Rarrick's 22 Leads GCU to Road Win At UMKC

Thursday, January 29

Kansas City, MO

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-10, 2-3

Kansas City

3-17, 1-4

Grand Canyon

Missouri-Kansas City

Scottsdale freshman Casey Rarrick had a career-best 22 points in GCU's 65-59 win over Kansas City Thursday.

Photo by: Darryl Webb

1/29/2015 7:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Casey Rarrick scored a career-high 22 points, including 5-of-11 from three-point range, to lead Grand Canyon to a 65-59 victory over Kansas City at Swinney Recreation Center in Kansas City, Thursday.

The Antelopes committed only six turnovers and hit 8-of-21 shots from three-point range to help negate the 'Roos 45-20 rebounding advantage. It was the 10th time this season GCU has held an opponent under 60 points. GCU is 7-3 in those games and lead the WAC in scoring defense at 61.1 points per game.

It was the Lopes second straight Western Athletic Conference win. They are 8-10 overall and 2-3 in the WAC. Kansas City dropped to 3-17 and 1-4.

"It was a good road win while facing some adversity," said GCU coach Trent May. "I thought we fought hard and showed really sound awareness on the defensive end. Overall, I'm proud of the players stepping up tonight and earning a road win."

Rarrick's previous high was 15. The freshman from Scottsdale, Ariz., is the first Lope to score 20 or more points in a game this season. August Touchard had 19 in the season opener against UC-Irvine.

Touchard added 14 against UMKC. It was her third straight double-digit scoring game. Cheyenne Hedrington equaled her career-high, set in the team's win Saturday against UTPA, with 14 points.

Grand Canyon took its first lead of the game in the waning moments of the first half. Off a missed Rarrick free throw, Hedrington grabbed the offensive board and scored with just six seconds left to give GCU a 28-27 lead. Rarrick didn't miss much in the first 20 minutes. Off the bench, the freshman guard helped give the Lopes a spark. She had three three-pointers on seven tries and 10 first-half points. The Lopes trailed by as much as six, as the 'Roos scored the first six points of the game.

GCU took the lead for good on a Touchard lay-up with 15:35 to go, 32-31, and led by as much as 10, 48-38 with 11:05 remaining.

Courtney Hayes and Astrea Reed had six points each. Touchard had a team-high six rebounds. Hayes and Touchard led the Lopes with three assists each. Rarrick had three steals.

Grand Canyon is 3-0 all-time against the 'Roos and are 2-0 in Kansas City. The Antelopes look to reach .500 in the WAC Saturday when they take on Chicago State (3-15, 1-4) at 1:05 p.m. in Jones Convocation Center in Chicago.

GCU 65, UMKC 59