Defense, Rowell rescue win over NMSU

Saturday, January 16

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

9-2,1-1WAC

New Mexico State

3-6,1-1WAC

Grand Canyon

New Mexico St.

1/16/2021 10:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score Photo Gallery

Sophomore guards makes all 4 of GCU's 3-pointers to spark rally

Only a glutton for punishment or a fortitude tester would create the scary scenario that Grand Canyon women's basketball faced Saturday night.

A first quarter with 1-for-15 shooting and four points.
The starting guards out with three fouls apiece by GCU's third second-quarter possession.
A 12-point deficit less than two minutes before halftime.

In creating team values, nothing could show them more than turning to a Lopes player who was logging seven minutes per game before she saved her team in a 61-52 conference victory against New Mexico State.

GCU sophomore Tavia Rowell made two 3-pointers in the final two minutes of the second quarter and stayed hot for a 10-point third quarter that set up the Lopes' dominant fourth quarter. Tied at 46-46, GCU (9-2, 1-1 WAC) shut out the Aggies for 6:18 to ride freshman center Katie Scott and junior point guard Laura Piera in a decisive 12-0 run.

A day after heading to the practice gym to shoot after not playing in Friday's game, Rowell made a career-high four 3-pointers and scored more points (17) than she had in December (13).

"This is what our team's all about," GCU head coach Molly Miller said. "This is the selflessness and the attitude I think we have moving forward. She kind of is the essence of that.

"A kid like that gives you confidence to put them in and say, 'You've got the green light. You've earned it. You deserve it.' She absolutely put this team on her back when we needed her."

Rowell's shooting opened up driving lanes for her teammates, particularly Piera with three driving fourth-quarter scores on her 13-point, five-rebound, three-steal night in 27 minutes.

"It was exciting," Rowell said. "I was sitting on the bench. I was ready for my spot on the court. When I got called, I was super-excited to play and be able to contribute to the team win."

She added, in the most excited voice you can imagine, "I love shooting! Oh my goodness. That's my favorite part of the game."

It showed and the Lopes needed that on a night when her teammates went 0 for 13 on 3s.

GCU stayed in the game on the virtues of its defensive prowess. NMSU (3-6, 1-1 WAC) committed 25 turnovers with senior guard Ny'Dajah Jackson taking on emergency point guard duties and leading the team with a career-high five steals.

"We just knew we couldn't play worse than that," Miller said of the Aggies' 12-4 first quarter. "It's like our run is coming and then we have to use that momentum for the rest of the game. Kudos for our team for just hanging in there and being tough about it. We just need to chip away with our defense to generate our offense."

Scott, GCU's leading scorer at 18.9 points per game, dealt with a physical, athletic NMSU defense that limited her to 1-for-6 shooting for the first seven quarters of the two-game set. But she closed out the Aggies with an 11-point, seven-rebound fourth quarter.

"Katie got beat up really bad for 80 minutes and she handled it like a champ," Miller said. "She just took the elbows, took the two-hand shoves. Instead of her typical post-up drop steps, she rolled hard and she rebounded and put back. She made winning plays for us."

New Mexico State entered the weekend averaging 68 points per game, but was limited to 49 in regulation of an overtime win Friday and 52 on Saturday.

"That's a testament to our defense, sticking to it, staying the course, not folding when things got hard and tough and things obviously didn't go our way," Miller said. "That's the maturity of this team. That shows progress within the process."