GCU falls at UNC Wilmington

Saturday, November 17

Wilmington, N.C.

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

UNC Wilmington

Grand Canyon

UNCW

11/17/2018 1:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

3 Lopes score in double digits in 77-55 loss

By: Cassidy Mace

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Three Grand Canyon players scored in double digits in a 77-55 loss at UNC Wilmington on Saturday.

Freshman guard Venla Varis led GCU (1-2) for the second consecutive game with 15 points against the Seahawks (3-1). Fellow Lopes freshman guard Laura Piera tallied 11 points in the road matchup while senior center ShaRon Miller recorded 14 points.

Piera got the Lopes started by scoring all 11 of her points in the first quarter, which ended in an 18-18 tie. Piera finished the game with five rebounds and four assists on top of her 11-point effort.

UNC Wilmington pulled ahead in the second quarter took a 35-28 lead at halftime.

Miller led the Lopes in the second half, scoring 10 of her 14 points. She also recorded a season-high 11 rebounds and added three assists.

GCU came out strong in the third quarter, cutting the Seahawks' lead to five with 5:42 left to play, but UNC Wilmington pulled ahead with a 14-point run to finish out the third. That put the Seahawks ahead 59-39 entering the final quarter.

Miller scored the Lopes' first six points of the fourth quarter, but despite the senior's efforts and made three-pointers from Venla Varis and Taylor Caldwell, GCU was unable to rally.

The Lopes return home next week to host the Thanksgiving Showdown, where they will take on Indiana State on Friday at noon and LIU Brooklyn on Saturday at 2 p.m.