GCU wins fifth straight to go 2-0 in PacWest

Tuesday, January 18

Belmont, CA

7:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Notre Dame de Namur

Nick Witherill had a team-high 18 points in Tuesday's 83-70 win at NDNU.

1/19/2011 12:17:40 AM | Men's Basketball

Witherill has 18; Speed scores 15

By: Steve Heath

Grand Canyon won its fifth straight with an 83-70 victory over Notre Dame de Namur at Gleason Gym in Belmont, Calif. Tuesday.

GCU (7-5, 2-0) is one of four teams still unbeaten in Pacific West Conference play. The 2-0 league start is the club’s best beginning since going 3-0 in PacWest play during the 2007-08 season. The five-game winning streak is the second longest under head coach Russ Pennell. Last year’s team won the final six games of the regular season.

NDNU dropped to 3-12 overall and 1-4 in the PacWest.

“They’re good,” said Pennell, praising the Argonauts’ squad. “All of their games, they’ve been very competitive. They’ve lost in double-overtime, by three and by seven (on their PacWest Hawaii trip). They have seven new players and they’re just finding themselves.

“I thought we held our composure. We had the game in control, but we never could get rid of them.”

Five players scored in double figures, led by junior Nick Witherill (Phoenix, Ariz., Highland, Washington State) with 18.

“Nick’s a gunslinger and he wants the big shots and wants the game on his shoulders,” said Pennell. “We have a lot of guys like that and tonight was Nick's night.”

Junior point guard Kyle Speed (Seattle, Wash., Lake Washington, Johnson County CC) had 15 points. Off the bench, seniors Rony Tchatchoua (Douala, Cameroon, Little Rock Christian, New Hampshire) and Gaby Ngoundjo (Douala, Cameroon, Little Rock Christian, Charlotte) had 13 and 10, respectively. Justin Wesolowski (Mesa, Ariz., Mountain View, Northern Colorado) also had 10 points to go with a game-high seven rebounds.

“It’s really big to get a win on the road, against a good team that’s much improved (from last season),” said Witherill, who hit 5-of-8 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range and 6-of-8 free throws. “We got a big boost from our bench (tonight).”

Grand Canyon got 34 of its 83 points off the bench. The Antelopes bench outscored the Argonauts 34-11.

“I hope that comes to be the identity of Grand Canyon basketball -- that we’re well-balanced,” said Pennell, referring to the five double-figure scorers and points off the bench.

GCU shot 50 percent from the field (25-of-50), or better, for the fourth straight game. It’s the eighth straight game the GCU opponent was held under 50 percent. NDNU shot 48.1 percent (26-of-54) Tuesday.

GCU joined Hawai’i Hilo (4-0 in PWC games), Chaminade (3-0) and BYU-Hawai’i (3-0) as the only unbeatens in conference games.

Grand Canyon took the lead for good, 17-14, on a Witherill 3-pointer with 14:11 left in the first half, but the ‘Lopes couldn’t shake the Argos until the latter part of the second half.

Leading 53-51 with 10:31 to go, Wesolowski timed in a Steven Morin (Scottsdale, Ariz., Saguaro) 3-point attempt to start an 11-3 run. Freshman Chris Johnson (Phoenix, Ariz., Highland), who returned to the lineup for the first time since the team’s Dec. 4 loss at Seattle Pacific, tipped in a Witherill miss, Speed scored on a drive and Witherill followed with a pair of short jumpers to make it 64-54. Johnson added a baseline drive and free-throw for an 11-point lead, 67-56, its biggest lead at the time with 4:54 to go.

Grand Canyon hit 12-of-14 free throws in the final 2:10.

For the game, the ‘Lopes hit 29-of-38 from the line (76.3 percent) and 20-of-25 (80 percent) in the second half.

Speed had 13 of his 15 in the second half. Witherill had nine points in each half and Wesolowski had seven second-half points.

“Justin had a big second half,” said Pennell. “He had some opportunities in the first half and let them get away. I challenged him at the half and, as usual, he responded.”

On Speed, Pennell said, “I think he’s one of the best point guards in the conference and maybe in the country, as his stats are bearing out. He’s a point guard you love to have. He has a feel when you need him and the feel when he needs to get everyone else the ball. Tonight, he made the big plays at the right time and didn’t force anything.”

Speed and Brad Carroll (Chandler, Ariz., Corona del Sol, Milwaukee) each had four assists. Speed had two steals. Ngoundjo added a pair of blocked shots.

The ‘Lopes play at Academy of Art Thursday.

Box Score