No. 18 Women's Basketball Remains Perfect at Home

Monday, January 21

GCU Arena

1:00 PM

Grand Canyon

16-4, 8-1

Azusa Pacific

6-8, 3-3

Azusa Pacific

Grand Canyon

Cindy Ekweozor

Photo by: Darryl Webb

1/21/2013 3:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Defeat Azusa Pacific for fifth straight win

The 18^th-ranked Grand Canyon University women’s basketball team defeated visiting Azusa Pacific 70-43 today at GCU Arena. The win, which was the fifth straight for the Antelopes, improved their overall record to 16-4 and 8-1 in Pacific West Conference play. The Cougars fell to 6-8 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

The win also improved GCU’s home record to 10-0 this season.

Postgame reaction from head coach Trent May can be viewed here.

The ‘Lopes shot 41.9 percent in the contest (26-for-62), including an impressive 93.8 percent from the charity stripe (15-for-16). GCU’s defense stifled the Cougars, as they were able to shoot just 24.1 percent (14-for-58). The 'Lopes also held the advantage in rebounds, 51-32, and points in the paint, 34-15. GCU also saw 28 of their total points come off the bench.

GCU was led by Judy Jones, who recorded her 12^th double-double of the season, with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Three others scored in double-figures, including Chigozie Ekweozor with 12 points, Jenna Pearson with 11 points and Maylinn Smith with 10 points. The point total marked a new season-high for Pearson.

The game looked like a defensive battle from the start before the ‘Lopes used a 12-0 run spanning four minutes to build an early 14-4 lead at the 13:11 mark in the first half. GCU’s defense held the Cougars scoreless for nearly five minutes until they drained one of two free throw attempts with just under 13 minutes remaining. That would be APU’s lone point for the next four minutes as the ‘Lopes built a 17-5 advantage during that stretch.

The Cougars slowly closed the gap to six points, 19-13, with 6:51 to play, at which point the ‘Lopes scored eight answered points over the next three minutes to claim a 27-13 lead, their largest in the first 20 minutes. APU scored the final five points of the half to make it a single-digit affair, with GCU carrying a 29-20 lead into the locker room.

The ‘Lopes held the Cougars to a 21.4 field goal percentage (6-for-28) while posting a 35.5 percent mark of their own (11-for-31). It was the third time this season that GCU’s defense allowed 20 or fewer points in the first 20 minutes. GCU also outrebounded APU, 26-18, in the first half while scoring 16 of their points in the paint.

GCU was led into the locker room by Ekweozor with eight points, while Smith added six points.

GCU opened the second half by outscoring the Cougars 9-1 over the first four minutes to take a 38-21 lead with 16:01 on the clock. APU scored six unanswered points in the next two minutes to make it 38-27 before the ‘Lopes went on a 14-2 run to extend their advantage to 52-29 with eight minutes remaining.

GCU claimed a 30-point advantage with 2:16 to play after Jones drained two free throws to make the score 68-38. The Cougars narrowly outscored the ‘Lopes, 5-2, for the remainder of the game as GCU once again looked strong in the game's final 20 minutes.

GCU will next be in action when they host California Baptist on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 4:30 p.m. in GCU Arena as the ‘Lopes will look to avenge their lone PacWest loss. Fans can follow the action via live video by visiting www.gculopes.com.

GCU 70, APU 43