After a long, frustrating roller coaster of an offseason, Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are finally ready to get the 2026-27 college basketball season underway.
The Zags open against Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers on Monday afternoon in Las Vegas, part of a men's double-header that also includes Tommy Lloyd and the Arizona Wildcats battling Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins.
Gonzaga is looking for their first-ever win over Purdue, with a 0-5 record dating back to 1998 – including NCAA Tournament losses in 2000 and most recently 2024.
Purdue enters season opener with a revamped roster
Purdue has been a powerhouse under coach Painter for two decades, but this year's roster looks quite a bit different. Gone are Braden Smith – the Big Ten's all-time assist leader – as well as sharpshooting guard Fletcher Loyer, All-Big Ten forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, and bruising center Oscar Cluff.
Smith is in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, while TKR successfully sued for a sixth year of eligibility and intends to play this season for Kansas in the Big 12.
Meanwhile, Purdue is relying on unproven returners to step into the vacated spots, along with Princeton transfer and one-time Gonzaga target Caden Pierce.
Pierce, who went to high school with Braden Huff, is also on the Karl Malone Award watch list as one of the best power forwards in the country – which should make for a fun matchup on Monday.
Otherwise, Purdue will hope one of their young guards – Luke Ertel or Omer Mayer – can step into Smith's role as primary initiator, while 7'3 center Daniel Jacobsen and wings Gicarri Harris and CJ Cox are the top scoring options on this team.
Gonzaga expects key players back for Purdue matchup
Gonzaga is expected to have everyone available outside of Chauncey Wiggins, a 6'10 Florida State transfer who remains ineligible after his TRO request was denied in Waco, TX, on Thursday.
But the Zags will have point guards Xaivian Lee and Javon Bennett on the floor Monday, as well as Davis Fogle – who sat out GU's exhibition loss at Arkansas on Saturday but played against Lewis-Clark State on Wednesday.
Monday will be a great first test for both these programs and will give college basketball fans a high-level game to watch to open up the season.
Below is a look at the point spread, betting odds, and TV info for Gonzaga's season opener against Purdue in Las Vegas.
Gonzaga vs. Purdue: Betting odds, spread and game information
Spread:Gonzaga -4.5 (at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline:Gonzaga -210, Purdue +172
Over/under:155.5 points
Records against the spread:N/A
Game time:4:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time | Monday, Nov. 2
Location:T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas, Nevada
TV channel:TNT
Odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/gonzaga as Gonzaga vs. Purdue betting odds: Spread, moneyline and over/under for season opener.