Lopes host UMKC Thursday

THURSDAY, JAN. 26
7:00 p.m. MST \| GCU Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.
GRAND CANYON LOPES 10-7 (2-2 WAC) GAME NOTES	VS	UMKC 'ROOS 6-12 (1-4 WAC) GAME NOTES
Live Stream GCU.tv \| Live Stats Live Stats \| Twitter @GCU_WBB

The Grand Canyon women's basketball program returns home to host UMKC on Thursday, Jan. 26. Tip is set for 7 p.m. MST.

The Lopes will look to bounce back after suffering a tough loss at Seattle U on Saturday.

Last time Out
GCU fell to Seattle U in a 86-60 decision. Although, the Lopes rallied from seven down to take the lead early in the second quarter, GCU couldn't gain the momentum it needed. The Lopes struggled to sustain runs and apply effective defense as a result. Brie Mobley led the Lopes in scoring with a 28 point performance, setting a season high. Marina Laramie finished with 18 points on the night.

The Lopes started the final frame off with urgency, scoring on two straight possessions and stepping up its defense. GCU finally got its offense in a flow, going on a 11-2 run to bring the score to 76-52 half way through the period. Despite, outscoring Seattle U 21-20 in the fourth, it wasn't enough to surpass the Redhawks point total and secure the victory.

GCU STARTING FIVE

1.As a team, the Lopes have garnered the top spot in the Assist/Turnover Ratio category. With 258 assists and an average of 15.2 per game, GCU has limited turnovers to 14.2 per contest, good for a WAC-leading mark.

2. Since returning to the court after an ankle injury, Laramie has performed well. Through WAC contests she's averaged 18.3 points per game and 6.8 boards per game. Overall, she is currently averaging 19.8 points per game good for No.16 in the NCAA. She currently leads the conference in scoring by 3.6 points.

3.With a WAC leading 8.5 boards per game and a total of 128, Massaquoi has embraced her starting role as the team's leading rebounder. On the season, she has 48 offensive rebounds and 80 defensive boards.

4. With four Lopes sitting in the top-3 in the WAC in their respective categories and three Lopes leading the conference in scoring, rebounds and assist/turnover ratio, GCU continues to impress on the court. Laramie continues to lead the WAC with 19.8 ppg. Massaquoi continues to maintain a WAC leading 8.5 rpg. Marcos-Canedo sits atop the leader boards with a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio allowing 27 turnovers through 61 assists. Casey Rarrick leads the conference in 3-point FG made with 2.5 per game, while Jessica Gajewski sits in the second spot with a 41.7 3-point FG percentage. Aniya Baker sits in the top 2 with 4.2 assists per game.

5. GCU has been consistent from long range on the season, with 123 baskets from beyond the arc, the Lopes are averaging 7.2 treys per game. GCU leads the WAC with a 35.8 3-point FG percentage. Gajewski currently sits at No.29 in the nation with a 42.7 3-point FG scoring mark.

UMKC Notables
The 'Roos are currently 6-12 on the year. 1-4 in WAC play, their lone win came against Utah Valley (66-63).

They are currently averaging 63.9 points per game with 35.6 rebounds per game. Samantha Waldron currently leads the squad in scoring with 13.9 points per game. Kiana Law has a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per contest. Kaylee Best is also putting up 10.9 points per contest.

GCU will meet UMKC for the seventh time in program history. GCU holds the advantage in the all-time series at 5-1. The Lopes split its contests last season with UMKC. In their last meeting, GCU defeated UMKC at 68-59 off 51.8 percent shooting from the field.

Up Next
The Lopes continue home court play as they welcome Chicago State to GCU Arena for a clash on Saturday, Jan. 28. Tip is set for 7 p.m. MST. The Western Athletic Conference game of the week will be featured on CW 6 and streamed via ESPN 3, The Watch ESPN app.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Aniya Baker

Jessica Gajewski

Marina Laramie

Brie Mobley

Casey Rarrick

Grand Canyon University Athletics