Insider: NMSU visit hypes GCU

During Grand Canyon's Division I transition period, a New Mexico State visit to GCU Arena was each season's biggest conference event.

In their first season of D-I postseason eligibility, the Lopes' grandest moments are reserved for March, but Thursday night's NMSU visit will define where the Lopes stand in their progress toward postseason goals.

The Aggies have finished first or second in the Western Athletic Conference since GCU joined and have been the WAC's NCAA tournament representative for five of the past six years. But they left their past two GCU visits with losses that escalated a building rivalry.

"This is one of the biggest games of my college career," said Lopes senior guard Joshua Braun, who averaged 19.5 points in the past two home against NMSU. "You really get excited about these games. Every game is important but coming home against New Mexico State is a statement game for both teams. We want to make sure we make the statement. We just want to play our butts off."

GCU was picked as the WAC preseason favorite and has an eight-game conference winning streak, but NMSU became the WAC frontrunner during non-conference play. The Aggies are 13-3 with neutral-site wins against then-No. 5 Miami, 63-54, and Illinois, 74-69. GCU lost at Illinois, 62-58.

The Lopes (11-5) won their WAC opener Saturday at Seattle with one of their best second halves of the season -- despite senior point guard Casey Benson being limited by a right shoulder injury. GCU's second half included 51.7 percent shooting, one turnover and 14 of Oscar Frayer's team-high 18 points while holding up its No. 10 national ranking in scoring defense (61.1 points allowed per game).

Thursday night's game marks GCU's first home game since Dec. 21 and first home game with students on campus since Dec. 11.

"We've been bored on the road, tired on the road, ready to get home," Lopes senior power forward Keonta Vernon said. "I know the crowd is going to be bananas. Whiteout. Nothing like it."

Vernon will be a key interior presence Thursday for GCU, especially if he can avoid foul trouble. The Lopes will need their best rebounding effort against an Aggies team that beats opponents on the glass by an average of 7.7 rebounds per game. Senior 6-foot-5 forward Jemerrio Jones ranks ninth in the nation for rebounds per game (11.4) and is averaging a double-double with 10.8 points per game.

NMSU's top scoring threat is senior guard Zach Lofton, a graduate transfer who was the Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year last season for Texas Southern. He is shooting 49.5 percent from the field to score 18.9 points per game for first-year head coach Chris Jans, a former Wichita State assistant.

"Lofton can take over the game with his one-on-one ability to shoot, create and get to the basket, so we're going to have to do a good job on him," GCU head coach Dan Majerle said. "But it's more about how they get into you defensively, pressure you, try to turn you over. Offensively, they're not a great shooting team but they crash the boards."

The Lopes lost their first four WAC meetings with NMSU before a breakthrough home win on Jan. 9, 2016, when the Havocs stormed the court to celebrate the Aggies' only conference loss that season. GCU beat NMSU at home again last season, 83-71, to tie the Aggies for WAC runner-up.

"This whole thing is getting me hype," Lopes senior point guard Shaq Carr said. "Last rivalry home game, playing for the tournament, playing with these guys for my last time. It's about that time that we make some noise this year."

NMSU opened conference play with a Saturday win at Chicago State, where it beat the 2-16 Cougars with a 55-26 second half after only leading by eight points at halftime. The Aggies will go from an environment of 563 fans to a sold-out GCU Arena.

"It's a big game because we want to win the WAC," Majerle said. "I told them, 'There's no pressure. The pressure is when we play in March for the tournament.' But our goal is to not lose home games and we want to win the WAC. We all know you've got to go through New Mexico State to do that.

"The students haven't had a taste of our basketball for a while. So with New Mexico State here, I know it's going to be nuts. I'm looking forward to it. It's what these guys are here for and why they came here."

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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