scoring average) has stepped up and scored in double digits in five of the past six games. Ayayi is averaging 13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists during a stretch that includes a contest in which he scored 21 points to go along with 12 rebounds and six assists in a win over Southern Mississippi. Sophomore forward Filip Petrusev leads the Bulldogs in scoring (15.8), rebounding (8.5) and blocked shots (13 total) while junior forward Corey Kispert and senior forward Killian Tillie are tied for second with a 13.7 scoring average.

• Freshman power forward Zeke Nnaji (15.9 points, 6.7 rebounds) and freshman guards Nico Mannion (14.9 points, 6.2 assists) and Josh Green (12.9 points, 5.1 rebounds) are all off to good starts for the revamped Wildcats. Mannion is a strong floor leader and he had a season-best 11 assists for the second time in the win over Omaha to go with 13 points for his second double-double. Senior center Chase Jeter has scored in double digits in five straight games and is averaging 14.4 points on 26-of-36 shooting during the stretch to raise his season mark to 9.1.

• Gonzaga posted a 91-74 victory over Arizona in last season’s Maui Invitational semifinals.

• Nnaji is shooting 70.7 percent from the field and also leads the team with 11 blocked shots.

• The Bulldogs are 2-0 against Pac-12 teams this season and have won their last seven against the conference.