GCU Wins Another One at Home

Friday, December 4

GCU

Grand Canyon

ST. MARTIN'S

12/4/2009 10:22:11 PM | Men's Basketball

The Grand Canyon University men's basketball team should play all of its games at home.

It has won all of its games in the friendly confines of Antelope Gymnasium, and even though it's only two games, plus an exhibition it also won, it's still early in the 2009-10 season and it appears as though the Antelopes have a large home-court advantage. GCU was victorious, 67-58, tonight over previously undefeated St. Martin's University in the first game of the GCU Classic.

Seven of GCU's first nine games have been on the road, and the eight teams it has played (it has faced Western Washington University twice) have a combined record of 39-8.

Four 'Lopes scored in double figures: senior guard T.J. Benson (pictured, Tempe, AZ/Corona del Sol), 15; sophomore guard Nick Witherill (Phoenix, AZ/Highland), 13; sophomore forward Justin Wesolowski (Mesa, AZ/Mountain View), 12; and junior forward Rony Tchatchoua (Little Rock, AR/Christian), 10.

GCU shot 56.5 percent in the second half, including 71.4 percent (5-of-7) on three pointers. However, it shot only 53.8 percent (12-of 19) on free throws in the second half -- a statistic that definitely needs improvement.

Saint Martin's made 14-of-18 free throws (77.8 percent) in the second period to keep itself in the game.

St. Martin's center Blake Poole, who had 29 points in St. Martin's win over GCU last Friday in the WWU Chuck Randall Thanksgiving Classic on the campus of Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., had just eight points and four rebounds in the first half tonight. But he scored 17 points in the second half to finish with 25, and pulled down seven rebounds for a total of 16. After failing to go to the line once in the first half, he made 7-of-10 free throws in the second stanza.

The 'Lopes play Western Washington -- again -- at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Antelope Gymnasium. The Saints face Southwestern College in the first game at 5:30 p.m.

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