No. 19 'Lopes Win Double-Overtime Thriller at Dixie State

Thursday, January 10

St. George, UT

5:00 PM

Grand Canyon

13-4, 5-1PWC

Dixie State

7-7, 5-1PWC

OT 1

OT 2

Grand Canyon

Dixie State

Deanna Daniels

Photo by: Darryl Webb

No. 19 'Lopes Win Double-Overtime Thriller at Dixie State

1/10/2013 7:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Hand Red Storm their first PacWest loss

The 19^th-ranked Grand Canyon University women’s basketball team won a double-overtime thriller over Dixie State, 73-71, tonight in St. George, Utah, handing the Red Storm their first conference loss of the season (5-1). With the win, the Antelopes improved to 13-4 overall and 5-1 in the Pacific West Conference. Dixie State fell to 7-7 overall.

Postgame reaction from head coach Trent May and a clip of Maylinn Smith's game-winning jumper can be viewed here.

GCU posted a 35.8 field goal percentage for the contest (29-for-81), while the Red Storm shot 43.3 percent (29-for-67). Dixie State held a slight advantage in rebounds, 48-45, but committed 21 turnovers which resulted in 17 ‘Lopes points.

The ‘Lopes were led by Maylinn Smith with 16 points. Three others scored in double digits, as Deanna Daniels had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Judy Jones had 14 points and Chigozie Ekweozor added 11. The game marked the first double-double for Daniels this season, as both were also a new season-high.

The ‘Lopes shot just 29.0 percent from the field (9-for-31) in the first half, led by Smith with seven points and Jones with six points. GCU was outrebounded, 24-17, but forced 10 Red Storm turnovers while committing just three themselves.

GCU scored first in the contest and the two teams traded baskets for two minutes before the Red Storm took their first lead via a three-pointer with 17:33 on the clock. Dixie State extended their advantage to 13-7 over the next four minutes as the ‘Lopes were just 2-for-13 from the field in the game’s first seven minutes.

GCU then used an 8-2 run over the next few minutes to knot the score at 15 with just over 11 minutes to play in the first. The Red Storm then reclaimed a 25-18 lead, their largest of the first half, after outscoring the ‘Lopes, 10-3, over the next five minutes.

GCU made it a one point contest, 26-25, with 1:29 remaining, and with neither team able to score for the remainder of the half, Dixie State carried a narrow lead into the locker room.

Dixie State quickly built a five-point lead, 32-27, over the first two minutes of the second half. A 4-0 run by the ‘Lopes over the next 30 seconds once again made it a one-point game at 32-31 with just over 17 minutes to play. The Red Storm responded with a 4-0 run of their own over the next minute to build a five-point lead at 36-31.

The pattern continued once more as the ‘Lopes pulled within one point, 36-35, with 14:06 on the clock and claimed their second lead of the contest, 39-38, at the 12-minute mark. GCU extended their lead to as many as six points before Dixie State tied the score at 47 with six and a half minutes to play. The game was tied twice more, last with 1:40 on the clock with the teams knotted at 52.

Similar to the first half, neither team scored for the remainder of the half, forcing overtime at Burns Arena.

GCU scored first in the extra minutes via a Jones layup and an important defensive stop leading to another basket put the ‘Lopes ahead by four points, 56-52, with just over four minutes remaining. After GCU went up by four once again, 58-54, the Red Storm answered with a three-pointer to pull within one point, 58-57, at the 3:27 mark.

Smith then drained the first three-pointer for GCU just 24 seconds later to put the ‘Lopes ahead 61-57. Dixie State pulled within one point, 61-60, with just under 40 seconds to play and forced a GCU turnover with 15 seconds on the clock. The Red Storm’s Johnna Brown drew a foul with just 2.4 seconds remaining and made the second of two attempts to force another overtime period.

Dixie State was the first to score and built a five-point lead at 69-64 with under three minutes to play before the ‘Lopes chipped away to put within one point, 69-68, with 1:38 on the clock. Daniels successfully converted a three-point play to give GCU a 71-69 lead with just over one minute remaining. Dixie State’s Brown made two free throws to tie the score at 71 with 40 seconds to play.

Smith drained a jumper with five seconds left, sealing the double-overtime victory for the ‘Lopes.

GCU will travel north to Fresno, Calif., for a matchup against Fresno Pacific on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (Arizona time). Fans can follow the action live by visiting www.gculopes.com.

GCU 73, DSC 71 2OT