Lopes knock off Vaqueros on road

Saturday, January 13

Edinburg, Texas

6 P.M.

Grand Canyon

8-9, 2-1WAC

UTRGV

10-8, 0-3WAC

Grand Canyon

UT Rio Grande Valley

1/13/2018 7:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

GCU splits road weekend

By: Sarah Woodward

EDINBURG, Texas – The Grand Canyon women's basketball team split its two-game road weekend with a victory at UTRGV on Saturday night, as the Lopes (8-9, 2-1 WAC) knocked off the Vaqueros (10-8, 0-3 WAC), 65-59, at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.

Senior Brie Mobley led GCU in scoring for the third game in a row, as the guard had a game-high 18 points. Mobley has tallied double-digit numbers in all 15 games she's played in this season.

Mobley also led the Lopes in rebounds and assists with six apiece.

Fellow senior August Touchard was right behind with 17 points, three assists and two boards on the night. The guard was tested in the final minutes of the game, and finished 7-8 from the free-throw line.

Sophomore Vanessa Murphy tallied double-digits as well with 13 points on the game – her second double-digit game of the season. The forward also added four rebounds.

The fourth and final Lope in double-digits was senior Jessica Gajewski who finished with 10 points. Gajewski also added three boards and an assist.

After a slow start to the game, the Lopes got on the board with a 3-pointer from Gajewski. Murphy led the Lopes with a team-best eight points in the first quarter to give GCU a 15-11 lead heading into the second.

Seven Lopes got on the board by halftime, as GCU established a 22-20 lead heading to the locker room. Murphy led with eight, while junior ShaRon Miller had a team-best four boards and Mobley led in assists with five.

The Lopes went ahead, 35-24, for the largest GCU lead in the third quarter thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers from Gajewski and Murphy. The Vaqueros battled back to come within seven, 39-32, heading to the final quarter.

UTRGV came as close as five points in the fourth quarter, but a strong GCU defense and consistent free throw shooting from Touchard held the Vaqueros off to give the Lopes the conference victory.

The Lopes return to Phoenix for the remainder of January, as GCU plays host to Chicago State on Thursday, Jan. 18 and Kansas City on Saturday, Jan. 20. The Lopes host Utah Valley on Saturday, Jan. 27 to close out the month.