Lopes open WAC play vs. NMSU

Friday, January 15

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

New Mexico State

Photo by: Elizabeth Tinajero

1/15/2021 6:45:00 AM | Women's Basketball

GCU plays as designated road team at GCU Arena

By: Sierra Smith

Friday, Jan. 15 \| 2 p.m. \| GCU Arena

	NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES (2-5)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (8-1)

WATCH: Live \| STATS: View

The Grand Canyon women's basketball team opens up WAC play with a series against New Mexico State at GCU Arena.

The GCU games that were scheduled to be played at Chicago State this weekend are not set to be made up but they could be if the Lopes and Cougars have a common idle week in the future.

New Mexico State moved its home base to Phoenix because of COVID-19 regulations in New Mexico. The Lopes will be the designated road team for the games that were scheduled originally for Jan. 29-30 at NMSU.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

Lopes in the top 25: The Lopes rank No. 1 in the country for steals per game (15.6), No. 2 in total steals (140), opponent turnovers per game (245) and turnover margin (12.56) and rank No. 12 in points per game (84.9).
Leading the WAC: The 8-1 Lopes lead the conference in multiple team and individual stat categories including points per game, field goal percentage (45.5%), steals per game, turnover margin, opponent turnovers per game and offensive rebounds per game (15.2). Freshman Katie Scott finished the nonconference slate with a WAC-leading 20.7 points per game, which ranks No. 26 nationally. Sophomore Taylor Caldwell leads the conference with 3.8 steals per game, ranked No. 9 nationally followed by junior Laura Piera's 3.11 steals per game, which ranks at No. 23 in the country.
Record-breaking ways continue: GCU went nearly two weeks without a game, but came out of the break by setting its Division I-era scoring record for the second consecutive outing and the third time this season. The Lopes overwhelmed Park (Ariz.) 106-55 at home when their suffocating defense that chewed up 2020 wins began 2021 with its crosstown NAIA visitor committing 32 turnovers.

SCOUTING

New Mexico State is 2-5 this season coming after a 78-59 loss to Kansas.
Redshirt senior and Preseason All-WAC selection Aaliyah Prince is leading the Aggies with 16.4 points per game followed by sophomore Soufia Inoussa with 10 points per game.
The Aggies have had three of their last four games canceled due to COVID.

LAST TIME OUT

GCU finished the nonconference slate with its third broken scoring record of the season.
Five Lopes scored double-digit points led by Scott with 28 points. Laura Piera and grad student Ny'Dajah Jackson both had 14 points, junior Venla Varis posted 13 points and Caldwell put up 10.
The 28-point performance earned Scott her third consecutive WAC Player of the Week honor. She made WAC history by becoming the first player in 31 years to be awarded three weeks in a row.