Senior send-off summons boards

March 2 \| 7 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	GRAND CANYON LOPES (17-10, 9-4)	VS	CSU BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS (16-11, 7-6)

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The proper senior send-off will be a great rebounding night.

The likely way for four GCU seniors to leave their final regular-season game with a victory is if the Lopes handle CSU Bakersfield on the boards on an emotional Saturday night at GCU Arena.

The home crowd will pay tribute to a pair of Australian fifth-year seniors/best friends, Matt Jackson and Gerard Martin, and a pair of key graduate transfer seniors, Michael Finke and Trey Drechsel, before GCU (17-10, 9-4 WAC) faces CSU Bakersfield (16-11, 7-6 WAC) at 7 p.m. The healthy seniors will start the game except for Martin, who is out with a season-ending knee injury.

The Lopes downed the Roadrunners 72-59 on the road on Feb. 2, sending Bakersfield into the 1-5 stretch it takes into Phoenix. However, the Roadrunners always remain dangerous because they rank second in the nation for offensive rebounds per game (14.5) and play a swarming, pressure-filled defense that demands offensive efficiency. GCU got away with giving up 12 offensive rebounds in the first meeting because CSU Bakersfield only scored eight second-chance points off them.

"We have to box out and really think about it and do it," Lopes head coach Dan Majerle said. "As I told them, if we lose the game, it's going to be because of rebounding and they shouldn't act all sad. That's what we did against New Mexico State (in a 67-64 home loss on Feb. 9 when GCU allowed 27 second-chance points). If they box out, we'll do a better job of rebounding. They'll still get some offensive rebounds. They're really good at it."

Bakersfield senior James Suber, a strong 6-foot-7 power forward, is responsible for a good chunk of it with 3.5 offensive rebounds per game, ranking 14th in the nation. Sophomore Jarkel Joiner, an aggressive guard, is the WAC's leading scorer at 19.2 points per game in conference play but senior guard Ricky Holden is the Roadrunners' best shooter at the 3-point and free throw lines.

Bakersfield has not won since a Feb. 14 victory at Chicago State.

"We can't have turnovers," Majerle said. "We've got to handle the pressure."

Under Majerle, the Lopes are 5-0 on Senior Night with an average victory margin of 11.6 points, including beating Bakersfield 81-68 last year. In addition to the seniors' final game, the Lopes are in a second-place tie in the WAC with Utah Valley, which plays at California Baptist on Saturday night.

"It's going to be emotional with all of them, but especially Gerard and Matt because they've been here five years and how much they mean to the program," Majerle said. "It's always a special night. I look forward to them.

"We're playing for a lot. It's special for those guys too so hopefully the energy's high."

Finke feats

Senior power forward Michael Finke had a momentous game Wednesday with a career-high 38 points a stat line (with eight rebounds, six assists, 70 percent shooting) only duplicated in college basketball by LSU's Ben Simmons over the past nine seasons.

He also hit the 1,000-point plateau for his career during the second half of his 117th game. Having a career-high 11.8 scoring average this season for GCU helped reach the mark faster, especially with career-high 54.4 percent shooting. Finke joined Drechsel in the 1,000-point club.

Finke was one of only six players in the nation to score at least 36 points in a game twice in February. The others were Campbell's Chris Clemons (three times), Memphis' Jeremiah Martin (three), Marquette's Markus Howard (two), Louisiana-Monroe's Daishon Smith (two) and Austin Peay's Terry Taylor (two). Finke and Taylor are the only two players to do it twice since Feb. 14.

Lope tracks

The Lopes have scored at least 90 points in three consecutive games for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
GCU recorded a Division I-era program high Wednesday with 31 assists, led by sophomore point guard Damari Milstead's career-high tying eight assists.
Junior guard Carlos Johnson has posted 11 of his career's 12 highest-scoring games this season after spending the previous two seasons at Washington.
The Lopes have made 30 of 35 free throws over the past two games.

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

March 2 | 7 p.m. (Phoenix time) | Phoenix, Ariz.

VS

Players Mentioned

Trey Drechsel

Michael Finke

Matt Jackson

Carlos Johnson

Gerard Martin

Damari Milstead

Grand Canyon University Athletics