Lopes close out regular season with 86-79 win over Utah Valley

Saturday, March 5

Orem, Utah

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

25-6, 11-3

Utah Valley

12-17, 6-8

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

Photo by: Darryl Webb

Lopes close out regular season with 86-79 win over Utah Valley

3/5/2016 7:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Charles Hampton

The Grand Canyon men's basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak as they defeated Utah Valley 86-79 on Saturday afternoon in Orem, Utah.

"Not a great game for us, but I told the guys before the game that all I wanted was a win—someway, somehow—get a win," head coach Dan Majerle said after the game. "We were able to do it. 25-6 is a great season and I'm really proud of them. We just had to gut this one out. They're all hard. We don't play too many afternoon games, but I thought we did a good job. We didn't play our best, obviously, but we found a way to win. Twenty-five wins is pretty special."

Joshua Braun, who scored a career-high 34 points against the Wolverines on Jan. 16, got back to his hot-shooting ways by scoring a game-high 30 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. Braun was 12-of-14 from the free throw line and added seven rebounds in 40 minutes of action.

The Lopes shot 52 percent from the field in the first half as they controlled the glass with a 22-13 rebounding advantage. GCU struggled holding on to the basketball though, turning the ball over 10 times in the first half as Utah Valley racked up seven steals. Even still, the Lopes carried a 45-43 lead into halftime.

"I still don't understand it," Majerle said of the first-half turnovers and mistakes. "Too many turnovers and giving guys the ball in positions where they don't need to have it. We continue to make the same mistakes."

Grand Canyon cleaned up its play to start the second half as they got out to a quick nine-point lead with a 10-3 run to take a 55-46 lead. They were never quite able to put the game away as Utah Valley kept cutting into the lead while the Lopes began to struggle from the field, shooting only 29 percent in the second-half. Despite their struggles shooting, GCU was able to get to the foul line 30 times in the second half, converting 21 of those free throws.

GCU had three players score in double-figures as Keonta Vernon and DeWayne Russell joined Braun. Russell added 17 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Vernon posted 15 points and a career-best 14 rebounds.

"I think he's made a big step offensively," Majerle said of Vernon. "He's getting more confident with his free throw shooting. He's making some free throws, but he's got to get better. He's got to get stronger with the wall around the basket. He's got to keep developing his offensive game, but I've seen a big growth in his offensive game since the first day we got him."

For the game, GCU outrebounded Utah Valley 53-30. The Lopes' 53 rebounds were a season-best, six more than their previous high of 47 against Mississippi Valley State earlier this season.

The Lopes will get a little bit of a break now as they are not eligible to participate in the WAC Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. GCU will host an opening round game of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, but they will have to wait to find out the date and opponent.