Completed Event: Men's Basketball at UNLV on February 7, 2026 , Loss , 78, to, 80
M Basketball
at UNLV
L 78-80
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, February 17
Bakersfield, Calif.
8 P.M.
Grand Canyon
17-10, 6-5WAC
58
at
71
CSU Bakersfield
11-15, 4-7WAC
1st half1
2nd half2
FinalF
Grand Canyon
21
37
58
CSU Bakersfield
34
37
71
Lopes stay cold, lose 3 in a row
2/17/2018 11:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
GCU digs 20-point hole, misses 15 free throws
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Grand Canyon has three games left to go in its regular season.
The Lopes hope to have three games in the Western Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament after that.
Both of those trios need to go much better than the past three games. The Lopes had not lost consecutive games this season until the current losing streak, which was extended to three Saturday night when they never led in a 71-58 loss to Cal State Bakersfield in front of 3,002 fans at Icardo Center.
GCU's offensive engine is misfiring to send the Lopes sputtering into fourth place in the WAC at a time when they could have claimed first place with three wins. Instead, GCU has shot 36.7 percent from the field over the past three games and worsened matters Saturday by digging a 20-point hole with first-half turnovers and another rough night at the free throw line.
Bakersfield gave GCU an avenue to rally with fouls that gave the Lopes a season high-tying 37 free throw attempts but they only made 21 of them. GCU is shooting 69.1 percent on the season from the free throw line, where Bakersfield went 18 for 21 on Saturday.
"They got in us early and we had a hard time getting the ball past half-court to get into our sets," GCU head coach Dan Majerle said. "They were just tougher than us. We finally woke up and started playing a little bit better but we shoot 56 percent from the free throw line and get outrebounded (42-30). Our seniors didn't do anything at all. It's just a tough way to go."
GCU (17-9, 6-5) remains in fourth place in the WAC with three home games to play against second-place teams Utah Valley (19-8, 8-3) and Seattle (19-9, 8-3) and Bakersfield (11-15, 4-7). The Lopes went 3-7 on the road this season for the program's worst away mark since 2011. Bakersfield moved to 7-3 at home.
The Lopes made six turnovers in the first eight minutes against the Roadrunners' defensive intensity, missed all 10 of their 3-point shots in the first half and made one field goal in the final seven minutes before halftime. Bakersfield held its largest lead at 34-14 until GCU's defense stepped up to not allow a point for the first half's final 3 ½ minutes, giving the Lopes a chance with a 34-21 halftime hole.
GCU reached the bonus situation with 13:42 remaining in the game and fouled out Bakersfield big men Fallou Ndoye and Greg Lee but could not capitalize at the free throw line. The Lopes trimmed the lead to 48-40 with 10:18 to go but Bakersfield's box-and-one defense effectively held off GCU.
"There's been a lot of talk from these guys," Majerle said. "It's time they start playing. We don't have anybody who can score. Alé is about the only guy who we can throw the ball to score. It's a tough deal."
Sophomore forward Oscar Frayer (11 points) and junior reserve forward Matt Jackson (10 points in 13 minutes) were GCU's leading scorers. The Lopes' key seniors – Keonta Vernon, Joshua Braun and Casey Benson – combined to go three for 14 from the field. Majerle went to freshman Damari Milstead (six points, two assists) for 19 minutes at point guard.
No Lopes player had more than five rebounds but Bakersfield 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman Justin Davis, replacing injured starter Shon Briggs, grabbed 12 rebounds and scored 15 points.
"I thought it was a very physical, intense game," Roadrunners coach Rod Barnes said. "I thought we handled ourselves well. Just proud of all of our kids because, as you could tell, it took every last one of them because of the way the game was called. It took everybody we needed to have to win the game. Great team win."
GCU did not score a fastbreak point and gave up twice as many points in the paint (32) as it scored (16). Majerle said the Lopes have "soul-searching" to do.
"It's hard because I don't think home court is going to rectify this," Majerle said. "The way we're playing, we're going to get beat at home. Utah Valley is playing great. Seattle is playing great. And we're playing these guys again. They've got to decide they want to play. We'll keep working and see how it goes."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
The Lopes hope to have three games in the Western Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament after that.
Both of those trios need to go much better than the past three games. The Lopes had not lost consecutive games this season until the current losing streak, which was extended to three Saturday night when they never led in a 71-58 loss to Cal State Bakersfield in front of 3,002 fans at Icardo Center.
GCU's offensive engine is misfiring to send the Lopes sputtering into fourth place in the WAC at a time when they could have claimed first place with three wins. Instead, GCU has shot 36.7 percent from the field over the past three games and worsened matters Saturday by digging a 20-point hole with first-half turnovers and another rough night at the free throw line.
Bakersfield gave GCU an avenue to rally with fouls that gave the Lopes a season high-tying 37 free throw attempts but they only made 21 of them. GCU is shooting 69.1 percent on the season from the free throw line, where Bakersfield went 18 for 21 on Saturday.
"They got in us early and we had a hard time getting the ball past half-court to get into our sets," GCU head coach Dan Majerle said. "They were just tougher than us. We finally woke up and started playing a little bit better but we shoot 56 percent from the free throw line and get outrebounded (42-30). Our seniors didn't do anything at all. It's just a tough way to go."
GCU (17-9, 6-5) remains in fourth place in the WAC with three home games to play against second-place teams Utah Valley (19-8, 8-3) and Seattle (19-9, 8-3) and Bakersfield (11-15, 4-7). The Lopes went 3-7 on the road this season for the program's worst away mark since 2011. Bakersfield moved to 7-3 at home.
The Lopes made six turnovers in the first eight minutes against the Roadrunners' defensive intensity, missed all 10 of their 3-point shots in the first half and made one field goal in the final seven minutes before halftime. Bakersfield held its largest lead at 34-14 until GCU's defense stepped up to not allow a point for the first half's final 3 ½ minutes, giving the Lopes a chance with a 34-21 halftime hole.
GCU reached the bonus situation with 13:42 remaining in the game and fouled out Bakersfield big men Fallou Ndoye and Greg Lee but could not capitalize at the free throw line. The Lopes trimmed the lead to 48-40 with 10:18 to go but Bakersfield's box-and-one defense effectively held off GCU.
"There's been a lot of talk from these guys," Majerle said. "It's time they start playing. We don't have anybody who can score. Alé is about the only guy who we can throw the ball to score. It's a tough deal."
Sophomore forward Oscar Frayer (11 points) and junior reserve forward Matt Jackson (10 points in 13 minutes) were GCU's leading scorers. The Lopes' key seniors – Keonta Vernon, Joshua Braun and Casey Benson – combined to go three for 14 from the field. Majerle went to freshman Damari Milstead (six points, two assists) for 19 minutes at point guard.
No Lopes player had more than five rebounds but Bakersfield 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman Justin Davis, replacing injured starter Shon Briggs, grabbed 12 rebounds and scored 15 points.
"I thought it was a very physical, intense game," Roadrunners coach Rod Barnes said. "I thought we handled ourselves well. Just proud of all of our kids because, as you could tell, it took every last one of them because of the way the game was called. It took everybody we needed to have to win the game. Great team win."
GCU did not score a fastbreak point and gave up twice as many points in the paint (32) as it scored (16). Majerle said the Lopes have "soul-searching" to do.
"It's hard because I don't think home court is going to rectify this," Majerle said. "The way we're playing, we're going to get beat at home. Utah Valley is playing great. Seattle is playing great. And we're playing these guys again. They've got to decide they want to play. We'll keep working and see how it goes."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
Team Stats
GCU
CSUB
FG%
.364
.446
3FG%
.227
.150
FT%
.568
.857
RB
30
42
TO
13
12
STL
6
6
Game Leaders
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
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