Grand Canyon captures 2nd straight PacWest crown

BELMONT, Calif. -- Yeah, you could say there was some selfishness involved.

"We wanted it all to ourselves," freshman guard Samantha Murphy said.

What the Antelopes wanted was an outright Pacific West Conference title. They got just that.

Grand Canyon beat Notre Dame de Namur 65-44 Saturday on the road, claiming the second of back-to-back league titles.

"Last year it was more relaxed," forward Stacy Haddow said. "Whereas this one, we just came out and knew what we wanted to do."

Knew what they wanted to do in a year when it wasn't as easy.

Game after game, the Antelopes (19-10, 15-3 PacWest) had to weather some sort of storm, but when it all mattered, GCU delivered. Even in this one, the first half was decided by two points. But 10:37 into the second half, the Lopes had built a double-digit lead and then it became a matter of putting it away.

"We wanted to come out and dominate because we knew what was on the line," said Haddow, who had 10 points and 10 rebounds, "and we did it."

Murphy had 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, a block and eight turnovers.

"We knew if we played with heart ..." said Murphy, who never really finished her thought. "It just came down to who wanted it more. We wanted it more."

Ashley Hardin (pictured) had eight points, 13 rebounds and three assists. Freshman Kristi Girdley scored 12 points and had three assists, producing big minutes in a big game. Rosalyn Nelson had eight points, and senior Sara Dalgliesh four points, three boards and a block in limited time in her final game.

Tanaia Keyes had 17 points on 7 of 15 shooting for NDNU (11-13, 11-5).

"To this year's group, it meant a lot," Haddow said, thoughts of a championship beginning to sink in. "Our team, we overcame so (much) adversity. This win is so hard to explain. We wanted to win. It meant the world for everyone to be there.

"Conference champs. Conference champs."

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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