Grand Canyon will have a chance to grab a portion of first place in the Pacific West Conference when it plays host to first-place Hawai'i Pacific at Antelope Gymnasium Thursday.
Ranked No. 10 in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll and up to No. 5 in the West Region, released Wednesday, GCU is 20-2 overall and 8-1 in the conference. HPU is 16-4 and 10-1.
The Antelopes are looking for a record 12th win at Antelope Gymnasium and to extend their home winning streak to 13 (including the final game of last season). GCU's last home loss was to HPU, a 67-64 overtime loss in March of last season.
Senior
Samantha Murphy is also nearing another school record. She has 560 points this season, six shy of the school record of 566 set in the 2003-04 season by Kelly McRee. Murphy, an All-America and Division II Player of the Year candidate, leads the nation in scoring with a 25.5 per game average.
Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m. It is the first of three home games in five days. Grand Canyon will have a Homecoming/Senior Day contest Saturday at 3 p.m. against Hawaii-Hilo. The Antelopes will honor their four seniors, Murphy,
Rosalyn Nelson,
Kristi Girdley and
Katie Johnson. The final home game of the season and at Antelope Gym is 5 p.m. Monday against Notre Dame de Namur. The regular-season ends with a four-game trip to Hawai'i to take on HPU, Hilo, Chaminade and BYU-Hawaii.
Next season games will be played in the new Grand Canyon University Arena.
GAME NOTES/STATS