Miller nets career high in tight loss

Tuesday, December 11

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Portland State

Portland St.

Grand Canyon

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

12/11/2018 7:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score PHOTO GALLERY

Lopes hold undefeated Vikings to season-low scoring

By: Sarah Woodward

Grand Canyon senior center ShaRon Miller netted a career-high 16 points and helped the Lopes women's basketball team hold Portland State to its lowest point total of the season, but the Lopes fell short 60-55 to the undefeated Vikings on Tuesday night at GCU Arena.

Miller was 8 of 13 from the field and brought down five rebounds, while fellow senior AJ Cephas and freshman Taylor Caldwell added a team-best six boards apiece. Freshman guard Venla Varis had nine points while senior guard Kavita Akula added seven.

The Lopes (2-6) managed to pull within two points with 2:41 remaining in the game after a 14-4 GCU run, but Portland State (7-0) pulled away with a layup and two free throws to seal the outcome.

The Lopes defense held Portland State to its lowest first-half scoring scoring total of the season when the Vikings led 25-24 at halftime.

Portland State got off to a hot start with a 10-2 run but the Lopes came back with an 18-11 run to cut the Portland State lead to two. Varis drained a trio of 3-pointers during the run.

After more than seven scoreless minutes on both sides in the second quarter, Miller netted a layup to put the Lopes on top, 22-21, for the first time in the game.

GCU started the third quarter with a 3-pointer from Akula, but the Vikings responded with 11 unanswered points to go ahead by nine, 36-27.

The Vikings went ahead by as many as 12 points with 5:16 to play in the third quarter, but the Lopes fought back to trail by eight, 48-40, at the end of the third.

Portland State went ahead by 12 once again, but the Lopes came back to cut the lead to two before the final four-point push from the Vikings.

GCU takes to the road for the final two games of 2018 at Long Beach State on Sunday and Santa Clara on Dec. 20. The Lopes return to GCU Arena on Jan. 10 to face New Mexico State.