Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus USC on October 25, 2025 , Loss , 61, to, 67
M Basketball
vs USC
L 61-67
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Insider: Team shooting sharpens
1/23/2019 8:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
Transfer's 1st impressions, rebounding edge, more notes
The great shooting team inside GCU Basketball Practice Facility has found its way to arenas.
Since the summer, the Lopes were steadfast that they had an improved 3-point shooting team this season. It did not bear out in games until recently, when GCU went from shooting 30 percent from the arc in the first 14 games to 39 percent in the past five games.
The turnaround began with junior swingman Oscar Frayer. He was shooting only 25 percent from 3-point range after seven games but was shooting 45 percent until a foot injury sidelined him early in Saturday's win, putting his playing status in doubt.
More recently, senior Gerard Martin has made 6 of 8 from 3-point range in the past four games. Junior Carlos Johnson is 3 for 7 in the past three games. Freshman Tim Finke is 5 for 9 in the past four games. Sophomore Damari Milstead is 7 for 15 in the past four games. All of it has helped put GCU in a first-place tie in the WAC heading into Saturday's game at California Baptist.
"It's probably just confidence," Martin said. "That comes from guys being in the gym a lot. Everybody's in here working out. We're good shooters in practice, so time was going to tell. With the amount of work everybody puts in, it was bound to go down. It take reps in games. As much as you shoot in practice, it's never the same as games."
Mikey likes it
When Mikey Dixon decided to transfer from St. John's between semesters, a whirlwind cross-country trip and visit to Grand Canyon prompted him to settle on GCU. After two weeks, two home games and several classes and practices as a student and player, his decision only has been confirmed.
"It's everything I thought it was on my visit," Dixon said. "It's a great culture and great environment here. The games have been incredible. The fans are really into it. As far as the team, all the guys are good teammates and we compete hard in practice. Coach (Dan) Majerle is on it. I like the competitive environment here and I feel like that's going to help me strive to be better when I'm able to play."
Dixon is not eligible until the spring semester next year but he was thrown into practices immediately, just as fellow redshirting guards Isiah Brown and J.J. Rhymes have been involved this season. Dixon's speed and scoring ability raised the level of play.
"After practice, my body felt like I played a game," Dixon said.
Board out of their minds
After losing the season opener at South Dakota State (15-6) and getting outrebounded by 11, the Lopes made board work a greater point of emphasis. Since then, GCU has outrebounded opponents by 82 for an average margin of 4.5 per game.
It truly has been a team effort with no player averaging 5.0 rebounds but with five averaging at least 4.0. The leader is a guard, Trey Drechsel, at 4.9. The 6-foot-6 senior went from averaging 3.6 rebounds over the first 14 games to an 8.8 rebound average for the past five games.
"Trey has been a beast," Majerle said.
Lope tracks
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
Since the summer, the Lopes were steadfast that they had an improved 3-point shooting team this season. It did not bear out in games until recently, when GCU went from shooting 30 percent from the arc in the first 14 games to 39 percent in the past five games.
The turnaround began with junior swingman Oscar Frayer. He was shooting only 25 percent from 3-point range after seven games but was shooting 45 percent until a foot injury sidelined him early in Saturday's win, putting his playing status in doubt.
More recently, senior Gerard Martin has made 6 of 8 from 3-point range in the past four games. Junior Carlos Johnson is 3 for 7 in the past three games. Freshman Tim Finke is 5 for 9 in the past four games. Sophomore Damari Milstead is 7 for 15 in the past four games. All of it has helped put GCU in a first-place tie in the WAC heading into Saturday's game at California Baptist.
"It's probably just confidence," Martin said. "That comes from guys being in the gym a lot. Everybody's in here working out. We're good shooters in practice, so time was going to tell. With the amount of work everybody puts in, it was bound to go down. It take reps in games. As much as you shoot in practice, it's never the same as games."
Mikey likes it
When Mikey Dixon decided to transfer from St. John's between semesters, a whirlwind cross-country trip and visit to Grand Canyon prompted him to settle on GCU. After two weeks, two home games and several classes and practices as a student and player, his decision only has been confirmed.
"It's everything I thought it was on my visit," Dixon said. "It's a great culture and great environment here. The games have been incredible. The fans are really into it. As far as the team, all the guys are good teammates and we compete hard in practice. Coach (Dan) Majerle is on it. I like the competitive environment here and I feel like that's going to help me strive to be better when I'm able to play."
Dixon is not eligible until the spring semester next year but he was thrown into practices immediately, just as fellow redshirting guards Isiah Brown and J.J. Rhymes have been involved this season. Dixon's speed and scoring ability raised the level of play.
"After practice, my body felt like I played a game," Dixon said.
Board out of their minds
After losing the season opener at South Dakota State (15-6) and getting outrebounded by 11, the Lopes made board work a greater point of emphasis. Since then, GCU has outrebounded opponents by 82 for an average margin of 4.5 per game.
It truly has been a team effort with no player averaging 5.0 rebounds but with five averaging at least 4.0. The leader is a guard, Trey Drechsel, at 4.9. The 6-foot-6 senior went from averaging 3.6 rebounds over the first 14 games to an 8.8 rebound average for the past five games.
"Trey has been a beast," Majerle said.
Lope tracks
- Senior forward Matt Jackson resumed practicing this week after missing four games because of a rib injury.
- The Lopes have outscored opponents this month by 89 points, ranking seventh among Division I teams.
- When GCU did not allow Kansas City to score until the 13:14 mark of Saturday's game, it was the longest the Lopes had held a team without scoring to open a game since Nov. 23, 2015 against Mississippi Valley State, which scored first at 11:58.
- The Lopes have held nine of 19 opponents to 40.4 percent shooting or less.
- GCU was averaging a WAC-low 11.8 turnovers per game through 14 games but has averaged 16.4 turnovers in the past five games.
- The Lopes cracked the top 100 of the computerized NCAA NET Ratings, ranking 95th among 353 Division I teams. New Mexico State (No. 75) is the only WAC team ranked higher.
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
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