Lopes Fall to USC to Open Tournament Play

Sunday, November 22

Spokane, Wash.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-2

vs. Southern California

3-0

USC

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Darryl Webb

11/22/2015 7:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Josh Hauser

SPOKANE, Wash. – Grand Canyon kicked off its participation in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge with a 75-44 loss to USC at McCarthey Athletic Center on the campus of Gonzaga University on Sunday night.

With the loss, GCU (2-2) saw its two-game winning streak snapped while USC (3-0) has won each of its first three games by at least 30 points.

"We wanted to limit their transition offense which we did and limit their leading scorer (Kristen Simon) who averages 19 points a game and we did a really good job on her," head coach Trent May said. "Credit the rest of her team for picking up the scoring."

The Lopes connected on their first two shot attempts of the game to take an early 4-2 lead but the Trojans, who entered Sunday's contest in the nation's top 25 in scoring offense, scored 20 points in both the first and second quarters.

The Lopes struggled to sustain offensive production against the Trojans' top 10 defense. Grand Canyon went scoreless from the 3:35 mark of the first quarter until a Dana Jones layup ended the drought at the 6:03 mark of the second period. The Lopes offense picked up in the latter part of the second quarter, scoring seven points in the final few minutes of the half. USC went into the locker room with a 40-17 lead.

"We didn't have the first half we wanted, but did a better job in the second half," May said.

Following the break, GCU played USC to a much closer second half margin of 35-27 including a 17-16 third period. The Lopes held their Pac-12 foe to just 12-of-35 (34.3 percent) shooting in the second half and a season-low 37.5 percent for the game. But the Trojans were able to use 21 offensive rebounds and eight made three-pointers to help build their advantage.

"The toughest thing for us to overcome was the rebounding," May said. "We can't give up easy opportunities like that and expect to be in the game."

GCU trimmed the USC lead down to 24 midway through the final period, but the Trojans held the Lopes without a field goal for the final 5:13 and went on to win by 31.

After setting a career-high with 18 points last week, Jones scored in double figures for the third straight game for GCU, leading the Lopes with 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting. Jessica Gajewski brought down a career-high six rebounds to lead GCU.

The Lopes continue their participation in the prestigious Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge with a date versus Gonzaga on Monday. The Bulldogs (4-1) advanced to the Sweet 16 in last year's NCAA Tournament. Tipoff from Spokane is set for 7:00 p.m. MT.