The Gonzaga Bulldogs have added another game to their non-conference schedule ahead of the 2022-23 season, reportedly agreeing to host the Montana Grizzlies at The Kennel for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

If you’re struggling to remember that contest, it’s because your brain wiped it from your memory. A GU squad led by Kyle Wiltjer and Domantas Sabonis barely squeaked by the Grizzlies in Spokane, surviving a late surge to escape with a 61-58 victory.

Now Mark Few and co. are finally ready to bring Montana back to The Kennel in what should be a fun regional matchup. Montana, led by Travis DeCuire in his ninth year at the helm, made the tournament in both 2018 and 2019 and hasn’t had a losing season in the past decade.

While Gonzaga has done an excellent job of scheduling high profile non-con opponents in recent years – including Baylor, Michigan State, Alabama and Texas on the docket for next year – they often sprinkle the rest of their schedule with sub-300 KenPom squads, buying victories against teams like Texas Southern and Alcorn State instead of playing slightly more challenging, or regionally located, opponents.

Montana represents a step away from that pattern after finishing last season ranked 138 at KenPom, and with five non-con games left to schedule one can hope Gonzaga will hunt for more teams from the west coast – like SeattleU, Eastern Washington, and Idaho – and less bad squads without any regional ties to Spokane.