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W Basketball
TBA
at South Carolina
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, November 24
Phoenix, Ariz.
2 p.m.
Grand Canyon
65
vs
62
LIU Brooklyn
1
2
3
4
OT 1
F
LIU Brooklyn
6
15
12
21
8
62
Grand Canyon
12
14
14
14
11
65
Lopes win on Piera OT buzzer shot
11/24/2018 4:23:00 PM | Women's Basketball
GCU beats LIU Brooklyn to end holiday tourney
The Grand Canyon women's basketball team went into overtime for the second consecutive day, but came out on the winning side this time when freshman guard Laura Piera's 3-pointer beat LIU Brooklyn 65-62 at the buzzer Saturday.
With the game tied and 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime at GCU Arena, Lopes freshman guard Taylor Caldwell inbounded the ball to Piera, who came free at the 3-point line because of a screen by senior ShaRon Miller. Piera drained the shot in front of the Lopes bench and turned to celebrate the overtime win with teammates a day after the Lopes had lost in double overtime.
Miller led GCU in points (15) and rebounds (eight) while Caldwell added 12 points, seven rebounds and a team-high five assists. GCU senior guard Kavita Akula tallied 12 points and three boards.
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Piera and freshman Carla Balague each scored seven points while Balague added five rebounds.
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The Lopes (2-3) got out to a quick start in the first quarter and went ahead, 12-6, thanks to a pair of baskets in the paint from Balague.
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GCU continued the momentum with a 5-0 run to start the second quarter with a 17-6 lead, but the Blackbirds (0-6) came back with a 13-3 run to come within one of the Lopes. The Lopes stretched the lead to 26-21 to end the first half. Â Â
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With an 8-1 run to start the third quarter, GCU went ahead 34-22 to establish its largest lead of the game. LIU Brooklyn rallied to trail 40-33 at the end of the third.
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The Blackbirds went on a 7-2 run to start the fourth, cutting the Lopes lead to two, 42-40, with less than eight minutes to play.
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The Lopes were outscored 21-14 in the fourth quarter but a last-second 3-pointer from Akula tied the game, 54-54, to force overtime for the second time in as many games.
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The Lopes take a weeklong break from competition and will resume on the road at UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, Dec. 2.Â
With the game tied and 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime at GCU Arena, Lopes freshman guard Taylor Caldwell inbounded the ball to Piera, who came free at the 3-point line because of a screen by senior ShaRon Miller. Piera drained the shot in front of the Lopes bench and turned to celebrate the overtime win with teammates a day after the Lopes had lost in double overtime.
Miller led GCU in points (15) and rebounds (eight) while Caldwell added 12 points, seven rebounds and a team-high five assists. GCU senior guard Kavita Akula tallied 12 points and three boards.
Â
Piera and freshman Carla Balague each scored seven points while Balague added five rebounds.
Â
The Lopes (2-3) got out to a quick start in the first quarter and went ahead, 12-6, thanks to a pair of baskets in the paint from Balague.
Â
GCU continued the momentum with a 5-0 run to start the second quarter with a 17-6 lead, but the Blackbirds (0-6) came back with a 13-3 run to come within one of the Lopes. The Lopes stretched the lead to 26-21 to end the first half. Â Â
Â
With an 8-1 run to start the third quarter, GCU went ahead 34-22 to establish its largest lead of the game. LIU Brooklyn rallied to trail 40-33 at the end of the third.
Â
The Blackbirds went on a 7-2 run to start the fourth, cutting the Lopes lead to two, 42-40, with less than eight minutes to play.
Â
The Lopes were outscored 21-14 in the fourth quarter but a last-second 3-pointer from Akula tied the game, 54-54, to force overtime for the second time in as many games.
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The Lopes take a weeklong break from competition and will resume on the road at UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, Dec. 2.Â
Laura Piera hits the three at the buzzer to win the game for the Lopes!
— GCU Women's Basketball (@GCU_WBB) November 24, 2018
GCU takes down LIU Brooklyn 65-62! #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/XWFKswV6MN
Team Stats
F-361
F-1104
FG%
.379
.471
3FG%
.176
.444
FT%
.563
.563
RB
39
36
TO
13
16
STL
7
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballPG
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