Urgency rises for Lopes win

Saturday, Nov. 16 \| 6 p.m. \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	GRAND CANYON LOPES (0-3)	VS	ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF GOLDEN LIONS (0-2)

WATCH: FOX 10 Xtra, ESPN3, GCU Lopes app \| LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic \| STATS: View

For the past two games, the schedule created the motivation for Grand Canyon.

Illinois visited GCU Arena last week. The Lopes went to San Diego State on Tuesday. But GCU's flame does not need to be lit by another team on Saturday night. The Lopes' internal fire is burning to experience their first win together when they play Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 6 p.m. Saturday in GCU Arena.

GCU was the underdog in its two previous games against potential NCAA tournament teams but still was stung with rare defeat at home and the indignity of facing full-court pressure with an insurmountable deficit.

"It's got to put a battery in our back," GCU junior guard Isiah Brown said. "It's got to light a fire. We don't ever want to be in a position where we have to use something negative and try to turn it into a positive. But the way we've been playing and the manner of the losses that we've taken, we have to use that to come out with a ridiculous amount of energy."

The Lopes will take on an Arkansas-Pine Bluff team that has not played for a week since losing 110-60 to No. 8 Gonzaga in Spokane, Washington.

The uptempo Golden Lions are led by 12th-year head coach George Ivory, who is being inducted into the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame for a career that includes NCAA tournament appearances as a player and coach. Ivory returns nine players, including two starters. Junior Shaun Doss, a 6-foot-5 guard, averaged 12.7 points last season while junior Terrance Banyard, a 6-8 center, pulled down 22 rebounds in a game against California Baptist last season.

The Lopes have been outrebounded by an average of 11.3 rebounds per game going into a game with an opponent that sends three to four players to the offensive glass. Allowing extra chances has contributed to GCU opponents cumulatively shooting 49.7%.

"We have to do a better job of being connected with the five guys on the floor and knowing what they're supposed to do," Lopes head coach Dan Majerle said.

"We've got a lot of work to do. Hopefully, the light bulb will come on for some of these guys. If it doesn't, I'll play more of the bench."

GCU is off to an 0-3 start for the first time since 2009 and wants to avoid the program's first four-game losing streak since its first Division I season in 2013-14.

"This is a time that you have to lock down and get a win," Brown said. "Do whatever it takes. It's going to take a full 40-minute effort on both ends.

"It's going to take a sense of urgency. It starts from the top and goes all the way down. Coach is going to have that sense of urgency. The coaching staff is going to have it. It's up to us to play like that."

Brown and freshman point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., in their first Lopes seasons, share the team scoring lead at 14.3 points per game. Senior power forward Lorenzo Jenkins found more of his offensive game Tuesday, when the Colorado State graduate transfer scored a team-high 15 points.

"I felt comfortable out there," Jenkins said. "Just in rhythm with my shots. I really just need to try to come out with a mindset of being aggressive early."

GCU's Preseason All-WAC first-team picks, senior swingman Carlos Johnson and junior center Alessandro Lever, have struggled. Johnson is shooting 31%. Lever fouled out of the past two games in 16 and 20 minutes with a two-game total of two rebounds.

"Ale's got to figure it out," Majerle said. "It's not that he doesn't work. He's a hard-working kid. A great kid. I love him. He's just got to figure it out because he's a great player. He's just in one of those slumps where he's not aggressive enough."

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

Saturday, Nov. 16 | 6 p.m. | Phoenix, Ariz.

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Players Mentioned

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Isiah Brown

Lorenzo Jenkins

Carlos Johnson

Alessandro Lever

Grand Canyon University Athletics