Improving 'D' needed vs. Seattle

Saturday, Jan. 5 \| 6 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| GCU Arena

	GRAND CANYON LOPES (8-6, 1-0)	VS	SEATTLE U REDHAWKS (12-4, 0-1)

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Defense starts with guarding the player in front of you but involves so much more.

Grand Canyon's developing defense is showing heightened focus and buy-in, becoming a unit that communicates, anticipates, studies, shows discipline and gives effort. Since a Dec. 15 season-low loss at Texas, all those qualities have improved for a four-game defensive stretch that GCU (8-6, 1-0 WAC) hopes to carry over to a 6 p.m. Saturday conference game against Seattle (12-4, 0-1) at GCU Arena.

In those four games, GCU opponents are shooting 41 percent. The effort has been progressively better, leading up to Thursday's victorious WAC opener against Utah Valley. The Wolverines had won 10 of its past 11 games with only a loss at Arizona but made turnovers on 20 percent of their possessions Thursday and only made 37.5 percent of its shots (10.8 percent lower than their season clip).

"We really hung our hat on rebounding and defense and that won the game," GCU head coach Dan Majerle said.

"We struggled scoring but really did a great job rebounding and defensively against a Utah Valley team that is effective scoring the basketball. They move it. They create assists. They're a great rebounding team. I thought we did a good job focusing on what we needed to do and finding a way to win. Struggled shooting the ball but you can hang your hat defense and rebounding every night."

That includes Saturday night, when the Lopes follow a WAC opener against the conference shooting leader by playing a Seattle team that ranks second in field goal percentage (47.3) and first for 3-point percentage (39.6).

The Redhawks lost 83-71 at Cal State Bakersfield on Thursday but 6-foot-3 junior guard Morgan Means is the WAC's second-leading scorer at 16.3 points per game with 43 percent 3-point shooting. Junior Myles Carter, a 6-9 power forward, adds 15.0 points and a conference-best 8.4 rebounds per game with 59 percent shooting from the field.

Thursday's GCU scoring star, senior power forward Matt Jackson, also was crucial to the tuned-in defensive effort but the efforts came across the board. When Utah Valley cut the GCU lead to one point in the second half, the Lopes went on a 10-2 run that was sparked by two steals from junior guard Carlos Johnson.

"It's a sense of urgency," GCU senior guard Trey Drechsel said of the improved defense. "Guys are realizing that, if we want to achieve our goals, we have to be locked in all 40 (minutes). Not taking mental breaks. At the start of the season, we had a lot of mental lapses. We've realized that, when you play good teams and good players, you can't have those mental lapses. It's really staying locked into the game plan and really trying to execute what Coach wants us to do."

The Lopes played their best 3-point defense of the season Thursday, denying set opportunities to Utah Valley shooters Jake and Connor Toolson. The pair went 1 for 8 on 3-pointers and combined for 13 points, which was 17 less than their combined average. GCU allowed the fewest made 3-pointers (three) and lowest 3-point percentage (20) of the season.

The victory gave the Lopes an unexpected early standings jump on Seattle and New Mexico State, the Lopes' next two opponents who were predicted to be top-four finishers with GCU and Utah Valley.

"We're ready so we can't be scared of anybody," Jackson said.

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

Saturday, Jan. 5 | 6 p.m. (Phoenix time) | GCU Arena

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Players Mentioned

Trey Drechsel

Matt Jackson

Carlos Johnson

Grand Canyon University Athletics