No. 15 'Lopes Defeat Simon Fraser for Second Straight Night

Monday, December 19

GCU Arena

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-1

Simon Fraser

5-3

OT 1

Simon Fraser

Grand Canyon

Smith scored a career-high 22 points to lead GCU.

No. 15 'Lopes Defeat Simon Fraser for Second Straight Night

12/19/2011 7:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

For the second consecutive night, the No. 15 Grand Canyon University women’s basketball team defeated Simon Fraser, 65-57, at Grand Canyon University Arena in their first overtime contest of the season. The overtime victory was their first since Nov. 14, 2010 vs. UC San Diego in the Disney Classic in Anaheim, Calif.

GCU improved to 8-1 on the season while Simon Fraser suffered back-to-back losses for the first time and fell to 5-3. The contest marked GCU’s final non-conference game of the season.

“It is hard to play a team back-to-back like that,” said head coach Trent May. “We tried to explain to the team that with a 16 point win last night, Simon Fraser was not going to come in tonight and lay down. They are a well-coached team and knowing that, you really have to raise your game. I am really proud of our girls because they faced a lot of adversity and faced an uphill battle the entire game. They stayed in there and hung in really nicely. They did not hang their heads. Overall, they had great team work and came together at the end and finished strong.”

The ‘Lopes used 80.0 percent shooting (24-for-30) from the free throw line, including 7-for-7 and 9-for-12 (75.0 percent) marks in the second half and extra minutes, to secure the win. GCU also outrebounded their opponent for the eighth time, 43-36, and are 7-1 in those contests.

“Our shooting at the free throw line was huge,” added May. “That can deflate the other team when you hit those free throws. You can win or lose games at the free throw line. Maylinn’s first two free throws were just as big as her last two free throws and to go 12-for-12 in a game like this really helps your cause.”

The first half saw both teams go back and forth at the basket with no team leading by more than three points until the ‘Lopes used a 4-0 run over the final minute and a half to take a 28-24 advantage into the locker room. GCU shot 41.7 percent from the field in the first half, including an 8-for-11 mark (72.7 percent) from the free throw line. Despite committing 11 turnovers in the first half, the ‘Lopes countered that by forcing 10 turnovers, grabbing 8 steals and outrebounding the Clan, 21-15.

Maylinn Smith took double-digit scoring into the half, a mark she has reached in each game this season, and finished with a career-high 22 points. Smith made two free throws with 7.2 seconds remaining in the second half to tie the game and send it into overtime. Smith finished 12-for-12 at the free throw line.

“It was a hard effort tonight,” said Smith. “I think especially from my teammates because I couldn’t do anything without them. The free throws tonight were huge. Those are easy baskets so it is easy to get points there.”

The second half saw much of the same back and forth scoring and ended in a 50-50 score at the final buzzer. The Clan outscored GCU 26-22 on 36.4 percent shooting to force overtime.

The ‘Lopes went 3-for-5 from the field and outscored the Clan 15-7 during overtime.

Jallisa Butler recorded her team-leading third double-double of the season as she finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Joslynn Frazier added 10 points.

“I’ve never played a team back-to-back before,” said Smith. “It was the hardest game I have played in my life because they know your strengths and they know your weaknesses and they can pick you apart.”

GCU will now be off until they travel to California to take on Dominican on Jan. 3 and Notre Dame de Namur on Jan. 5 to open a stretch of 17 straight PacWest matchups. Both games are slated for 6 p.m. Arizona time.

GCU 65, SFU 57