:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67005517/921095366.jpg.0.jpg)
The Gonzaga Bulldogs will be heading to New York City again for the 2021-22 season, according to Jon Rothstein.
Sources: Louisville, Gonzaga, and Providence will headline the 2021 Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden. 4th team is currently TBD.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 1, 2020
Source: Oklahoma State will be the fourth team in the 2021 Empire Classic at MSG and will not participate in the 2021 Legends Classic at Barclays Center as originally scheduled.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 1, 2020
Current field for 2021 Legends Classic:
UCLA
Virginia
Northwestern
4th team is TBD https://t.co/xfj8R2g1jb
That marks the second-consecutive year Gonzaga will be making the cross-country trip. This upcoming season, the Zags will play against Tennessee in the Jimmy V Classic.
The Zags enter the 2020-21 season as one of the preseason title favorites. There will be significant turnover (assuming the season happens) to start the 2021-22 season. Jalen Suggs will most likely depart for the NBA. Filip Petrusev and Joel Ayayi probably won’t be too far behind. Corey Kispert will hang up his cleats at Gonzaga and graduate. And that is not even including all of the other potential NBA talents that currently resides on the roster.
The schedule for the 2021-22 season, at the moment, only has a road game against Washington and a home game against Texas. However, the expectations for that squad are also going to be sky-high.
Andrew Nembhard will be ready after his year of sitting out. Dominick Harris and Julian Strawther will help fill in a roster that will be versatile at virtually every position. Considering that two of the top recruits in 2021, Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren, are eyeing the Zags very heavily, we should expect this to be the beginning of yet another grueling non-conference slate.