Finke's flame burns again for 38

Wednesday, February 27

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

17-10, 9-4WAC

Eastern New Mexico

13-13

Eastern N.M.

Grand Canyon

2/27/2019 9:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

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GCU crushes ENMU with senior's 2nd career high of February

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

When Michael Finke chose Grand Canyon as a graduate transfer last year, the draw of playing with his youngest brother, Tim, and the hope of reaching the NCAA tournament were large parts of an equation that summed up to searching for his potential.

He is finding out this month. Finke set a career high of 24 points for Illinois in December 2015 and has obliterated it twice for GCU this month, following a 34-point game at Kansas City on Feb. 14 with a 38-point game to the GCU Arena chorus of "Mi-chael Fin-ke!" chants on Wednesday night.

The Lopes were playing Division II visitor Eastern New Mexico to stay sharp amid a lull in the WAC schedule but Finke has been like a razor's edge. Three of his top four career scoring games have come in the past four games but none were statistically better than his Wednesday night line of 38 points, eight rebounds, six assists and 14-for-20 shooting.

The only other Division I player to hit those numbers, including 70 percent shooting, in a game over the past nine seasons was LSU's Ben Simmons (43 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists vs. North Florida on Dec. 2, 2015).

All this came in a game that began for Finke with an airball during an 11-point first half. He had more points (27) in the second half Wednesday than he had ever had in a game prior to two weeks ago.

"Every time they do the national anthem I always say a prayer to myself," said Finke, who will play his final regular-season home game Saturday. "The past few games, God has really put it on my heart that this is it. Go out here and do everything you can. Leave it all out there. Don't leave anything on the floor. That is kind of just what I have been doing and not trying to worry about anything, distractions or anything like that. Just trying to play my game. Do what I can to make this team win."

Winning was not in much doubt Wednesday, although the Lopes only led 43-35 at halftime before Finke's expanding post game fueled a 12-0 GCU run early in the second half. Finke later hit 3s on consecutive trips to stretch the lead to 63-45 and then later scored 10 consecutive GCU points as the lead grew to 26 points.

"He's just figured it out," GCU head coach Dan Majerle said. "Sometimes, it takes a while, but it all has to do with putting in work, putting in extra time and getting in the gym. He's getting up shots and working on his game, and he's one of our guys who gets in the gym a lot and never takes a practice off."

Junior guard Carlos Johnson added 25 points, one point off the career high he set on Jan. 26. Johnson has posted his career's four highest scoring games since Jan. 19. His driving ability was a major part of the Lopes making 29 of 35 shots near the rim Wednesday, when his breakaway windmill dunk earned the No. 4 spot on ESPN SportsCenter's Top Plays.

Finke made a career-high six 3-pointers on Wednesday but he scored 12 of his first 17 points around the rim and two of the others were on free throws for getting fouled on the post.

"When you start making shots, and then put him in the post, I think you just get a little more confidence," Majerle said. "He's done a better job just taking his time and going to his go-to move."

Finke, at 6 feet 10, has used his interior passing and kickouts for 20 assists to only four turnovers of the past five games. He has become the team's best free throw shooter, hitting 25 of his past 27 attempts.

In the wake of losing senior Gerard Martin to a season-ending knee injury and losing three games in a row, Finke's surging confidence is ideal. The Lopes have won three games in a row, winning each by more than 30 points and scoring at least 90 points in three consecutive games for the first time in their Division I era.

Finke walked off the GCU Arena floor to a standing ovation Wednesday and could walk off with Tim, a freshman guard, for the final time Saturday night against CSU Bakersfield.

"For him to be able to do that consistently now is really cool to watch," Tim said. "He really has it going and it's fun.

"When he came here, a big part was because I was here too. To see him excel like has is really fun. It's exciting to see him flourish at this level."

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.