'Lopes Lose a Tough One to New Mexico Highlands

Friday, November 20

Durango, CO

Grand Canyon

New Mexico Highlands

11/20/2009 6:09:47 PM | Men's Basketball

Grand Canyon University lost a very tough, physical game to New Mexico Highland University, 81-74, today in its first game of the George B. Boedecker Foundation Classic on the campus of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.

Junior point guard Roman Andrade led the Cowboys with 30 points. He shot 7-for-14 from the field, including 2-for-4 on three pointers. He also made 14 of 17 free-throw attempts and had five steals, four assists and one rebound.

Three 'Lopes scored in double figures: Sophomore forward Justin Wesolowski (pictured, Mesa, AZ/University of Northern Colorado) had 14 points, while junior forward Gaby Ngoundjo (Cameroon/University of North Carolina-Charlotte) and junior forward Rony Tchatchoua (Cameroon/University of New Hampshire) each had 13 points. Wesolowski also led the team in rebounding with seven.

The game was rough from the start, with lots of hand checking and very few fouls called in the open court. GCU held an early 10-7 lead, but junior forward Ledreece Smith scored on a layup to give New Mexico Highlands the lead and it never looked back. The score was 47-31 at halftime.

GCU mounted a second-half comeback and got as close as three points, 77-74, but 14 missed free throws and 24 turnovers may have cost it the game.

The 'Lopes shot 53 percent for the game, but the team that has been so reliant on three-point shooting so far this season missed all three three-point attempts in the first half and made only 2-of-9 in the game. In addition, GCU was credited with just two assists.

The Cowboys (1-1) shot just 19 percent in the second half and 40 percent for the game. They were 0-for-14 on three-point attempts in the second half, but made 24 of 27 free-throw attempts in that period.

The 'Lopes (1-4) face host Fort Lewis College (0-0) at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.

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