Lopes go big, win big at UMKC

Saturday, January 20

Kansas City, Mo.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

14-6, 4-1WAC

UMKC

6-15, 1-4WAC

Grand Canyon

UMKC

1/20/2018 9:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score

Lever follows 28-point game with 24 vs. Roos

By: <a href="http://gculopes.com/index.aspx?path=coro">Paul Coro</a>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Grand Canyon defense already is established as the team strength.

What the Lopes offense has done over the past three games only can make them stronger.

Riding the size advantage of freshman center Alessandro Lever, the Lopes shot better than 50 percent in consecutive games for the first time this season and finished a road conference sweep with an 86-69 victory against UMKC on Saturday night at Municipal Auditorium.

Lever followed a 28-point, eight-rebound game at Chicago State by scoring 24 against UMKC and tying his season high for rebounds with 10. Prior to the road trip, Lever was averaging 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds and had just moved into the starting lineup on Dec. 9.

With its third consecutive game of more than 80 points, GCU (14-6, 4-1) moved into a second-place tie in the Western Athletic Conference.

"The game in Chicago helped me a lot to play well today," Lever said. "They keep looking for me. They keep passing the ball inside. In the last six minutes, there were small guys so Coach (Dan Majerle) said just keep passing the ball inside and we're going to try to score and win the game like this."

That was the case with the Roos (6-15, 1-4) being unable to handle the size, fouling him four times as the Lopes scored 17 of their final 26 points at the free throw line. GCU pounded the paint, getting 20 of its 28 field goals there and scoring 15 second-chance points.

Lever made 19 of 26 field goals (73.1 percent) on the two-game trip, when the Lopes looked increasingly comfortable with the midseason switch to more inside-out offense. Freshman power forward Roberts Blumbergs added nine points in 14 reserve minutes.

"We had to take advantage of the size we have down there because we were going to have to guard the little guys and we did a good job," Majerle said. "We did a really good job of finding Ali in the post and working the ball around. He was fantastic scoring."

GCU senior point guard Casey Benson matched his career high for assists with nine while only making one turnover. The Lopes broke UMKC's full-court press for easy transition scores in the first half, when a 21-4 run opened up a lead that they did not surrender.

"It was good to get into a flow and rhythm and come out with a road win," said Benson, who was plus-25 in 31 minutes. "Tonight was one of our better offensive nights. Getting easy baskets helped fuel us.

"Ali (Lever) is so big down there. We utilize his size and his strength. He finished down there, which is great to get easy baskets and loosen them up."

Benson also scored 12 points while sophomore forward Oscar Frayer scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds after averaging just 3.0 points in the previous three games.

"I thought Casey ran the team well and got them in position but he's got to start making shots," Majerle said.

GCU entered the game leading the nation for least made 3-pointers allowed per game (4.0) and lowest 3-point percentage (26.3) but was playing a small-ball lineup that frequently fires 3-pointers. UMKC still only shot 29.2 percent from 3-point range, going seven for 24.

The Roos did not make a field goal for the game's final 5:22. During that time, the Lopes scored on four consecutive trips to close out UMKC, starting with a Frayer alleyoop from Benson and the three consecutive Lever trips.

GCU is now 3-0 in road WAC games before returning home for a non-conference Tuesday game against William Jessup.

"To win this league, you have to win on the road," Majerle said. "We're getting there."

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.