Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus San Diego State on February 4, 2026 , Win , 57, to, 44
W Basketball
vs San Diego State
W 57-44
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Lopes react to sudden WAC ending
3/12/2020 11:10:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Paul Coro
Cancellation came minutes before GCU women's game
LAS VEGAS – For all that the Grand Canyon men's and women's basketball teams envisioned for endings to the WAC Tournament, the Lopes players and staffers never imagined that it would conclude in the hotel for the men and in the pregame locker room for the women.
Within an hour of the GCU women's rescheduled first-round game at Orleans Arena, the WAC Tournaments for men and women were canceled on Thursday by the WAC Board of Directors "based up on new information, including the recommendation of the NCAA's COVID-19 advisory panel." The board, which includes GCU President Brian Mueller, met with conference athletic directors Thursday morning at Orleans Arena before announcing its decision.
The Lopes basketball seasons unknowingly ended on Saturday but the GCU women's players found out Thursday morning in an Orleans Arena locker room after warming up on the court. They were slated to play a 9:30 a.m. game Thursday because their original 8:30 p.m. Wednesday game was canceled shortly before that tipoff due to the WAC report of a medical situation.
"It just feels so strange," Powell said near a silent locker room of her players. "Of course, we've been keeping up with the news, all the conferences and all the athletics. Bigger picture, there are states of emergency around the country and this has affected people globally but it's strange when it happens to you.
"The hardest thing for me was to have to go tell them again that the game was canceled because they were just so looking forward to it. We're not the only people affected by this. We have to keep things in perspective. It's a global issue. It's normal that they were really disappointed."
The GCU men were hoping to carry over momentum from a season-ending victory against CSU Bakersfield on Saturday with a first-round matchup against Kansas City, a team it beat twice during the season.
The GCU women were confident about recapturing the level of player that had them atop the WAC at 10-2 with four games to play.
"Our coach said in the locker room how it's much bigger than basketball," Lopes sophomore guard Venla Varis said. "Our health is also at stake. We don't know much about it but the world is not shutting down for nothing. We understand it but we're really frustrated because we actually had a chance. We got prepared really well. It's a big disappointment because we were ready."
The GCU basketball seniors are hit hardest by an unexpected, sudden close to their careers. For the men, All-WAC second-team honoree Carlos Johnson finished with the second-highest scoring total of his career (33 points) and Lorenzo Jenkins tied his career rebounding high in the Saturday win. For the women, Da'jah Daniel and graduate transfer Sami Oliver-Alexander suited up two last times without tipping off.
Daniel concluded her career as one of five players in the nation to rank in the top Division I top 30 for rebounding and field goal percentage.
"I feel really sorry for Da'jah," Varis said. "She was really looking forward to the tournament and finishing this up with pride but it didn't turn out how we wanted."
Many of the players' families, including relatives for the GCU women's international players, were in Las Vegas for the tournaments that decide the NCAA tournament seeds. Instead, the regular-season champions, New Mexico State for the men and Kansas City for the women, will represent the WAC in the NCAA tournament.
"I'm really proud that every kid in this locker room was all in with our team," Powell said after her second-place team exceeded preseason seventh-place predictions. "I love each and every one of them. I'm so proud of each of them. I'm proud of the growth we had this season as nearly the youngest team in the country. The biggest thing I want to compliment them on is that they were so bought into playing for each other. That's what hurts. They wanted to finish the season for Da'jah."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
Within an hour of the GCU women's rescheduled first-round game at Orleans Arena, the WAC Tournaments for men and women were canceled on Thursday by the WAC Board of Directors "based up on new information, including the recommendation of the NCAA's COVID-19 advisory panel." The board, which includes GCU President Brian Mueller, met with conference athletic directors Thursday morning at Orleans Arena before announcing its decision.
The Lopes basketball seasons unknowingly ended on Saturday but the GCU women's players found out Thursday morning in an Orleans Arena locker room after warming up on the court. They were slated to play a 9:30 a.m. game Thursday because their original 8:30 p.m. Wednesday game was canceled shortly before that tipoff due to the WAC report of a medical situation.
"It just feels so strange," Powell said near a silent locker room of her players. "Of course, we've been keeping up with the news, all the conferences and all the athletics. Bigger picture, there are states of emergency around the country and this has affected people globally but it's strange when it happens to you.
"The hardest thing for me was to have to go tell them again that the game was canceled because they were just so looking forward to it. We're not the only people affected by this. We have to keep things in perspective. It's a global issue. It's normal that they were really disappointed."
The GCU men were hoping to carry over momentum from a season-ending victory against CSU Bakersfield on Saturday with a first-round matchup against Kansas City, a team it beat twice during the season.
The GCU women were confident about recapturing the level of player that had them atop the WAC at 10-2 with four games to play.
"Our coach said in the locker room how it's much bigger than basketball," Lopes sophomore guard Venla Varis said. "Our health is also at stake. We don't know much about it but the world is not shutting down for nothing. We understand it but we're really frustrated because we actually had a chance. We got prepared really well. It's a big disappointment because we were ready."
The GCU basketball seniors are hit hardest by an unexpected, sudden close to their careers. For the men, All-WAC second-team honoree Carlos Johnson finished with the second-highest scoring total of his career (33 points) and Lorenzo Jenkins tied his career rebounding high in the Saturday win. For the women, Da'jah Daniel and graduate transfer Sami Oliver-Alexander suited up two last times without tipping off.
Daniel concluded her career as one of five players in the nation to rank in the top Division I top 30 for rebounding and field goal percentage.
"I feel really sorry for Da'jah," Varis said. "She was really looking forward to the tournament and finishing this up with pride but it didn't turn out how we wanted."
Many of the players' families, including relatives for the GCU women's international players, were in Las Vegas for the tournaments that decide the NCAA tournament seeds. Instead, the regular-season champions, New Mexico State for the men and Kansas City for the women, will represent the WAC in the NCAA tournament.
"I'm really proud that every kid in this locker room was all in with our team," Powell said after her second-place team exceeded preseason seventh-place predictions. "I love each and every one of them. I'm so proud of each of them. I'm proud of the growth we had this season as nearly the youngest team in the country. The biggest thing I want to compliment them on is that they were so bought into playing for each other. That's what hurts. They wanted to finish the season for Da'jah."
Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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