GCU Improves to 7-2 With Win Over ACU

Friday, December 30

GCU Arena

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Arizona Christian

Jerome Garrison

12/30/2011 7:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball

The Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team closed out the non-conference portion of its schedule this evening, defeating Arizona Christian, 83-68, at Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix.

The game was the first for both schools after coming off the Christmas break. The layoff certainly showed as both teams struggled from the floor this evening, with GCU shooting 39 percent compared to 40 percent for ACU. The Antelopes shot just 18 percent from behind the 3-point arc, going 4-for-22.

“It looked like we had six days off,” said head coach Russ Pennell. “We had been practicing pretty well, but it is much different when you get into a game. I give Arizona Christian a lot of credit. They came in and played hard, which is what you always expect from a Rick Roth coached team. I thought if we would have shot the ball a bit better, we could have put the game away a little earlier. But all in all, it’s about what we expected coming out of the Christmas break.”

GCU (7-2) was led by freshman Jerome Garrison, who scored a career-best 21 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the floor. He added four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals. Garrison scored 13 in the opening half.

“I think Jerome is learning how to play with his mind and his body,” said Pennell. “He is an incredibly talented athlete. We have been trying to get him to play with a good basketball IQ. He is now putting those two things together. When you are a young player you have to constantly make adjustments as the teams begin to scout you more. He is a great spark off the bench for us.”

Grand Canyon grabbed a 14-11 lead with 12:23 remaining in the first half when Blake Davis scored and was fouled to complete a three-point play. GCU would not trail for the remainder of the game.

Braylon Pickrel helped increase the lead to 11 halfway through the first half, scoring five of his nine points in a two-minute span. He added seven rebounds, including four on the offensive glass.

After opening up a game-high 16-point lead to open the second half, GCU would see its lead cut to six on multiple occasions.

Kyle Speed would add 16 points for Canyon, going 11-for-12 from the foul line, including a perfect 8-for-8 in the game’s final four minutes.

Grand Canyon outrebounded the Firestorm, 40-33, highlighted by Chris Johnson’s career-high nine boards. Davis pulled down eight rebounds.

Grand Canyon will now travel to San Rafael, Calif. for a PacWest Conference game against Dominican on Jan. 3 at 8:30 p.m. They will then face Notre Dame de Namur on Jan. 5 in Belmont, Calif. The Antelopes defeated NDNU, 76-66, at GCU Arena on Dec. 3 in the conference opener for both squads.

“This is a huge road trip for us,” added Pennell. “Both of these games will be difficult. Winning on the road is hard, it doesn’t matter who it is against or what league you are in. We need to have a great mindset going into this trip if we want to be victorious.”

GCU 83 ACU 68