Home-court protection turns vital

Thursday, January 23

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

Tickets

1/21/2020 11:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

GCU Game Notes SU Game Notes GCU Media Guide

Revived Lopes face Seattle, can rise to 4th place

By: Paul Coro

Thursday, Jan. 23 \| 7 p.m. \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	GRAND CANYON LOPES (7-11, 2-2)	VS	SEATTLE U REDHAWKS (10-10, 3-2)

WATCH: FOX 10 Xtra, ESPN3, GCUTV \| LISTEN: 1 580 The Fanatic, 99.3 FM, 95.9 FM \| STATS: View

Over its previous four seasons, Grand Canyon lost more than one WAC home game in a season just once and dropped five conference home games in all.

So that loss to California Baptist in GCU's conference home opener two weeks ago is enough as far as these Lopes are concerned.

A 2-0 WAC road trip restored confidence and contention for the Lopes but it would be for naught if they do not continue their success when Seattle U visits GCU Arena on Thursday night.

The Lopes (7-11, 2-2 WAC) moved to fifth place on Sunday and can climb another rung to fourth if the team with the lowest opponent field goal percentage in conference play (GCU) can beat the highest-scoring team in conference play (Seattle).

"The problem is every time we have a good spurt, we fall back," Lopes head coach Dan Majerle said. "So we're telling these guys, 'It's time to keep rolling.' It's not time to take another step back. We've lost our games in the WAC. We can't lose another home game.

"I shouldn't have to fire anybody up to play in a Thursday night game against Seattle in the WAC when we're 2-2 and fighting for something."

GCU has shown glimpses of being the different team it hoped it could be in WAC play once junior guard Mikey Dixon hit his stride. The Lopes have three viable scorers with Dixon, senior swingman Carlos Johnson and junior center Alessandro Lever combining for 47.0 points per game.

"We had two road wins that weren't pretty but we won so got some confidence back," Lever said. "Now we have to come home, guard and win two games no matter what.

"People are having more fun. We just are trying to play harder and trying to focus on defense, which we've been better at. If we keep playing the way that we're playing and we trust each other, we have a chance."

Seattle (10-10, 3-2 WAC) opened conference play with a 90-86 loss at Kansas City before rattling off wins against Chicago State, Utah Valley and UT Rio Grande Valley. On Saturday, the Redhawks were within two of New Mexico State with 1:30 to go before the Aggies closed with a 6-0 run Saturday at Seattle.

The Redhawks returned every key player from last season, when GCU went 2-1 against them. But the new GCU wrinkle is the sharpshooting and overall scoring ability of Dixon, who shot 24.1% in his first three games before shooting 58.1% in the past three. After sitting out a year since transferring from St. John's, Dixon has shook the rust off his game.

"He's starting to figure it out, making shots, not turning down shots, doing a good job," Majerle said of Dixon. "He made some clutch free throws (six in a row in the final 24 seconds Sunday at Kansas City). Every game, he's gotten better. I think it takes time to figure out how to play with groups. It has taken me time to figure out how he's comfortable and what plays to run for him and where he wants to catch the ball so I think every game it's going to get better."

Lope tracks

GCU senior swingman Carlos Johnson needs five points to reach 1,000 career points. He has scored 748 at GCU in the past two seasons.
The Lopes shot better than 50% from 3-point range in two consecutive game for the first time in its seven-year Division I era.
GCU freshman point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. is the only freshman besides North Carolina's Cole Anthony, Stanford's Tyrell Terry and Wagner's Alex Morales to average at least 10 points, five rebounds and three assists this season.
Lever leads the WAC in field goal percentage (53.9%).
Seattle (19th, 11.1 per game) and GCU (27th, 11.4 per game) rank among the national leaders for least turnovers per game.
The Redhawks rank 20th in the nation for free throw percentage (76.9%) with senior guard Morgan Means in 19th individually at 88.7%. GCU is No. 37 at 75.9%.
Seattle junior guard Terrell Brown leads the WAC in points per game (19.3), minutes per game (33.6), defensive rebounds per game (5.2) and free throw attempts (105).