SPOKANE, Wash. – The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team will face arguably its toughest test Wednesday, when the Cardinals take the floor at No. 17 Gonzaga at 8 p.m. The game will be televised live on AT&T Sportsnet Southwest Plus on channels 674-1 (DirectTV) and 1697 (U-Verse).
 
FIRST TIP
 
The Cardinals and Bulldogs will meet for the first time on the hardwood. This will mark the second West Coast Conference opponent in the last three games for the Cardinals (Loyola Marymount, Nov. 22).
 
SCOUTING THE GONZAGA BULLDOGS
 
207-18: 5-1 overall, 0-0 WCC
Last Game: W 76-71 (OT) vs. Texas (11/26)
Head Coach: Mark Few
Key Players:
#3 Johnathan Williams - 6 GP, 17.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 7 BLKS
#13 Josh Perkins - 6 GP, 15.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 29 ASTS
#33 Killian Tillie - 6 GP, 12.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 6 BLKS
Summary: Gonzaga won the third-place game in the PK80 Invitational with a 76-71 overtime victory Sunday afternoon in Portland, Ore. Rui Hachimura led the Bulldog offense with 20 points, while Josh Perkins finished with 16 points and seven assists.

On the season, Johnathan Williams leads five Bulldogs in double figures with 17.2 points per game, followed by Perkins (15.5), Killian Tillie (12.0), Corey Ki (11.3), and Silas Melson (10.2). Three Bulldogs have double-digit assists, led by Perkins (29), followed by Melson (20), and Zach Norvell, Jr. (14). The top rebounder is Tillie with 7.3 boards per game.
 
 
THE CARDINAL FILE
 
2017-18: 3-2 overall, 0-0 SLC
Last Game: L 97-58 at Houston (11/25)
Head Coach: Ken Burmeister
Key Players:
#3 Simi Socks - 5 GP, 14.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 50.0 FG%
#4 Christian Peevy - 5 GP, 14.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 61.8 FG%
#41 Shawn Johnson - 5 GP, 10.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 17 STLS, 9 BLKS
Summary: Simi Socks scored a team-best 17 points and Christian Peevy was one rebound shy of a double-double, but Houston outscored UIW, 50-28, in the second half en route to a 97-58 Cougar victory Saturday night in Houston.
    
Socks leads four Cardinals in double figures, with 14.8 points per game, followed by Charles Brown III (14.0), Peevy (14.0), and Shawn Johnson (10.6). Johnson is tops on the team with 6.8 rebounds per game, 17 steals, and nine blocked shots.
 
UP NEXT

UIW returns home to host Texas Lutheran on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.

STAY TUNED

The Cardinals celebrate the end of finals with a home meeting with UMKC on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 3 p.m.

For the most up-to-date information on Incarnate Word Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow Incarnate Word Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like Incarnate Word Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.