Strong Second Half Propels Utah Valley Past GCU

Saturday, January 11

Orem, UT

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

7-10, 2-2

Utah Valley

8-7, 2-0

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

Jerome Garrison

Photo by: Darryl Webb

1/11/2014 9:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Garrison led team with 18 points

The Grand Canyon University men's basketball team (7-10, 2-2 WAC) fell to Utah Valley (8-7, 2-0 WAC) 65-58 tonight at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah. The Antelopes led at the half, but a strong final 20 minutes by the Wolverines kept them without a loss early in the Western Athletic Conference season. GCU split their first-ever WAC roadtrip, as they defeated Bakersfield 66-63 on Thursday night.

The game saw five tied scores and 11 lead changes throughout, as the contest remained within four points for GCU until the seven-minute mark of the second half.

Click here to listen to Michael Potter's postgame interview with head coach Dan Majerle.

The 'Lopes were hampered by a 26.9 field goal percentage (7-for-26) in the second half while UVU went 12-for-26 (46.2 percent) to outscore GCU 40-28 after the halftime break. For the game, GCU shot 33.3 percent (17-for-51) and were led by Jerome Garrison's 18 points. Sam Daly matched his career-best with 12 points, while Daniel Alexander added 15 points.

Killian Larson had 10 rebounds, and Alexander and Garrison both collected eight.

GCU outrebounded the Wolverines, 42-34, but committed 11 turnovers, which resulted in 16 points for UVU.

After the score was tied at seven with 15:58 on the clock, Alexander scored the next seven points to build a 14-7 GCU lead with just over 11 minutes remaining in the half. The Wolverines chipped away at GCU's lead and eventually knotted the score at 25 nine minutes later. However, the 'Lopes scored the final five points of the half to lead 30-25 at the break.

The 'Lopes shot 40.0 percent from the field (10-for-25) in the first 20 minutes, led by Alexander's 10 points. Daly added nine points, while Alexander and Larson each pulled down six rebounds as GCU held the 21-16 advantage on the boards. UVU went 11-for-31 in the first half (35.5 percent).

UVU used an 11-5 run to open the second half and stake a 36-35 lead, their first since owning a 7-5 advantage just under four minutes into the game. The teams traded baskets over the next four minutes, with neither leading by more than two points until Holton Hunsaker drained a three-pointer with 12 minutes remaining in the game to put the Wolverines ahead for good.

GCU found themselves down by six (50-44) at the 8:37 mark and the Wolverines scored eight of the next 12 points to make it a double-digit game with four and a half minutes to play (58-48).

UVU would lead by as many as 12 points in the contest, as the closest the 'Lopes came in the final minutes was seven points following a late GCU rally to end the game.

With their strong second half, the Wolverines improved their shooting mark to 40.4 percent (23-for-57).

GCU will now get a short break until they welcome Idaho to GCU Arena for a 7 p.m. contest on Jan. 23. The game will be televised on Cox7 and can also be heard live on KKNT 960 AM.

UVU 65, GCU 58