‘Lopes Win Two of Three on NorCal Trip

Monday, January 18

San Francisco, CA

Grand Canyon

Academy of Art

1/18/2010 10:56:35 AM | Men's Basketball

It wasn’t pretty, the way it was Saturday night, but it was a win.

The Grand Canyon University Antelopes defeated the Academy of Art University Urban Knights, 62-48, tonight at venerable Kezar Pavillion in San Francisco.

The Antelopes (8-13 overall, 2-3 Pacific West Conference) took two of three games on this Northern California road trip. They lost to Dominican University of California, 68-59, on Thursday and beat Notre Dame de Namur University, 72-55, on Saturday.

The Urban Knights, who are much improved since the ‘Lopes saw them play in Bellingham, Wash. early in the season, fell to 0-14, 0-4.

GCU scored first on a three-pointer by freshman guard Steven Morin (Scottsdale, AZ/Saguaro). He hit another trey moments later to give the ‘Lopes an 8-4 lead, and then senior guard T.J. Benson (Tempe, AZ/Corona del Sol) nailed one from behind the arc to make the score 11-4.

As it did Saturday night against Notre Dame de Namur, GCU maintained a frenetic pace, running on every miss. It was 15-4 when Academy of Art called a 30-second timeout at 12:31. Five-foot-2 point guard Lance Olivier swished a three-pointer coming out of the timeout, and the next time down the court the ‘Lopes threw the ball away. When they called a full timeout at 9:30, their lead was just four, 15-11.

Freshman guard Brad Carroll (Chandler, AZ/Corona del Sol) and Morin scored on layups to bring it back to eight, and Carroll scored on another layup on a beautiful feed from sophomore forward Justin Wesolowski (pictured, Mesa, AZ/Mountain View).

Carroll was whistled for his third personal foul with just over five minutes left in the half, and GCU committed its seventh team foul at 3:32. Benson scored a layup on another nice pass, this time from freshman guard Alyx Foster (Phoenix, AZ/Thunderbird), at 1:16 to extend the ‘Lopes’ lead to 13. Foster scored as the buzzer sounded to make the halftime score 34-22.

Carroll was called for his fourth foul just 44 seconds into the second half. GCU’s lead was 18, 42-24, when Olivier drained another three-pointer for the Urban Knights. Play then got really sloppy – and physical – for both teams. The ‘Lopes committed their seventh team foul of the half at 11:53.

Olivier hit another three-pointer at 8:28 to cut the lead to nine, 47-38. Sophomore guard Nick Witherill (Phoenix, AZ/Highland) returned the favor, however, the next time down court. The lead was back to 13 when GCU took a full timeout at 4:37.

It was back to nine two minutes later, though. But Wesolowski scored consecutive baskets, the first off a touch pass from senior forward Marco Ramos (Salinas, CA/North), to extend it to 14 and, as Al McCoy would say, put it in the deep freeze.

Wesolowski led the ‘Lopes with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

GCU will play Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Antelope Gymnasium in Phoenix. It then will host Dixie State College on Homecoming, Saturday, Jan. 30. Both games can be watched and heard live on the B2 Network with host Michael Potter and color commentator Mike Ledbetter. Look for the link on the men’s basketball schedule page on the official GCU Athletics website, athletics.gcu.edu.