WAC title path goes through NMSU visit

Jan. 29-30 \| 7 p.m. \| GCU Arena

	NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES (3-1, 0-0 WAC)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (10-3, 4-0 WAC)

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Nearly four years have passed since the last time Grand Canyon tasted victory against New Mexico State.

Of all the people on GCU Arena floor that Feb. 11, 2017, night, only one man from either side returns to relay the burn that an eight-game series losing streak builds as the Lopes and Aggies renew the rivalry Friday and Saturday nights at GCU Arena.

"Every time we step in the gym this week, I let it be known that this is a team we need to beat," said Lopes senior forward Oscar Frayer, who started in the last victory when DeWayne Russell dominated for 31 points and seven assists. "We've got to win. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. We have to be the team to take over this league."

For years, that has been the Aggies, the WAC's NCAA tournament representative for seven of the past eight seasons and winners of 31 consecutive regular-season conference games.

New Mexico State won the last three meetings by an average of 22 points and was considered an overwhelming WAC favorite again this year until pandemic circumstances limited the Aggies to four games, tied for the lowest game total in the nation.

"What Coach (Chris) Jans has done there recently is just phenomenal with how many conference games they've won and how they've competed in the NCAA tournament," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "They're good for a reason because they're really, really good and they're really well-coached. It's a great challenge for our whole league to raise our level and get closer to them."

The Lopes (10-3, 4-0 WAC) enter the weekend as well-equipped as ever for the Aggies (3-1, 0-0 WAC), who lost their only Division I game to CSU Northridge on Dec. 28 and had six games canceled.

New Mexico State makes for a difficult prep because a trio of top scorers – WAC Preseason Player of the Year Jabari Rice, senior guard Clayton Henry and Utah transfer Donnie Tillman – did not play in a Monday win against Western New Mexico, as well as absences for 6-foot-9 LSU transfer Mayan Kiir and February-eligible Oklahoma State transfer Marcus Watson. Another player, freshman Gerald Doakes, signed with the Aggies on Jan. 14 and scored 11 points in 14 minutes for them 11 days later.

New Mexico State has much to overcome, especially with Rice and Henry each wearing a right foot boot Monday with injuries that Jans suggested to the Las Cruces Sun-News will keep them sidelined. Rice underwent surgery for a stress fracture on Dec. 4.

"If any team in our league can probably do it, it's them because of the continuity and just how good they are," Drew said.

GCU opened conference play with four consecutive road wins because it has continued its dominance on the boards, a trait that will be tested against the relentless effort and athleticism of New Mexico State. The Lopes have won the rebounding battle in every game and rank first nationally for rebound margin at an advantage of plus-12.2 boards per game.

When the teams last met 11 months ago, the Aggies grabbed 25 offensive rebounds and won 67-53 at GCU Arena.

"We have to come in with the mentality that we have to play hard for 40 minutes," Frayer said. "We know what they're about. They're about playing hard and toughness. You always have to assume they're going to play their best every time you step on the court with these guys."

Even if Rice and Henry are not available, New Mexico State is expected to get former UNLV and Utah starter Donnie Tillman back, according to KTSM-TV. Tillman, averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds in three appearances this season, is a 6-foot-7 combo forward who coaches tabbed to the Preseason All-WAC Team.

And there are key returnees such as forward Johnny McCants and guard Evan Gilyard II on a roster that spent 65 days living and training at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix because New Mexico COVID-19 guidelines did not allow full-team practices. New Mexico State is the only Division I team to play a road game this season at a NAIA school (Nov. 28 at Arizona Christian) and planned to play home games at GCU until its state restrictions were adjusted last week.

But even after returning home for a Friday practice, the Aggies' season conference debut winds up at GCU a week later anyway.

"Scouting has been very difficult," Drew said. "But as you look to the history of what they've done, it's been remarkable. The winning streaks that they have and the conference championships. A lot of really talented players in their program and really good coaching.

"They really execute and run with a lot of pace. I think their familiarity of a lot of their guys playing together before in the same system with the continuity definitely helps, especially in a year like this when there are pauses and less games."

Because of COVID-19, the Quad lawn in front of GCU Arena was not filled with students camping out for nights to get the best seats. However, there will be more of a Havocs presence this weekend with 900 students allowed to attend amid the character cutouts that have filled most of the 7,000-seat venue thus far.

The meaning of the back-to-back games is not lost on a new staff or a roster with eight first-year GCU players.

"I'm still learning but I know this game is very important," Lopes freshman guard Chance McMillian said. "New Mexico State has dominated this conference so I know what this means for us. We need to be focused because I feel like we are really good this year and we need to prove it to everyone else by beating them.

"We know what we're getting into. It's going to be a dogfight."

Lope tracks

GCU remains the only team in the nation to rank in the top 10 nationally for field goal percentage (fifth at 51.8%) and opponent field goal percentage (seventh at 37.7%).
Lopes senior center Asbjørn Midtgaard has maintained his hold on the national lead for field goal percentage at 74.5%. He has a current streak of 11 consecutive made shots. He also ranks 23rd nationally for rebounds per game at 9.8.
GCU has shot 37% from 3-point range over the past five games after hitting 29.5% of 3s in the first eight games.
Lopes senior Alessandro Lever needs 14 points to pass Duane Gagnon (1,453 points) for third place on the GCU all-time scoring leader list.
GCU's 10-3 start is its best since going 11-2 in 2015-16 and its six-game winning streak is its longest since it won 11 in a row from the end of 2016-17 to the start of 2017-18.
New Mexico State is 92-12 (.885) in WAC play since GCU joined the conference in 2013.
The Lopes' lowest three scoring outputs in WAC play have come against the Aggies.

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

Jan. 29-30 | 7 p.m. | GCU Arena

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Players Mentioned

Oscar Frayer

Alessandro Lever

Chance McMillian

DeWayne Russell

Grand Canyon University Athletics