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
Insider: Frayer impacts beyond 3s
1/15/2019 11:14:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
Johnson saved his 3-point game for clutch in road win
Grand Canyon junior small forward Oscar Frayer's perimeter shooting has improved over December and January but Lopes head coach Dan Majerle always expects more from Frayer, whose impact often can be felt in all phases.
Even though his third 3-pointer started GCU's game-ending, 10-0 rally that beat Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Saturday, it was not his most important play. With less than two minutes remaining, Frayer was boxed out on the offensive boards but maneuvered around one Vaquero player and outleaped another for the rebound. While in midair, Frayer passed the ball to sophomore teammate Damari Milstead for a game-tying 3-pointer.
"Coach Majerle makes me hang my hat on defense and rebounding," Frayer said. "Shots are not going to fall for me every night. Coach Majerle preaches that to me every day so I've got to give effort to do the little things to make sure my team wins. That (winning) is all I can really care about."
After improving his 3-point shooting from 25.7 percent as a freshman to 36.6 percent as a sophomore, the uptick in 3-point shooting was expected and overdue for Frayer. He opened the season making only 25 percent of his 3s in the first seven games but has shot 44 percent from 3-point range in the past 10 games, averaging 2.1 makes per game.
"I got my legs under me just a little bit," Frayer said. "I worked on it a lot this summer, just strictly shooting with (former Lopes teammate) DeWayne Russell and (current teammate) Gerard Martin a lot. I'm happy it's paying off. If you're confident and let it fly, you live with the results."
Frayer, who turned 21 on Tuesday, went 6 for 13 on 3s last week and averaged 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. His Saturday shooting game was part of GCU having its best 3-point shooting game of the season for made 3s (12) and 3-point percentage (48.0).
"That's what Oscar has to do," Majerle said. "He's got to be very active and not rely on his jump shot. He hit a few early but his activity defensively, with the way he can block shots and rebound the basketball, he's got to continue to get better at that. But, overall, another great effort."
When it counts most
With his scoring strength coming on drives and points in the paint, junior guard Carlos Johnson adjusted his game midseason to reduce his 3-point attempts. Johnson had attempted only five 3-pointers over the previous six games and had not taken one Saturday when the ball came to him in the corner with the shot clock winding down.
Johnson checked the shot clock at the opposite end of UTRGV Fieldhouse before rising to make his first 3 since Dec. 15. With 1:02 remaining, the shot gave the Lopes their first lead in 14 minutes and one they would not surrender.
"I felt it so I felt it was a good shot for me," Johnson said. "I hit shots like that in practice. Regardless of my percentage, I know I can knock down shots like that. I've hit shots like that in practice. Practice makes perfect. I felt like that was the perfect opportunity for me even though I know Coach was a little on edge when I shot it."
Johnson was 6 for 36 from 3-point range (16.7 percent) on the season before his game-winning shot.
"Honestly, he always makes it in practice," Lopes sophomore point guard Damari Milstead said. "That's one of his practice shots. He shoots it in practice a lot with people in his face, and he makes it."
Lope tracks
Even though his third 3-pointer started GCU's game-ending, 10-0 rally that beat Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Saturday, it was not his most important play. With less than two minutes remaining, Frayer was boxed out on the offensive boards but maneuvered around one Vaquero player and outleaped another for the rebound. While in midair, Frayer passed the ball to sophomore teammate Damari Milstead for a game-tying 3-pointer.
"Coach Majerle makes me hang my hat on defense and rebounding," Frayer said. "Shots are not going to fall for me every night. Coach Majerle preaches that to me every day so I've got to give effort to do the little things to make sure my team wins. That (winning) is all I can really care about."
After improving his 3-point shooting from 25.7 percent as a freshman to 36.6 percent as a sophomore, the uptick in 3-point shooting was expected and overdue for Frayer. He opened the season making only 25 percent of his 3s in the first seven games but has shot 44 percent from 3-point range in the past 10 games, averaging 2.1 makes per game.
"I got my legs under me just a little bit," Frayer said. "I worked on it a lot this summer, just strictly shooting with (former Lopes teammate) DeWayne Russell and (current teammate) Gerard Martin a lot. I'm happy it's paying off. If you're confident and let it fly, you live with the results."
Frayer, who turned 21 on Tuesday, went 6 for 13 on 3s last week and averaged 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. His Saturday shooting game was part of GCU having its best 3-point shooting game of the season for made 3s (12) and 3-point percentage (48.0).
"That's what Oscar has to do," Majerle said. "He's got to be very active and not rely on his jump shot. He hit a few early but his activity defensively, with the way he can block shots and rebound the basketball, he's got to continue to get better at that. But, overall, another great effort."
When it counts most
With his scoring strength coming on drives and points in the paint, junior guard Carlos Johnson adjusted his game midseason to reduce his 3-point attempts. Johnson had attempted only five 3-pointers over the previous six games and had not taken one Saturday when the ball came to him in the corner with the shot clock winding down.
Johnson checked the shot clock at the opposite end of UTRGV Fieldhouse before rising to make his first 3 since Dec. 15. With 1:02 remaining, the shot gave the Lopes their first lead in 14 minutes and one they would not surrender.
"I felt it so I felt it was a good shot for me," Johnson said. "I hit shots like that in practice. Regardless of my percentage, I know I can knock down shots like that. I've hit shots like that in practice. Practice makes perfect. I felt like that was the perfect opportunity for me even though I know Coach was a little on edge when I shot it."
Johnson was 6 for 36 from 3-point range (16.7 percent) on the season before his game-winning shot.
"Honestly, he always makes it in practice," Lopes sophomore point guard Damari Milstead said. "That's one of his practice shots. He shoots it in practice a lot with people in his face, and he makes it."
Lope tracks
- The Lopes have outrebounded their opponent in four consecutive games, including 10 or more offensive rebounds in three of those games.
- In Saturday's win, GCU posted its best defensive rebounding percentage since Nov. 10. UTRGV missed 31 shots but grabbed only four offensive rebounds.
- St. John's transfer Mikey Dixon, a guard who will be eligible to play in the midseason of 2019-20, joined GCU's practices on Monday and Tuesday.
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