Grand Canyon Unable to Hang On Against Hilo

Saturday, February 19

GCU

5:15 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Hawai'i at Hilo

Justin Wesolowski had 12 points and seven rebounds in Saturday's 69-66 loss to Hawaii-Hilo.

2/19/2011 9:21:50 PM | Men's Basketball

'Lopes still in the hunt for conference crown

By: Steve Heath

Grand Canyon was outscored 8-0 in the final 2:30 and lost to Hawai’i-Hilo 69-66 in a Pacific West Conference game at Antelope Gymnasium Saturday.

GCU (13-8, 8-3) led much of the way and by 14 points, 51-37, with 12 minutes remaining.

“I thought we got a little bit stale, offensively and, with the lead, we weren’t as aggressive,” said GCU assistant coach Mark Nelson. “Give credit to Hilo. They stayed in there, hung around, and they’re a good offensive team.”

Brad Carroll, who led GCU with 17 points and nine rebounds, scored with 2:30 remaining to give GCU a 66-61 lead. Unfortunately for the ‘Lopes it was their last points of the game. A bucket from Hilo’s Zach Wilde gave the Vulcans the lead with 34 seconds to go.

“Credit them, they never gave up,” said Carroll. “(Earlier in the game) we were executing and got them on some on-ball screens. They were struggling with it. We played better defense (early) than we did at the end.”

GCU led 30-27 at halftime. Carroll started the second half with a 3-pointer. He scored GCU’s first 10 points of the second half. Steven Morin scored on a 3-pointer and Kyle Speed scored after a steal for a 10-point advantage, 47-37.

The Antelopes led by 10 as late as the 6:32 mark, 62-52, on a bucket from senior Gaby Ngoundjo.

Though the loss was disappointing, the Antelopes are far from out of the race for a Pacific West Conference title and automatic berth into the NCAA West Region.

GCU is 8-3 in the conference with five games remaining. BYU-Hawai’i leads at 10-2. Dixie State and Chaminade, who was to play later Saturday, are both 9-2. GCU still has head-to-head contests with both BYUH and Chaminade, as well as a rematch with Hilo before the season ends.

“We’re still in the race,” said junior Justin Wesolowski, who had 12 points and seven rebounds Saturday. “There are a lot of games to be played and we still have a chance.”

Morin added eight points. Ngoundjo, who along with Rony Tchatchoua, was honored prior to the game on Senior Day, had seven rebounds.

GCU will end its home season and its play in Antelope Gymnasium Monday. The ‘Lopes take on Notre Dame de Namur at 7:15 p.m. It’ll be the last basketball game played in the gym. Next season, GCU will play in its new 5,000-seat, on-campus facility, Grand Canyon University Arena.

Box Score