Canyon Wins Fifth Straight to Keep Tourney Hopes Alive

Monday, February 20

GCU Arena

6:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

BYU - Hawaii

Pickrel had a career-best eight blocks tonight.

Canyon Wins Fifth Straight to Keep Tourney Hopes Alive

2/20/2012 9:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: Improves to 12-1 at GCU Arena

The Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team won a critical PacWest Conference game tonight, defeating BYU-Hawai’i, 72-59, at Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix, Ariz.

GCU improves to 15-7 overall, 9-5 in the league. BYU-Hawai’i falls to 14-9, 11-3.

BYU-Hawai’i entered the night ranked No. 10 in the West Region poll. The top-eight teams in the poll will qualify for the postseason.

“This win keeps our hopes alive,” said head coach Russ Pennell. “Our guys know that we have a slim margin for error right now. The oldest cliché in the book is to take them one at time. It could not be more appropriate right now for us. As happy as I am in getting this win, we know we have to get right back to it when we face Chaminade on Wednesday night. Our goal is to make it to the national tournament and we know we still have a lot of work to get there.”

The intensity inside the Arena was high from the opening tip as both teams traded baskets early on. GCU used a 17-4 run to take a 23-14 lead with 6:21 remaining in the opening half. Braylon Pickrel keyed the run, coming up with six of his career-best eight blocks during the opening 13 minutes.

The Antelopes shot only 37 percent in the first half, but carried with them a 32-24 lead into the locker room.

PacWest leading scorer Jet Chang got the Seasiders even at 38 with eight points in the opening five minutes of the second half. Chang, who was scoreless in the first half, would not make another field goal the rest of the way, finishing with nine points.

“Nick Witherill’s defense on Jet Chang was unbelievable,” said Pennell. “He made every possession an adventure for Chang tonight. He was more valuable tonight on the defensive end than he could ever have been on the offensive end.”

The tie was the last one of the game as Blake Davis and Justin Wesolowski hit back-to-back three’s to put GCU up for good. The Seasiders were within six on a pair of occasions, but would get no closer.

GCU was led Pickrel’s career-high 23 points and eight rebounds. He has now scored 42 points on 15-for-21 shooting in his last two games with 17 rebounds and 14 blocked shots.

“I was taking what the defense was giving me tonight,” said Pickrel. “I tried to take good shots and my teammates did a real nice job of finding me. As for the blocks I guess I was in the right place at the right time.”

“He has been really special, added Pennell. “He is allowing us to run more sets and the get the ball inside. He is not only scoring, but he is blocking shots and making things tough for the other team on the defensive end. He has been as good as any post player in our league as of late.”

Wesolowski added 11 points and nine rebounds, while Justin Foreman scored 10 points with six boards. Davis led the strong night on the glass with a team-best 10 rebounds.

“We collectively played well off each other tonight,” said Pickrel. “We did what coach said during practice and as a team it might have been one of our best defensive efforts of the year.”

Grand Canyon, winners of five straight, will be back in action on Feb. 22 when they will face Chaminade at GCU Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The game has a limited number of standing-room only tickets remaining.

GCU 72 BYUH 59