In which a Spokane defense takes a short autumn nap, wakes at the halftime buzzer, and buries New Mexico State 109-68 behind a 62-point second half, a 31-2 run, and an Aggies offense that went the final eleven minutes without a field goal. We marvel at a Gonzaga team hitting 13 of 24 from three, a feat rarer than a quiet night at the Kennel, sing the praises of Davis Fogle the dervish and Isiah Harwell's suddenly pure jumper, and argue over whether Massamba Diop was protecting the rim or merely visiting it. Nathan De Sousa fouls out in twelve minutes, Alonzo Metz loses half a tooth and keeps playing, and the TV truck still can't spell Xaivian.

The women get worked on the glass by Idaho before bouncing back against UC Riverside, Allie Turner joins the thousand-point club, and Grand Canyon and Stanford await on the road.

Then, LSU. Will Wade's entirely new, entirely enormous roster: four seven-footers, zero returning minutes, and a Creature Report on Croatian freshman Michael Ruzic. Is this a top-ten matchup in disguise? Is Will Wade a good coach or a giant sleaze ball? (Yes.) Plus a Montana State preview featuring Mard's childhood sweatpants, the 1929 Golden Bobcats' retroactive national title, and Bozeman's thousand-dollar trash cans. And will Chauncey Wiggins sprint from the courtroom to the arena? The LSU preview starts about 41 minutes in.

All that and more on this episode of Free Ira Brown!

Support the show at patreon.com/freeirabrown.

In which we finally, finally slay the Boilermaker. Gonzaga beats Purdue for the first time ever, 78-72 in a half-empty Vegas gym. We marvel at having actual point guards: Xaivian Lee's step-back, Nathan De Sousa's 17 minutes of pure annoyance, and Javon Bennett's three in his first 30 seconds. Davis Fogle drops a career-high 22 and goes 9-of-10 at the line while Matt Painter's men hack away. Braden Huff returns from ten months in the wilderness, a little rusty.

Mard and Chris also nearly come to blows over whether an exhibition game is a real game. (It isn't. Or is it?)

The women survive a sluggish three quarters against North Dakota State, and we look ahead to Saturday's 2 PM tilt with New Mexico State. Then it's the season's first Crazy Not Crazy, which starts about 45 minutes in. Is Diop a bust? Can Fogle average 20? Will Huff break 50% from the line? How crazy is Mard?

All that and more on this episode of Free Ira Brown!

Support the show at patreon.com/freeirabrown.

In which we try very, very hard not to overreact to an exhibition. Gonzaga went to Arkansas and came home with a loss. They shot 6-of-28 from three, Davis Fogle sat out with a bum leg, Xaivian Lee was stuck in foul trouble, and Nathan De Sousa went 2-of-17 in his college debut. Mard insists it was all very weird and none of it counts. We mostly agree, though Massamba Diop's flirtation with the Young Master Grayson school of tripping gave us pause.

There were bright spots. Izan Almansa was cleared seemingly on the way to the airport and looked like a pro. Isiah Harwell was efficient and steady. Braden Huff grabbed 11 boards in his first game back from his knee injury. The women crushed Westmont 84–43 behind 24 from Lauren Whitaker, and they open for real against North Dakota State on November 2.

Then it's on to Purdue in Las Vegas. Gonzaga is 0-for-5 against the Boilermakers, and we are tired of it. After that we tour the whole non-conference slate: the Players Era, UCLA in Anaheim, a trip to Creighton, Michigan State in Palm Springs, and those mid-season dates with Oregon and Duke. Is Optimard back with a 29–4 prediction? Just how sour is Chris about the home slate at the Kennel? The Purdue preview starts about 34 minutes in.

All that and more on this episode of Free Ira Brown!

Support the show at patreon.com/freeirabrown.