Saturday marks the first meeting between Gonzaga and Bucknell, but it won’t be the first time GU star Ryan Nembhard and Bison point guard Josh Bascoe face off.

Both Canadians are from Ontario and their hometowns are an hour’s drive from each other. Bascoe is a year older, but Nembhard’s Vaughan Panthers and Bascoe’s Milton Stags, coached by Josh’s father Shane, clashed several times before beginning their college careers.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound guards are enjoying their career years. Nembhard leads the nation in assists per game (10.3) and his assist-to-turnover ratio is 5.14, fifth. He leads an offense that averages 89.5 points, ranking third nationally.

Bascoe averaged 16.8 points in the Bison’s first five games before dropping to 13.6 points after ten games. In Bucknell’s final game, a loss to Radford on December 8, he scored 19 points, increasing his team-leading average to 14.1 points.

The two should see each other often in the kennel on Saturday evenings. Nembhard is averaging 36.1 minutes per game, six more than the next closest teammate, Nolan Hickman.

Bascoe averages 36.2 minutes, six more than his closest teammate.

Bascoe has made great strides in his four years at Bucknell. His playing time was limited in his first two seasons, then he was a part-time starter and scored 9.4 points as a junior.

His scoring numbers continued to rise as a senior and he also posted 4.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

The other matchup that should have an impact on how Saturday’s game goes is Gonzaga pitting Graham Ike and Braden Huff against Bucknell junior Noah Williamson, who is 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds.

Ike and Huff combine for 27.6 points per game. Williamson, a preseason All-Patriot League selection, averages 13.4 points and leads the team in rebounding (6.5) and blocks (17).

Williamson hasn’t scored in double figures in the last five games, but he had 32 points against Southern Indiana and 26 against Richmond in November games.