Focus spurs 30-4 run, blowout win

Thursday, February 21

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

16-10, 9-4WAC

California Baptist

14-11, 5-6WAC

California Baptist

Grand Canyon

2/21/2019 9:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score Photo Gallery Postgame Press Conference

GCU pulls away from CBU in 2nd half, stays in 2nd place

By: <a href="http://gculopes.com/index.aspx?path=coro">Paul Coro</a>

Grand Canyon had led for more than 20 minutes of play Thursday night but the lead was shrinking when Lopes head coach Dan Majerle pulled his chair in front of his players sitting on the GCU bench.

"Is this the team we're going to be?" Majerle asked them. "It's time for us to step up and start playing the way we're supposed to be."

Moments later, GCU showed what type of it teams it aspires to be by scoring 16 unanswered points and going on a 30-4 run over 10 minutes, during which California Baptist made one of nine shots and committed seven turnovers. That sent the Lopes (16-10, 9-4 WAC) to a 91-58 victory at GCU Arena and kept them in second place in the conference.

A Lancers offense that averages 81 points was reduced to its lowest-scoring game since it played No. 6 Nevada on Nov. 19. CBU guard Milan Acquaah, the WAC's leading scorer at 20.8 points per game, tallied more turnovers (eight) than points (seven).

The Lopes' offense made the defensive effort stand up with sophomore point guard Damari Milstead carving up CBU (14-11, 5-6 WAC) for 18 points and seven assists while junior swingman Oscar Frayer made four 3-pointers on his way to a season-high 18 points.

GCU made 13 shots from 3-point range, shot better than 50 percent and won by more than 30 points for the second consecutive game.

"This is the happiest I've been because I did see it in their eyes," Majerle said of how his team responded to him.

The Lopes led for most of the game because junior guard Carlos Johnson carried over his career-high, 26-point performance at CBU to the start of Thursday's game, when he scored 10 of GCU's first 17 points. Johnson finished with 16 points in 19 minutes because of foul trouble.

"When we see one person playing good, it's like a chain reaction that leads to the next and then leads the next," Johnson said. "Big (Michael) Finke played good and then you see how Damari plays better. O (Frayer) plays real well. Raef (Gerdes) gets in there and goes 2 for 2 from the 3-point line. That's huge. That shows that the work is being put in."

The Lopes blitzed Acquaah off screens often in the teams' first meeting, when senior Gerard Martin helped keep the point guard to 4-of-14 shooting with six turnovers. Despite the loss of Martin, Milstead led an effort that kept Acquaah to 3-of-10 shooting with eight turnovers Saturday.

"Damari's overall game was very strong," Majerle said. "When he plays like that with that focus and gets everybody involved, we're pretty good."

CBU had its shot to take a lead when Acquaah missed a 3 with 14:56 to go.

"It was time to lock in and time to focus up and get back to our principles and why we play for GCU," Frayer said. "That's just to play hard, play tough and grind it out."

Milstead led an offense by penetrating into the lane and starting ball movement against a zone defense, leading GCU to a season-high tying 21 assists on 30 made baskets.

The Lopes made four consecutive 3s during the 16-0 run that put GCU ahead 61-44 with 11:51 to play when Milstead penetrated and kicked the ball to senior guard Trey Drechsel, who swung the ball to Frayer for a 3. With another Frayer 3 and jumper and a steal and layup from Drechsel, the Lopes led 75-48 with 7:21 to play after a 30-4 run.

Drechsel's confidence carried over from his slump-busting game at Chicago State. He tallied nine points, a team-high tying seven rebounds, five assists and a team-high three steals without making a turnover in 23 minutes.

"Trey was aggressive," Majerle said. "I loved it when he got on the floor there and got a loose ball. Taking the ball to the basket hard. I think it's good for Trey to come off the bench and play at the 1 and 2. He's going to be important for us."

The Lopes scored at least 90 points in consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 16-21, 2016, against Utah Valley and Chicago State.

This was GCU's 22nd consecutive victory against CBU, which entered Thursday with a four-game winning streak. The Lopes enjoyed their largest back-to-back blowouts of their WAC history earlier this season but outdid that with the past few days' 33- and 31-point wins.

"Just overall a really good game," Majerle said. "I'm proud of the guys. They're happy. This time of year, that's what you want. You want them playing hard and having fun. Hopefully, we can continue to do this. But that was a great performance by everybody on the team."

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.