GCU Hangs Tough But Loses to Country's Preseason No. 1-Ranked Team

Saturday, January 9

GCU

Grand Canyon

BYU-HAWAI'I

GCU Hangs Tough But Loses to Country's Preseason No. 1-Ranked Team

1/9/2010 11:00:44 AM | Men's Basketball

The Grand Canyon University Antelopes, with nine freshmen and sophomores, played mano a mano with the top team in the 2009 Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25 ranking, BYU-Hawaii, tonight at Antelope Gymnasium in Phoenix. The Antelopes led, 37-32, at halftime and were within two points with 5:55 remaining in the game, but in the end the Seasiders -- a team that was 27-2 overall and 12-0 in the Pacific West Conference last season, and starts all upperclassmen -- won, 69-64.

GCU held All-American Lucas Alves (19.8 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game last season) and senior point guard Virgil "J.R." Buensuceso (11.4 points per game last season), a Cousy Award finalist last season, to a combined 14 points. The 6-foot-9, 230-pound Alves, a senior forward/center from Brazil who was last season's Division II Player of the Year, missed BYU-Hawaii's first eight games this season due to a knee injury. Buensuceso, also a senior, was selected to this season's PacWest Preseason All-Conference Team, as was Alves, who also was voted PacWest Preseason Player of the Year.

Nine 'Lopes scored in the first half, a period in which GCU shot 50 percent from the field and 88.9 percent from the free-throw line. The Seasiders shot just 38.2 percent from the field, and Buensuceso was limited to 2-of-8 from the field. He really was 1 for 8, but he was credited for a basket he shot but was tipped in accidentally by 'Lopes junior forward Gaby Ngoundjo (Little Rock, AR/Christian) and sophomore forward Justin Wesolowski (Mesa, AZ/Mountain View).

Ngoundjo had an excellent first half, scoring six points on 3-of-4 shooting, pulling down a team-high six rebounds and blocking two shots. He fouled out with 8:45 left in the game.

Three GCU players scored in double figures: freshman guard Brad Carroll (Chandler, AZ/Corona del Sol), 16 (4 of 8 from the field, 6 for 6 from the charity stripe); senior guard T.J. Benson (Tempe, AZ/Corona del Sol), 10; and senior forward Marco Ramos (pictured, Salinas, CA/North), 10. Wesolowski had seven points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

BYU-Hawaii, which shot 58.8 percent in the second half, was led by junior guard Marques Whippy's 18 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard Anthony "A.J." Reilly had 14 points, and Buensuceso and freshman guard Gary Satterwhite had 10 points each.

The Seasiders (7-4 overall, 1-1 PacWest) currently are unranked after losses to Chapman College (in overtime), ranked No. 19 in Division III, and PacWest foe Dixie State, which was picked to finish third in the conference in the preseason poll. Their other defeats have been at Seattle Pacific, ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation and now No. 17, and Chaminade, which was picked to finish fourth in the PacWest.

The 'Lopes (6-12, 0-2), of course, beat Seattle Pacific, which was ranked No. 6 at the time, 69-68 on Jan. 2 in Phoenix.

GCU will head to the Bay Area on Wednesday. The 'Lopes play Dominican University of California at 8:30 p.m. Arizona time on Thursday, Notre Dame de Namur University at the same time on Saturday, and Academy of Art University at the same time on Monday. Their next home game is against Notre Dame de Namur on Jan. 23.