Grand Canyon University Athletics
Rapid Recap: UMKC 87, GCU 75 (OT)
2/14/2019 6:02:00 PM | General, Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Grand Canyon is getting its share of tight-game situations and just as much disappointment in them.
After taking a pair of three-point losses at home, the Lopes' lapse continued on the road despite a comeback that pushed Kansas City into overtime. GCU's effort did not sustain, going scoreless for more than the first four minutes of overtime to lose 87-75 at Kansas City.
The Lopes (14-10, 7-4 WAC) remain in second place in the conference standings but will take a three-game losing streak to Chicago State, where they play at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
GCU played well defensively early in the game to hold Kansas City (9-16, 4-6 WAC) to five points over the game's first nine minutes but another hot opposing shooter turned the game. Reserve guard Rob Whitfield field hit 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions and the Roos went on a 24-7 run that included a fourth 3-pointer from Whitfield.
The Lopes went to halftime trailing 42-27 and still had their largest deficit at 48-32 after the first three minutes of the second half. But behind a career-high 36-point game from senior power forward Michael Finke and an 18-point second half by sophomore center Alessandro Lever, the Lopes found their offense and waited for the defense to dig in and make it stand up.
GCU went on a 12-2 run to pull within two points with 7:20 to play but did not take its first second-half lead until Finke scored six consecutive GCU points for a 67-65 lead with 2:22 to go. It was the Lopes' first lead since 12-11 but UMKC's offense found its footing in the final minutes with point guard Xavier Bishop, coming off missing a game for a foor injury, scoring on a drive and free throws to put the game at 69-69 with 52.6 seconds remaining.
GCU retook the lead on a Lever up-and-under move with 26.4 seconds to go but the Roos isolated Brandon McKissic out of a time out and he scored on a drive with 20 seconds to go. With a final possession to win, senior Carlos Johnson drew a bonus-situation foul on a drive but missed the front-end free throw. The Lopes gathered the rebound on a night they dominated the boards but senior guard Trey Drechsel's jumper at the buzzer missed.
UMKC dominated overtime, scoring the first 12 points with hot perimeter shooting and Johnson fouling out when it was a five-point game.
Return to gculopes.com for Paul Coro's full game recap with comments from Dan Majerle.
After taking a pair of three-point losses at home, the Lopes' lapse continued on the road despite a comeback that pushed Kansas City into overtime. GCU's effort did not sustain, going scoreless for more than the first four minutes of overtime to lose 87-75 at Kansas City.
The Lopes (14-10, 7-4 WAC) remain in second place in the conference standings but will take a three-game losing streak to Chicago State, where they play at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
GCU played well defensively early in the game to hold Kansas City (9-16, 4-6 WAC) to five points over the game's first nine minutes but another hot opposing shooter turned the game. Reserve guard Rob Whitfield field hit 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions and the Roos went on a 24-7 run that included a fourth 3-pointer from Whitfield.
The Lopes went to halftime trailing 42-27 and still had their largest deficit at 48-32 after the first three minutes of the second half. But behind a career-high 36-point game from senior power forward Michael Finke and an 18-point second half by sophomore center Alessandro Lever, the Lopes found their offense and waited for the defense to dig in and make it stand up.
GCU went on a 12-2 run to pull within two points with 7:20 to play but did not take its first second-half lead until Finke scored six consecutive GCU points for a 67-65 lead with 2:22 to go. It was the Lopes' first lead since 12-11 but UMKC's offense found its footing in the final minutes with point guard Xavier Bishop, coming off missing a game for a foor injury, scoring on a drive and free throws to put the game at 69-69 with 52.6 seconds remaining.
GCU retook the lead on a Lever up-and-under move with 26.4 seconds to go but the Roos isolated Brandon McKissic out of a time out and he scored on a drive with 20 seconds to go. With a final possession to win, senior Carlos Johnson drew a bonus-situation foul on a drive but missed the front-end free throw. The Lopes gathered the rebound on a night they dominated the boards but senior guard Trey Drechsel's jumper at the buzzer missed.
UMKC dominated overtime, scoring the first 12 points with hot perimeter shooting and Johnson fouling out when it was a five-point game.
Return to gculopes.com for Paul Coro's full game recap with comments from Dan Majerle.
Players Mentioned
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