No. 24 GCU Falls to Azusa Pacific in Regular Season Finale

Saturday, March 2

Los Angeles, CA

7:00 PM

Grand Canyon

22-7, 14-4PWC

Azusa Pacific

15-10, 12-5PWC

Grand Canyon

Azusa Pacific

Judy Jones

Photo by: Theon Carrier

No. 24 GCU Falls to Azusa Pacific in Regular Season Finale

3/2/2013 9:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Will await seeding for PacWest Tournament

The No. 24 Grand Canyon University women’s basketball team fell to Azusa Pacific, 63-57, tonight in their final regular season contest. The Antelopes conclude the regular season with a 22-7 overall record and 14-4 mark in the Pacific West Conference. The Cougars finished their inaugural campaign in the conference with a 15-10 overall record and 12-5 PacWest mark.

With California Baptist’s win over Fresno Pacific earlier today, the Lancers earned the outright regular season PacWest title with a 15-3 conference record.

Click here for postgame audio with head coach Trent May.

GCU shot 37.5 percent from the field (24-for-64) and made just two of their 14 three point attempts. The Cougars posted a 46.3 field goal percentage (19-for-41) and were aided by an impressive 22-for-28 mark from the charity stripe. Azusa Pacific outrebounded GCU 40-28, although the ‘Lopes forced 23 Cougars turnovers. GCU held the advantage in points in the paint (34-18) and points off turnovers (15-9).

The 'Lopes were led by Judy Jones with 21 points, while Deanna Daniels added nine points.

After the teams were tied at two to open the game, Azusa Pacific held the lead for the next eight minutes until the ‘Lopes claimed a 15-12 advantage with just under 10 minutes on the clock. GCU was able to extend their lead to 18-12 after holding the Cougars scoreless for nearly four minutes.

Azusa Pacific reclaimed a 24-20 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first via a 9-0 run that spanned four minutes. The Cougars led by as many as six points in the half with their largest lead at 30-24 with 1:17 on the clock.

GCU scored the final shot of the half as the Cougars carried a 30-26 lead into the locker room.

The ‘Lopes shot 42.8 percent (12-for-28) in the first 20 minutes, while Azusa Pacific posted a 47.3 field goal percentage (9-for-19). The Cougars pulled down 19 rebounds compared to just eight for GCU, and made 11 of their 13 free throw attempts while the ‘Lopes went 1-for-4 from the charity stripe. Jones led the way at the half with 10 points.

The Cougars opened the second half on a 5-2 run to take a seven point lead, 35-28, which would tie for their largest lead of the game over the next two minutes. With score at 41-34 with 14:20 remaining, the ‘Lopes went on an 8-3 run to pull within two points at 44-42 with 10 and a half minutes to play. A put back by Asha McDonnell knotted the score at 44 with just under 10 minutes on the clock.

However, Azusa Pacific responded with a 5-0 run of their own to give themselves a 49-44 advantage over the next minute. GCU kept chipping away at the Cougars and Justine Johnson drained a three-pointer with 4:43 to play to hand the ‘Lopes a 51-50 lead.

The two teams traded baskets for the next two and a half minutes with neither leading by more than one point. The Cougars then drained a three-pointer with 1:21 remaining to take a 57-54 lead and extended that to five points, 59-54, with under one minute to play.

Chigozie Ekweozor pulled down a big offensive rebound and had a put back to make it a three-point contest with 30 seconds on the clock and Jones made one of two free throws to make the score 59-57. But Azusa Pacific responded by draining two free throws of their own and two missed three-pointers by the ‘Lopes meant that GCU had to foul with just 14 seconds left.

GCU will next be in action when they head back to Azusa, Calif., for the first-ever PacWest Conference Tournament, which begins on March 7. The ‘Lopes have guaranteed a bye for the first round, but will wait to receive their seed, which is dependent upon the outcome of the Hawai’i Pacific and Chaminade game tonight. If HPU wins, they would receive the No. 1 seed by virtue of their win over GCU on Feb. 23.

APU 63, GCU 57