Gajewski, Lopes outlast Vaqueros for WAC sweep

Thursday, February 8

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 P.M.

Grand Canyon

12-11, 6-3

UTRGV

11-12, 1-7

UT Rio Grande Valley

Grand Canyon

2/8/2018 8:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Senior leads GCU to sixth conference win

By: Sarah Woodward

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jessica Gajewski had a game-high 19 points and led the Grand Canyon women's basketball team to a one-point, 59-58 victory and a two-game sweep over UT Rio Grande Valley on Thursday night at the GCU Arena. The Lopes advanced to 12-11 on the year and 6-3 in Western Athletic Conference play, while UTRGV fell to 11-12 on the year and 1-7 in WAC play.

Gajewski was 8-18 from the field and 2-9 from the perimeter, while also adding two rebounds and two assists. Fellow senior August Touchard was the only other GCU player in double digits, as the guard had 13 points, six assists and three boards.

Sophomore forward Vanessa Murphy tallied a near double-double with nine points and nine boards, while junior Kavita Akula hit a pair of 3-pointers for six points on the night.

The Lopes had a hot start on the hardwood, as GCU established a 21-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

UTRGV came back with momentum in the second to cut the GCU lead to nine, 35-26, after after out-scoring the Lopes 20-14 in the second. Gajewski led GCU with 10 points total at the break, while Murphy had all nine of her points and seven boards before half.

GCU was outscored again in the third, 21-10, and headed to the final quarter trailing the Vaqueros by two, 47-45.

While both teams struggled to put points on the board in the fourth, GCU narrowly pushed past the Vaqueros with a 14-11 fourth-quarter difference to claim the conference victory by one, 59-58.

The Lopes return to the GCU Arena on Saturday, Feb. 10 to host New Mexico State in a 2 p.m. (MT) contest. Admission to all GCU women's basketball games is free of charge.