Long-awaited duel brings No. 23 ASU to GCU

Sunday, Dec. 13 \| 2 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| GCU Arena

	No. 23 ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS (3-2)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (4-0)

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

It has taken years to bring together the Valley's only Division I teams that reside 20 minutes apart.

The next step for Grand Canyon will be to see how close it can come to being a nationally ranked program like Arizona State, starting with the Sun Devils' 2 p.m. visit to GCU Arena on Sunday.

GCU (4-0) and No. 23 ASU (3-2) meet for the first time since the Lopes joined the Division I ranks in 2013, although the Sun Devils did play the Lopes in an exhibition game to open GCU Arena in 2011. Their only prior official meeting came 40 years ago in an 80-68 ASU win.

Sunday's game marks the start of a home-and-home series, but GCU Arena will not have its usual environment with the crowd restricted to 325 students, band, dance, cheer and a lower bowl of Lopes and celebrity cutouts.

The landmark matchup tips off 41 hours after GCU posted its best win in four years – an 88-78 home victory against Nevada that has the Lopes looking for their first 5-0 start since 2015. ASU comes in edgy after an 80-68 home loss to No. 24 San Diego State. Its freshman sensation and second-leading scorer, Josh Christopher, disqualified with 8:24 and its other freshman standout, Marcus Bagley, did not play on a 35% shooting night.

Bryce Drew

The Sun Devils were touted this season once "Guard U" returned Remy Martin and Alonzo Verge Jr. from a turnover-prompting 20-11 team that was on schedule for a third consecutive NCAA tournament visit. Martin and Verge are combining for 33.9 points and 7.1 assists per game this season.

"Our big concern is getting our legs back," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "That (win vs. Nevada) was a pretty intense game up and down. They run a lot of really good offensive actions that we had to exert a lot of energy chasing them all over the court. Our big focus is trying to be as fresh as we can because we know the speed Arizona State has and the pace they play with and the pace they defend with. So conditioning is going to play a big part on Sunday."

It is personal for more than the two schools' fan bases. GCU sophomore point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. is best friends with ASU guard Jaelen House. They won four state championships together in Phoenix at Shadow Mountain High School and work out in the offseason together.

"Very excited," said Blacksher, coming off a career-high 22-point game. "We haven't played each other since we were in AAU."

Lopes senior forward Sean Miller-Moore was junior college teammates with Verge, who he faced last season when Miller-Moore played for Oregon State. They already talked every day before they wound up in the same city again.

"He kind of reminds me of Allen Iverson – one-on-one player, very active, talks a lot, good communicator," Miller-Moore said. "I'm looking forward to playing him.

"A lot of them have confidence because that's the type of players I think Coach (Bobby) Hurley recruits, the guys that are one-on-one with a lot of guards. It should be fast-paced and a good challenge."

Drew and Hurley each played guard in the NBA, but their paths did not cross until they were college coaches. Drew's Valparaiso teams met Hurley's Buffalo teams for preseason scrimmages halfway between the schools and Drew's Vanderbilt teams split a series with ASU in 2017 and 2018.

"Bobby's done a terrific job," Drew said. "What he's done at Arizona State has been remarkable, changing that program and the whole perception of that program and the exciting style that he plays."

Drew calls this game a crash course in press breaks and transition defense. The Lopes, with Blacksher almost exclusively handling the point, have fared well in ball care so far with the 18th-best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.64 to 1) in the nation. The Lopes also rank in the national top 25 for field goal percentage (25th, 52.2%), opponent field goal percentage (20th, 35.6%) and rebound margin (tied for fourth, plus-17.2).

"I think we're going to be really good this year if we keep doing what we're supposed to do, getting in the gym, working hard and listening to Coach," Blacksher said.

Lope tracks

ASU is the first top-25 GCU Arena visitor since Louisville defeated the Lopes 79-70 on Dec. 3, 2016.
Drew and Hurley are part of five sets of brothers who are Division I head coaches.
GCU is one of 32 undefeated programs with four or more wins.
The Lopes have outscored opponents 59-18 in second-chance points this season. ASU has been outscored 30-7 in second-chance points over the past two games.
Lever is averaging a team-high 17.3 points with 57.5% shooting, including 6-for-11 accuracy on 3-pointers.

The wait is over.

📝 https://t.co/JMRdofAJm9 pic.twitter.com/FmgKeCky6a
— GCU Men's Basketball (@GCU_MBB) June 12, 2020

Sunday, Dec. 13 | 2 p.m. (Phoenix time) | GCU Arena

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Players Mentioned

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Sean Miller-Moore

Grand Canyon University Athletics