Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball at Baylor on October 10, 2025 at 2 p.m. (MST)
M Basketball
2 p.m. (MST)
at Baylor
.png&width=100&type=webp)
Grand Canyon University Athletics
FT, turnover disparities beat GCU
11/22/2019 11:53:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
Valpo won 78-74 despite Johnson's 27 points
ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands – When Grand Canyon's 78-74 loss to Valparaiso was over Friday, it was hard for the Lopes to feel like they gave it away when so much was taken away too.
GCU received a season-high 27-point game from senior swingman Carlos Johnson and held Valpo without a field goal for the final 6 1/2 minutes of the Paradise Jam opener but the Crusaders (4-1) survived on taking 20 more free throws (26-6). The Lopes worked into the bonus situation with 10:24 remaining but only had one free throw trip for the remainder of the game at University of the Virgin Islands.
Nevertheless, GCU's defense gave it a shot to win when Valpo led 71-69 but could not score on the Lopes for seven consecutive possessions. The problem for GCU was its offense crumbled too, wasting six consecutive chances to tie or lead with two dropped passes, a missed slam dunk, a missed post-up and two offensive fouls that Lopes coaches questioned.
With 49 seconds to go, GCU junior center Alessandro Lever had a go-ahead shot blocked to end his 0-for-6 second half with four turnovers.
"You've got to cash in on those and we didn't and we lose a close game, a game that was very winnable," Lopes head coach Dan Majerle said. "It's disappointing. We just have to come back tomorrow and try to improve."
The loss sends the Lopes (2-4) to a Paradise Jam consolation game against Fordham (3-1) at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time).
Because of its long travel Thursday and early start Friday, GCU did not have a Thursday practice or Friday shootaround but still emerged sharply for an 8-3 lead on a Lever 3-pointer.
The Lopes had to handle foul trouble for starting guards Jovan Blacksher Jr. and Isiah Brown but still wound up in a back-and-forth battle with 16 first-half lead changes. Johnson carried GCU through it with 20 first-half points on 8-of-11 shooting, including making 4 of 5 3-pointers.
Even with his best scoring half since he scored 21 in the first half against Utah Valley at the WAC Tournament, Johnson made his best play when he sent a length-of-the-court pass to Lever for a buzzer-beating layup that made it a 40-40 halftime tie.
GCU did not help itself with 10 first-half turnovers in a game of 18, which was 14 more than it made in Tuesday's win to match the program's Division I low. But the Lopes were not done any favors with no free throw attempts in the first half.
"It's hard when a team goes to the line 26 times and we go six and we're trying to be just as physical," Majerle said.
It was a tale of two halves for some Lopes. After a scoreless first half, senior power forward Lorenzo Jenkins scored 12 in the second half. After a nine-point first half, Lever went scoreless in the second half. Johnson was even slowed from a 20-point first half to four points in the second half until he broke a five-minute scoreless drought with a 3-pointer that cut Valpo's lead to 73-72 with 1:32 remaining. With shots to lead and tie, GCU did not convert its next two trips when Lever was blocked on the post and Johnson missed on an off-balance drive.
"Our two best players have to play well and we had one of them play really well," Majerle said. "Alé was pretty good at the beginning. Down the stretch, when we threw you the ball, he's got to score down there and at least get fouled or convert. He didn't do it today but we'll bounce back tomorrow and keep going to him."
The Valpo loss marked the first time that GCU lost a game in which it shot better than 50 percent since Jan. 12, 2017, at New Mexico State. The Lopes shot 52 percent from the field with 34 points in the paint and 10-for-22 shooting from 3-point range, led by Johnson (5 for 6) and Blacksher (3 for 7).
GCU also won the rebounding battle with Lever grabbing eight but the Lopes lost their lead for good with 7:15 to go when Nick Robinson made a 3-pointer on a Crusaders second chance. The Lopes went 3 for 10 with three turnovers after that, missing one opportunity to take the lead when Johnson stole the ball near midcourt but had his slam try bang off the rim.
"With our short lineup, we need 40 minutes of effort from everybody," Majerle said. "We've got to go all out for 40 minutes. You've got to grind. We've got to push. There's not time to rest. We could've rested tomorrow."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
GCU received a season-high 27-point game from senior swingman Carlos Johnson and held Valpo without a field goal for the final 6 1/2 minutes of the Paradise Jam opener but the Crusaders (4-1) survived on taking 20 more free throws (26-6). The Lopes worked into the bonus situation with 10:24 remaining but only had one free throw trip for the remainder of the game at University of the Virgin Islands.
Nevertheless, GCU's defense gave it a shot to win when Valpo led 71-69 but could not score on the Lopes for seven consecutive possessions. The problem for GCU was its offense crumbled too, wasting six consecutive chances to tie or lead with two dropped passes, a missed slam dunk, a missed post-up and two offensive fouls that Lopes coaches questioned.
With 49 seconds to go, GCU junior center Alessandro Lever had a go-ahead shot blocked to end his 0-for-6 second half with four turnovers.
"You've got to cash in on those and we didn't and we lose a close game, a game that was very winnable," Lopes head coach Dan Majerle said. "It's disappointing. We just have to come back tomorrow and try to improve."
The loss sends the Lopes (2-4) to a Paradise Jam consolation game against Fordham (3-1) at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time).
Because of its long travel Thursday and early start Friday, GCU did not have a Thursday practice or Friday shootaround but still emerged sharply for an 8-3 lead on a Lever 3-pointer.
The Lopes had to handle foul trouble for starting guards Jovan Blacksher Jr. and Isiah Brown but still wound up in a back-and-forth battle with 16 first-half lead changes. Johnson carried GCU through it with 20 first-half points on 8-of-11 shooting, including making 4 of 5 3-pointers.
Even with his best scoring half since he scored 21 in the first half against Utah Valley at the WAC Tournament, Johnson made his best play when he sent a length-of-the-court pass to Lever for a buzzer-beating layup that made it a 40-40 halftime tie.
GCU did not help itself with 10 first-half turnovers in a game of 18, which was 14 more than it made in Tuesday's win to match the program's Division I low. But the Lopes were not done any favors with no free throw attempts in the first half.
"It's hard when a team goes to the line 26 times and we go six and we're trying to be just as physical," Majerle said.
It was a tale of two halves for some Lopes. After a scoreless first half, senior power forward Lorenzo Jenkins scored 12 in the second half. After a nine-point first half, Lever went scoreless in the second half. Johnson was even slowed from a 20-point first half to four points in the second half until he broke a five-minute scoreless drought with a 3-pointer that cut Valpo's lead to 73-72 with 1:32 remaining. With shots to lead and tie, GCU did not convert its next two trips when Lever was blocked on the post and Johnson missed on an off-balance drive.
"Our two best players have to play well and we had one of them play really well," Majerle said. "Alé was pretty good at the beginning. Down the stretch, when we threw you the ball, he's got to score down there and at least get fouled or convert. He didn't do it today but we'll bounce back tomorrow and keep going to him."
The Valpo loss marked the first time that GCU lost a game in which it shot better than 50 percent since Jan. 12, 2017, at New Mexico State. The Lopes shot 52 percent from the field with 34 points in the paint and 10-for-22 shooting from 3-point range, led by Johnson (5 for 6) and Blacksher (3 for 7).
GCU also won the rebounding battle with Lever grabbing eight but the Lopes lost their lead for good with 7:15 to go when Nick Robinson made a 3-pointer on a Crusaders second chance. The Lopes went 3 for 10 with three turnovers after that, missing one opportunity to take the lead when Johnson stole the ball near midcourt but had his slam try bang off the rim.
"With our short lineup, we need 40 minutes of effort from everybody," Majerle said. "We've got to go all out for 40 minutes. You've got to grind. We've got to push. There's not time to rest. We could've rested tomorrow."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballMakaih Williams | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Dusty Stromer | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Kaleb Smith | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Non-Conference Schedule Release | Men's Basketball
Monday, August 04