It's not that Washington State and No. 18 Gonzaga are unfamiliar with each other historically. They've played 150 times prior to Saturday night's West Coast Conference matchup on the Bulldogs' floor in Spokane, Wash.
But this will be the first time they've met as WCC rivals, thanks to the Cougars needing a home for their non-football sports programs after the Pac-12 dissolved last year. So when Washington State makes the 75-mile trip up a mountain pass from Pullman, it will be a game that Gonzaga (13-4, 4-0) has pointed to for some time.
"We've been wanting a game like this in the Kennel for a while," Gonzaga forward Ben Gregg said after Wednesday night's 93-80 WCC win over San Diego.