Cephas nets 20 on Senior Day

Saturday, March 9

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

7-19

Seattle U

3-26

Seattle U

Grand Canyon

3/9/2019 4:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Seniors honored at final home game

By: Cassidy Mace

Grand Canyon senior power forward AJ Cephas dropped 20 points and 10 rebounds for the women's basketball on Senior Day but the Lopes fell 70-55 to Seattle U in the final home game of the season.

Cephas was recognized alongside fellow seniors guard Kavita Akula and center ShaRon Miller after the game.

The Lopes (7-19, 5-11 WAC) got off to a strong start in the first quarter with Cephas scoring three straight layups for a 6-3 lead. Seattle (3-27, 3-13 WAC) responded with an eight-point run to pull ahead 11-6 before Cephas grabbed a layup and an and-one, followed by a layup from freshman guard Venla Varis to tie the game. Seattle went on another run to end the first quarter, outscoring the Lopes 19-12.

Two 3-pointers helped the Lopes in the second quartert, starting with Varis sinking a 3 in the first 10 seconds. Akula followed up with another 3 to put GCU within a point with 8:14 left to play in the second quarter. Cephas recorded another layup and a free throw to finish the first half with 12 points and six rebounds, leaving the Lopes down 34-24.

Junior forward Da'jah Daniel got the Lopes started in the second half, sinking two free throws to start the third quarter. Freshman guard Taylor Caldwell and Cephas followed up with a layup each to bring the Lopes within six with 8:03 left in the third. Both teams had their highest-scoring quarters in the third with Seattle tallying 19 and GCU with 18. Varis sank another 3 in the third, and freshman guard Laura Piera drilled one from behind the arc at the buzzer to trim the lead to 53-42 entering the fourth quarter.

Cephas finished the game on a high note, recording nine points in the final 10 minutes. Her efforts, along with another 3 from Piera, were not enough to win the game as the Lopes fell 70-55.

The sixth-seeded Lopes travel to Las Vegas next week to compete in the WAC Tournament at Orleans Arena. GCU faces third-seeded CSU Bakersfield at 8:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) on Wednesday.