'Lance up' meets 'Lopes up' at CBU

Saturday, Jan. 26 \| 8 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| CBU Events Center - Riverside, Calif.

	GRAND CANYON LOPES (12-7, 5-1)	VS	CALIFORNIA BAPTIST LANCERS (10-8, 2-3)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic \| STATS: View \| FOLLOW: @GCU_MBB

Grand Canyon is known for its Havocs student section, the phrase "Lopes Up," an arena that opened as it moved to Division I and winning the Learfield Cup in its final two years of Division II play.

California Baptist joins GCU in the WAC this season with a Crazies student section, the phrase "Lance Up," an arena that opened last season and a Learfield Cup from its last year of Division II play.

CBU openly considers GCU a model for a successful Division I transition, which the Lopes completed in 2017 and the Lancers will complete in 2022. The imitation is flattering but not friendly on Saturday, when "Beat GCU" T-shirts are being handed out to Lancers fans for the Lopes' first visit to 1-year-old CBU Events Center. The 5,050-seat venue, on campus in Riverside, Calif., is expected to be sold out for a "Whiteout" with an 8 p.m. (Arizona time) tipoff.

If the Lopes (12-7, 5-1 WAC) can follow up last week's two home blowout wins with another victory, GCU will be in a first-place tie in the conference with CSU Bakersfield when it heads there in a week.

"They'll be very excited to play us at home," Lopes head coach Dan Majerle said of the Lancers. "They beat New Mexico State there and they know that we're coming in and we're one of the top teams."

In the Lancers' WAC debut, they upset New Mexico State 82-76 on Jan. 3 but this will be their first high-profile Division I game at the 10,500-student university when classes are in session.

"They were a D-II team last year but they don't play like a D-II team," GCU senior power forward Michael Finke said. "They had Bakersfield on the ropes and had a chance to win (Thursday). They're going to fight. It's going to be a battle for us."

CBU sophomore 6-foot-3 guard Milan Acquaah, a Washington State transfer, is leading the WAC with 21.9 points per game and used his crafty style to post 36 points against New Mexico State. Acquaah and senior 6-2 guard Jordan Heading have accounted for 48 percent of the Lancers' scoring in WAC games.

"(Acquaah) can really shoot it," Majerle said. "He has great range, handles the ball well. He kind of makes that team go so we'll have to do a good job of containing him and not letting him have a big night."

The Lopes are 9-0 at GCU Arena this season but 3-7 otherwise in road and neutral-site games. CBU is 5-3 at home after losing 88-84 to CSU Bakersfield on Thursday night, when the Lancers missed two potential tying 3-pointers in the final 10 seconds.

CBU's offense puts four players on the perimeter, setting the Lancers up for a WAC-high 8.2 3-pointers per game. The Lopes' defense will get a boost with the return of senior power forward Matt Jackson, who has missed the past four games, but junior swingman Oscar Frayer's status is in question after a foot injury early in Saturday's win.

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

Saturday, Jan. 26 | 8 p.m. (Phoenix time) | CBU Events Center - Riverside, Calif.

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Players Mentioned

Michael Finke

Oscar Frayer

Matt Jackson

Grand Canyon University Athletics