SPOKANE, Wash.-Saturday, BYU men’s basketball (14-5, 3-1 in West Coast play) faces No.1 Gonzaga (19-1, 5-0 in WCC play) at the McCarthey Athletic Center without the services of star senior forward Yoeli Childs.

This is easily Cougars head coach Mark Pope’s (14-5, .737 at BYU; 91-61, .599 as a collegiate head coach) stiffest challenge at the helm of the program.

In Thursday’s 93-70 win over San Diego, sophomore forward Kolby Lee did well in Childs’ absence, posting a career-high 21 points on 8-8 from the field. However, against the best team in the land, the order remains tall for the Cougars.

The Cougars post 79.2 points per game, ranking them 28th nationally in scoring offense.

With Childs’ absence, BYU is minus 20.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game as well as his team-best 10 blocked shots on the season.

Senior guard Jake Toolson (14.9 points, 4.8 rebounds per game) will assume the burden of BYU’s focal point on offense.

Fellow senior guard TJ Haws (13.5 points per game, team-bests in assists [95] and steals [22]) and junior guard Alex Barcello (10 points per game) all score in double figures on-average for the Cougars.

BYU surrenders 66.9 points per game, tying the Cougars for 125th nationally in scoring defense with Stetson and Oakland.

Gonzaga is led by head coach Mark Few who is 587-123 (.827) in his 21st year at the helm of the program.

The Bulldogs score 88.7 points per game, which ranks them first nationally in scoring offense. Gonzaga out-scores opponents by 22 points per game, also tops in the nation.

The Bulldogs shoot 50.3 percent from the field, ranking them fourth nationally in that statistic.

Serbian national, sophomore forward Filip Petrusev leads Gonzaga in scoring (16.7 points per game), rebounding (7.9 boards per game) and blocked shots (23).

Junior forward Corey Kispert (14.2 points per game), Frenchmen, senior forward Killian Tillie (12 points per game) and Joel Ayayi (11.3 points, 6.4 rebounds per game), redshirt senior guard Admon Gilder (10.8 points per game) and redshirt senior guard Ryan Woolridge (10.2 points per game, team-bests in assists [91] and steals [28]) all score in double figures on-average for the Bulldogs.

Gonzaga surrenders 66.7 points per game, ranking the Bulldogs 119th nationally in scoring defense.

The Bulldogs lead the Cougars 17-4 all-time and 5-1 at Spokane, Wash.