GCU Returns Home to Face Dominican

The Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team (7-4, 1-2) will look to snap a two-game skid when they host Dominican, tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. For fans that are unable to attend the game, live video can be watched by going to www.GCULopes.com. GCU Alum, Michael Potter, will call the action.

VS. DOMINICAN: GCU leads the all-time series, 3-2. The Antelopes and Penguins are meeting for the second time in the past eight days. Dominican defeated GCU, 82-72, on Jan. 3 in San Rafael, Calif. The Penguins enter the contest with a 3-11 overall record, 2-1 in the PacWest. They defeated Dixie State, 73-72 in OT, on Jan. 5 and lost in OT, 72-62, to Cal Baptist on Jan. 7.

LAST TIME OUT: Grand Canyon fell to Notre Dame de Namur, 70-65, on Jan. 5 in Belmont, Calif. Jerome Garrison and Kyle Speed each scored 14 points to lead the ‘Lopes. Braylon Pickrel had 11 points and five rebounds. GCU shot 43 percent from the floor, including a 3-for-8 mark from the 3-point arc.

SPEAKING OF THE 3-PT LINE: Grand Canyon is 12-for- 51 (24%) from the 3-point arc in its last three games. The ‘Lopes are shooting 32 percent (56-for-177) this season, sixth-best in the conference. Kyle Speed has made a team-best 15 three’s this season.

RUNNING THE FLOOR: GCU is averaging 71.0 points per game this season, second in the PacWest Conference. They are shooting 71 percent from the free throw line, third-best among PacWest schools. GCU has pulled down an average of 36.0 rebounds per game, fourth-best in the league.

GET THAT STUFF OUT OF HERE: Grand Canyon leads the PacWest with a 4.1 blocks per game average. The ‘Lopes have 45 blocks in their 11 games. Braylon Pickrel is leading the way with 20 blocks, tops in the league.

THIS AND THAT: GCU is third in the conference in turnover margin at a +0.73 per game. They are second in assist to turnover ratio at +0.9.

QUICK STARTS NEEDED: GCU has won all seven games this season when leading at the half. They have lost all four games in which they have trailed at the half. GCU is outscoring their opponents 389-331 in the first half, but have been outscored 398-392 in the second.

SENIOR LEADER: Senior Kyle Speed has scored in double-digits in nine of his 10 games played this season. Speed led the team in scoring in five of those games. His 13.5 points-per-game ranks eighth in the PacWest. Despite missing a game earlier this season due to injury, Speed leads the team with 309 minutes played for a 30.9 per-game average.

ON THE BOARDS: Senior Justin Wesolowski has averaged 6.4 rebounds-per-game this season, 10^th-best in the league. Braylon Pickrel is pulling down 5.7 rebounds per game and has a team-high 25 offensive boards.

STEPPING UP: Freshman Jerome Garrison has scored in double digits in four of his last seven games. He has averaged 11.3 points per game during that stretch. He recorded a season-high seven rebounds on Jan. 5 at Notre Dame de Namur.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: Grand Canyon has produced a balanced scoring attack this season. Six Antelope players are averaging 7.0 or more points a game this season. Five different players have been high-point scorers in a game this season. Last season, GCU had four players finish the season with a 7.0 or more points-per-game average.

UP NEXT: The ‘Lopes will head back on the road to face Dixie State on Jan. 16 in St. George, Utah. The Antelopes won at Burns Arena last season, defeating the Red Storm, 71-68. GCU is 3-9 overall against Dixie State.

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