No. 24 'Lopes Win Home Finale over BYU-Hawaii

Tuesday, February 26

GCU Arena

4:30 PM

Grand Canyon

22-6, 14-3

BYU-Hawaii

6-17, 5-12

BYU-Hawai'i

Grand Canyon

Deanna Daniels

Photo by: Darryl Webb

2/26/2013 6:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Clinch bye in first round of inaugural PacWest Tournament next week

The No. 24 Grand Canyon University women’s basketball team defeated visiting BYU-Hawaii 90-40 today at GCU Arena in their final home contest of the season. With the win, the Antelopes improved to 22-6 overall and 14-3 in Pacific West Conference play, while the Seasiders fell to 6-17 overall and 5-12 in the conference.

The win concluded the home portion of GCU’s schedule, as they posted a 13-1 mark at GCU Arena. The victory also secured a first round bye for the 'Lopes in the first-ever PacWest Conference Tournament from March 7-9 at Azusa Pacific.

Click here for the postgame interview with head coach Trent May.

Asha McDonnell led ‘Lopes scorers with a season-high 18 points. Judy Jones recorded her 18^th double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Maylinn Smith and Deanna Daniels also scored in double-figures for GCU, with 10 and 11 points, respectively.

The ‘Lopes shot 55.9 percent from the field (38-for-68), their highest mark of the season and the fifth time they have shot at least 50 percent. GCU held the Seasiders to a 30.4 field goal percentage (14-for-46) and held a 46-24 advantage on the boards. The ‘Lopes also forced 32 turnovers by BYU-Hawaii.

After the Seasiders scored the first basket of the game, the ‘Lopes held them scoreless over the next five minutes as they built an 11-3 lead. GCU then outscored BYU-Hawaii 13-6 to claim a 24-9 advantage with just under 11 minutes to play. The ‘Lopes rebounded from a 5-0 Seasiders run to score 12 unanswered points of their own as BYU-Hawaii once again found themselves in a scoreless drought.

At 36-19 with 5:07 on the clock, the ‘Lopes strung together another run until the first half clock expired, this time 17-0, as they carried a 53-19 lead into the locker room. The 53 points marked the most for GCU in the first half this season and was the sixth time that they have allowed 20 or fewer points in the first 20 minutes.

GCU shot an impressive 62.2 percent (23-for-37) from the field and drained four of their nine three-point attempts. The Seasiders posted a 36.8 field goal percentage (7-for-19). The ‘Lopes were led at the half by McDonnell with 10 points and five rebounds. GCU held a significant margin in rebounds, 21-7, and scored 27 points off 18 BYU-Hawaii turnovers.

The second half started much like the first with the ‘Lopes outscoring the Seasiders 21-4 in the first seven minutes, at one point holding BYU-Hawaii scoreless for nearly five minutes as they extended their lead to 72-23.

The ‘Lopes first hit the 50-point advantage mark after Smith drained a three-pointer to make the score 77-27 with just over nine minutes on the clock and went on to lead by as many as 54 points. It was the first 50-point win for GCU this season and their largest since defeating Chaminade by 53 points last season, 86-33, on Feb. 22, 2012.

GCU shot 48.4 percent (15-for-31) in the second half while holding BYU-Hawaii to a 25.9 mark (7-for-27).

GCU will conclude the regular season portion of their schedule when they travel to take on Azusa Pacific on Saturday at 7 p.m. (Arizona time). Fans can follow the action live by visiting www.gculopes.com.

GCU 90, BYUH 40