Alabama and Gonzaga Finalize Date For 2022 Matchup
Tuscaloosa -- After traveling to Seattle to play Gonzaga in December 2021, Gonzaga returns the favor by traveling to Birmingham to meet the Alabama Crimson Tide this upcoming basketball season.
However, these teams will have some serious changes to their rosters in both positive and negative ways.
For the Crimson Tide, they are replacing their two leading scorers from last years game, Jaden Shackleford putting up 29 points and JD Davison contributing 20 points in the win, with a highly anticipated recruiting class including McDonald's All-Americans Jaden Bradley and Brandon Miller.
For Gonzaga, it is losing its projected top three pick in the 2022 NBA Draft Chet Holmgren and guard Andrew Nembhard. The latter was a senior this past season that lead his team in minutes and was named to the All-West Coast Conference First Team.
Both teams look to bounce back from earlier than expected tournament exits at the end of the 2022 season and count on its returning players to lead their respective teams into next season.
Gonzaga fans were overjoyed to hear that WCC Player of the Year Drew Timme pulled his name from the NBA Draft and is returning to play more college basketball. Timme made this announcement with just two words.
Alabama fans have known since April 23, 2022 that guard Jahvon Quinnerly would be returning to Tuscaloosa to play in his senior season adding a veteran leader to help fuel this younger core entering the University of Alabama.
Last years game saw the Tide travel to Gonzaga's home state of Washington to meet for a neutral site game where the Tide won with a score of 91-82. Fans of both teams are excited for the matchup this December.
The matchup falls in line with the Alabama Head Coach Nate Oats' desire to play tough competition.