Lopes Look to Rebound Against Broncs

Grand Canyon (11-9, 2-1) completes their two-game road trip when they return to action Saturday, Jan. 24, where they will face Texas-Pan American (7-13, 1-3) at the UTPA Fieldhouse in Edinburg, Tex. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (AZ time). The contest can be heard on radio on KXXT 1010 AM (also via the KXXT "TuneIn Radio" App), with GCU Alum Michael Potter calling the action alongside 'The Coach", Dan Nichols. The game can be watched online on the WAC Digital Network at www.wacsports.com.

VS. TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN
This marks the third meeting between GCU and Texas-Pan American, with the Lopes holding the 2-0 lead in the all-time series. GCU swept the two-game Western Athletic Conference series last season, including a thrilling 79-78 overtime victory in Edinburg on March 8, 2014.

LAST TIME OUT
GCU dropped their first Western Athletic Conference game of the year, an 85-63 decision to New Mexico State in Las Cruces. Joshua Braun and DeWayne Russell led the Lopes with 18 points each, while Braun also pulled down eight rebounds. GCU shot 40.4 percent (23-for-57) for the game and were outrebounded 43-27 by the Aggies, who shot 50.0 percent (29-for-58).

RUSSELL GETTING IT DONE
DeWayne Russell is averaging 17.3 points in 11 games since making his GCU debut on Dec. 13 at Indiana. He has scored a GCU-best 24 points twice: Jan. 10 versus Bakersfield and Jan. 15 at Utah Valley. Russell has also scored in double figures in each of his 11 games, recording a similar 12-game stretch as a freshman at Northern Arizona. Russell dished out a collegiate-best eight assists in the WAC opener against the Roadrunners and ranks second on the team with 39 assists. He is shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and is averaging a team-high 33.9 minutes per game.

RUSSELL HAS HANDLES
DeWayne Russell had a stretch of nearly 72 minutes without committing a turnover prior to his lone turnover in the first half against New Mexico State on Jan. 22. He had last turned the ball over with 1:06 remaining in the second half against UC Riverside on Jan. 10 and picked up 14 assists in that same time frame.

BRAUN STEPPING UP
GCU redshirt freshman Joshua Braun has scored in double figures 10 times already this season, including eight of his last 10 games. He scored a career-best 22 points on Dec. 17 against Incarnate Word, playing a season-high 39 minutes in that same game. Braun helped guide GCU to an impressive 68-65 win over New Mexico on Dec. 23 with a team-high 18 points and pulled down a career-best nine rebounds on Dec. 28 vs. Abilene Christian. He was tabbed as the Western Athletic Conference's Men's Basketball Player of the Week for Dec. 15-21 after averaging 18.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game as the Lopes went 2-1 on the week.

CONSISTENTLY CONSISTENT
DeWayne Russell and Joshua Braun have been GCU's top scorers in the past 10 games, with each leading the way offensively five times during that stretch. The duo has combined for 222 points in that time, accounting for over 30.0 percent of GCU's offense.

More Notes and Stats

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