This is the kind of exhibition game that matters for reasons beyond basketball. Gonzaga’s second exhibition game, set for Wednesday at 6 p.m. at McCarthey Athletic Center, will still serve as a tuneup. But after a late scheduling push, it also became a fundraiser for people affected by the Spokane Complex fires, which gives the night a different kind of purpose.
Last month, Gonzaga still needed a second exhibition game, and RJay Barsh called Lewis-Clark State about scheduling one. At the same time, Lewis-Clark State coach Austin Johnson submitted a petition to the NAIA to allow the charity exhibition, and the NAIA approved it. Johnson said it was important to make the matchup work as a positive step for the community, not just a trip for his team.
That matters because Lewis-Clark State is not just taking a trip to fill a date. The Warriors have traveled to Gonzaga on three occasions under Johnson, and this time the school agreed to redirect its $5,000 payment to the Karen Worthy Memorial Wildfire Grant. Johnson called that check “a lot of money for us,” and also said the team is losing money on gas and meals for the two-hour trip to Spokane. Even so, he framed the decision as worthwhile because “it can also be a good, positive thing.”
A familiar matchup with a different edge
From a basketball standpoint, the game still gives Gonzaga a useful look against a competitive NAIA program. That is not a small detail this late in the preseason, especially for a team that wants real game speed without waiting for the schedule to tighten. Lewis-Clark State also has recent evidence to measure itself against the Bulldogs: in 2024, Gonzaga beat the Warriors 96-58, with Graham Ike and Braden Huff combining for 45 points.
Johnson did not hide from that history. He noted, “Last time we played them, we lost by 38, which that’s not something we do at LC State.” That is what makes this more than a ceremonial date. It is still a test, and for Lewis-Clark State, a chance to measure progress against a program that has been far superior in recent meetings.
For Gonzaga, the setting is simpler but still meaningful. The Bulldogs get another exhibition run, another chance to sharpen rotations, and another opportunity to do so in a game carrying a community purpose. For Lewis-Clark State, the night is about more than the scoreboard. It is about helping wildfire relief while still stepping onto one of the region’s biggest stages.
In that way, Wednesday’s game fits the rare category of a preseason exhibition that actually feels bigger than preseason. The basketball is the headline, but the meaning extends well beyond it.
