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Gonzaga Basketball

Key matchup: Texas Southern’s Zaire Hayes could test Gonzaga’s new-look backcourt

By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

Mark Few suggested he hadn’t cracked open a scouting report for Gonzaga’s first regular-season opponent after the team’s exhibition game against Western Oregon.

Understandable considering everything Few was juggling at the moment, between getting the Zags ready for their preseason finale, attending Tyon Grant-Foster’s preliminary injunction hearing and hosting a top class of 2027 prospect on his official visit.

Once Few and his assistants did start getting to work on Texas Southern, one of the first names was probably that of Zaire Hayes.

The senior guard was one of two players to average double figures for the Tigers last season (10.4 points per game) and of those, he’s the only one back on TSU’s roster in 2025-26.

Hayes paced the Tigers in 3-pointers made last season, connecting on 47 of 112 (42%), and finished the season making 46.8% of his field goals and 84.1% of his free throws. He started in 21 of 29 games, averaging 22.7 minutes as a junior.

The Houston native endured a tough offensive stretch near the end of SWAC play, scoring just 17 points over four games, but came out of it strong and posted double figures in four of the team’s final five games. That included a 24-point performance in TSU’s loss to Alcorn State at the SWAC Tournament, matching Hayes’ career high. In the game, he made 8 of 9 shots and knocked down six 3-pointers to set a career high.

The 6-foot-2 guard makes pullup shots at a high percentage, but the preseason All-SWAC Second Team selection could have a hard time getting attempts off against Gonzaga, depending how Few’s team decides to line up in the season opener.

Gonzaga point guard Braeden Smith is likely to match up with TSU’s Jaylen Wysinger, should the senior guard take over ball-handling duties. If it plays out that way, Gonzaga’s Adam Miller or Steele Venters could take the Hayes assignment early on, with Mario Saint-Supery sliding over to guard TSU’s top outside shooter when the Zags shift to their double-point guard look.