Drew era tips off vs. Grambling State

Wednesday, November 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Grambling State

11/25/2020 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

GCU Game Notes GCU Media Guide

GCU's added size, depth gets 1st test with tall Tigers' visit

By: Paul Coro

Wednesday, Nov. 25 \| 7 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| GCU Arena

	GRAMBLING STATE TIGERS (0-0)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (0-0)

WATCH: FOX 10 Xtra (Ch. 45 / Cable 9), GCULopes.com \| LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic \| STATS: View

There is nothing new about Bryce Drew coaching Grand Canyon basketball, except that he has not coached a game.

The Drew era began more than eight months ago when he took the helm of GCU basketball, but it will feel like the start of it to many Wednesday night when the bigger, deeper Lopes open the season against Grambling State at 7 p.m. in GCU Arena.

In the most challenging of years on every front, Drew assembled the Lopes' most experienced staff ever, reconfigured the roster and worked around summer on-court limitations to prepare GCU for this moment.

bryce drew

"I'm really excited to coach this team and to be at GCU," Drew said.

"There are a lot of holes we're still trying to fill and there are holes that you only find out about until you start playing games. Either way, these games are great to prepare for conference season. We're just looking forward to playing someone other than ourselves. I think the guys are tired of it."

COVID-19 precautions delayed the season by two weeks, changed the GCU schedule and eliminated exhibition games, setting the Lopes to start against a Grambling State team that has won 17 games in each of the past three season since Donte Jackson became coach.

The 2018 Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season champion is known for pressing and has tall wing players but is difficult to prepare for with seven junior college transfers and two potential impact players whose status is unknown. Carte'Are Gordon is a strong 6-foot-9 former St. Louis and DePaul player who was a top-100 high school recruit and Brian Thomas is a 6-9 shot-blocker who transferred from Florida Gulf Coast.

"We don't know who is playing yet, but we'll find out when the game starts," Drew said.

This game will be more about unveiling the new look of the Lopes roster and style. GCU is predicted to finish second in the WAC because it returns WAC Freshman of the Year Jovan Blacksher Jr. and three seniors – Preseason All-WAC honoree Alessandro Lever, sharpshooter Mikey Dixon and defender/high-flier Oscar Frayer after a year off.

But Lever is fitter than ever and back at power forward because 7-foot, 270-pound Asbjørn Midtgaard (Wichita State) is one of four key Division I transfers, whose GCU debuts make the Lopes the tallest team in the WAC (average height of 6-5.7). Gabe McGlothan (6-7, Southeast Missouri State), Sean Miller-Moore (6-4, Oregon State) and Dima Zdor (6-10, Weber State) add to the lineup versatility.

"2020's been a long year – very long," Blacksher said of the team not playing since March 7. "It's been torture, but it felt good to get back here practicing and scrimmaging. It's not the same, but it's close enough. We've been going hard and we're really coming together – everybody as one unit. We're all trying to get to the goal – the NCAA tournament."

Eight newcomers dot the roster, including freshmen guards Liam Lloyd, Chance McMillian and Jayden Stone, whose college debuts will come in front of a crowd limited to 250 students but still sounding similar with the band and looking familiar with thousands of cardboard cutouts in seats.

"I've prepared for this," McMillian said. "I feel very confident coming into this game. I'm just excited to get out there and play. I have no words."

Lope tracks

The team played officiated intrasquad scrimmages at GCU Arena on the past two Fridays.
GCU has won 16 of its past 17 season openers after losing last year.
No GCU team has played since March 11.
Lever's first start of 90 for GCU came against Grambling in 2017, the teams' only previous meeting. The Lopes won 87-53.
Lever needs 407 points this season to break Josh Braun's Division I-era program record for career points.
Frayer needs two blocked shots to break Braun's Division I-era program record for career blocks.

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.