Nov. 6—Gonzaga has its first real challenge in its six-week, nonconference stretch against Oklahoma on Saturday, followed by No. 23 Creighton on Tuesday.

It's not the first time GU has had back-to-back contests against the Sooners and Bluejays. The last time the Zags faced OU, the Sooners featured creative scoring guard Austin Reaves, who later went undrafted but has become a major contributor for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Reaves scored 27 points in that 2021 NCAA Tournament second-round game, but the Zags cruised to an 87-71 win behind Drew Timme's 30 points. Gonzaga handled Creighton 83-65 in the next round and eventually advanced to the championship game before falling to Baylor.

GU, which also faces Arizona State, Alabama, Maryland, likely another marquee opponent in its final game at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Kentucky, UCLA and Oregon before Christmas break, is focused on Oklahoma, picked 12th in the SEC preseason poll.

The Sooners lost their top seven scorers from last season but reloaded, as many college basketball teams do these days, via the transfer portal. They added guards Nijel Pack (Miami) and Xzayvier Brown (St. Joseph's) and forwards Tae Davis (Notre Dame) and Derrion Reid (Alabama).

The 5-foot-10 Pack helped Miami reach the 2023 Final Four. Brown, a 6-2 guard, earned first-team All-Atlantic 10 honors last year. Davis, a 6-9 senior forward, posted 15.1 points and 5.3 boards last year for the Fighting Irish. The 6-8 Reid averaged seven points and three boards as a freshman at Alabama.

We turned to Colton Sulley, who covers Oklahoma sports for the Oklahoman newspaper, for a closer look at the Sooners.

Q: Pack, Brown and Davis combined to average 45 points last season with Pack and Brown posting strong 3-point shooting numbers. Reid didn't make a huge impact at Alabama but the former McDonald's All-American has considerable potential.

Q: Which one (or two) of the four will have the biggest influence on Oklahoma's season?

Sulley: Give me Brown and Davis. We all know the 3-point weapon Pack can be when he really gets going and the promise Reid shows, but the Sooners will go as far as Brown and Davis take them.

Brown offers OU a long, veteran point guard who will make smart decisions and set up the offense. Sooners coach Porter Moser said during the preseason that Davis has the potential to compete for National Defensive Player of the Year.

Q: What do you anticipate will be Oklahoma's biggest strength and biggest concern this season?

Sulley: This is the deepest team Moser has had during his Oklahoma tenure. The Sooners might not have a quality star player like past OU standouts Otega Oweh or Jeremiah Fears, but the ability to go deep into the bench will be a strength.

The biggest concern is not having a consistent bucket-getter, someone who can score 20 on any given night or you can rely on in late-game situations. We'll see if Pack can get back to his preinjury Final Four Miami ways.

Q: Interesting season opener for the Sooners, who trailed 49-45 early in the second half before blowing out St. Francis 102-66. What were your takeaways from the first game?

Sulley: Kuol Atak dropping 18 in his first collegiate game. Didn't see this coming from the (6-9) redshirt freshman, who was filling in for the injured Kai Rogers, off the bench. If he can keep it up, he and (6-10) Mo Wague could form a dangerous paint duo.

Q: What are the biggest keys for Oklahoma in Saturday's showdown vs. Gonzaga?

Sulley: The Sooners will need to defend the high level of talent the Bulldogs possess. Davis should help slow down Tyon Grant-Foster. I also think OU will need to shoot well from 3 to have a chance.