Completed Event: Men's Basketball at UNLV on February 7, 2026 , Loss , 78, to, 80
M Basketball
at UNLV
L 78-80
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Preseason All-WAC voters sure on Blacksher
10/19/2021 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
GCU point guard makes 1st team; media selects Woods to 2nd team
After WAC regular-season and tournament championships, the conference coaches and media still view Grand Canyon as a conference contender even with one returning starter.
That respect is largely because of that Lopes starter, junior point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., who was selected to the coaches' and media's Preseason All-WAC first teams.
With Blacksher being joined in the backcourt by media All-WAC second-teamer Holland Woods II, the Lopes were tabbed to finish second by coaches and third by media in a conference vastly improved by expansion. New Mexico State was tabbed to win the WAC in both polls, while newcomer Stephen F. Austin was voted ahead of GCU in the media poll.
Blacksher progressed from WAC Freshman of the Year to earning All-WAC second team and WAC Tournament Most Valuable Player last season. The Phoenix Shadow Mountain High School product ranked second in the WAC and 31st nationally at 5.4 assists per game, a 50% bump from his freshman year while also increasing his scoring and steals averages to 12.0 and 1.6, respectively. He also improved to 80.7% free-throw shooting and 32.3 3-point shooting.
"Jovan finished the year playing his best basketball of the season," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said of Blacksher averaging 17.0 points in the WAC Tournament with one turnover. "He has taken another big jump this summer with his leadership, being more vocal with the team, and his overall skill set. We're really happy with where Jovan is at going into the season."
Blacksher's dynamics change in this season's backcourt with Woods, who brings the skills of a combo guard and the career of a former All-Big Sky first-team honoree and former Arizona State starter.
Woods, a graduate of nearby Apollo High School, started 12 of 25 games as an ASU senior last season while shooting 32% on a 3-pointers. The graduate transfer was Portland State's playmaker for his first three seasons, culminating in a 2019-20 campaign with averages of 17.7 points, 5.2 assists and 2.1 steals. Entering GCU with 99 career starts, Woods ranks 23rd in the nation for career points (1,555).
"From Day 1 that he got here, Holland has shown a lot of maturity," Drew said. "Players like being on the floor with him. He really sees the court well. He and Jovan have an instant connection in the backcourt, so it's been a really easy transition to the team."
The Lopes are coming off a 17-7 season that culminated with their first NCAA Division I tournament trip after capturing WAC regular-season and tournament titles. GCU returns nine players who accounted for 47% of last season's minutes played. Key losses to graduation were offset by the arrival of four Power 5 transfers, including Woods joining Blacksher.
"This roster is completely different than last year," Drew said. "It starts in our backcourt with the experience those two have at their positions."
That respect is largely because of that Lopes starter, junior point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., who was selected to the coaches' and media's Preseason All-WAC first teams.
With Blacksher being joined in the backcourt by media All-WAC second-teamer Holland Woods II, the Lopes were tabbed to finish second by coaches and third by media in a conference vastly improved by expansion. New Mexico State was tabbed to win the WAC in both polls, while newcomer Stephen F. Austin was voted ahead of GCU in the media poll.
Blacksher progressed from WAC Freshman of the Year to earning All-WAC second team and WAC Tournament Most Valuable Player last season. The Phoenix Shadow Mountain High School product ranked second in the WAC and 31st nationally at 5.4 assists per game, a 50% bump from his freshman year while also increasing his scoring and steals averages to 12.0 and 1.6, respectively. He also improved to 80.7% free-throw shooting and 32.3 3-point shooting.
"Jovan finished the year playing his best basketball of the season," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said of Blacksher averaging 17.0 points in the WAC Tournament with one turnover. "He has taken another big jump this summer with his leadership, being more vocal with the team, and his overall skill set. We're really happy with where Jovan is at going into the season."
Blacksher's dynamics change in this season's backcourt with Woods, who brings the skills of a combo guard and the career of a former All-Big Sky first-team honoree and former Arizona State starter.
Woods, a graduate of nearby Apollo High School, started 12 of 25 games as an ASU senior last season while shooting 32% on a 3-pointers. The graduate transfer was Portland State's playmaker for his first three seasons, culminating in a 2019-20 campaign with averages of 17.7 points, 5.2 assists and 2.1 steals. Entering GCU with 99 career starts, Woods ranks 23rd in the nation for career points (1,555)."From Day 1 that he got here, Holland has shown a lot of maturity," Drew said. "Players like being on the floor with him. He really sees the court well. He and Jovan have an instant connection in the backcourt, so it's been a really easy transition to the team."
The Lopes are coming off a 17-7 season that culminated with their first NCAA Division I tournament trip after capturing WAC regular-season and tournament titles. GCU returns nine players who accounted for 47% of last season's minutes played. Key losses to graduation were offset by the arrival of four Power 5 transfers, including Woods joining Blacksher.
"This roster is completely different than last year," Drew said. "It starts in our backcourt with the experience those two have at their positions."
Coaches' Preseason WAC Player of the Year |
|
| Player | School |
| Darrion Trammel, sophomore guard | Seattle U |
Coaches' Preseason All-WAC first team |
|
| Player | School |
| Fardaws Aimaq, sophomore center | Utah Valley |
| Teddy Allen, junior guard | New Mexico State |
| Jovan Blacksher Jr., junior guard | GCU |
| Riley Grigsby, junior guard/forward | Seattle U |
| Gavin Kensmil, senior forward | Stephen F. Austin |
| Jabari Rice, junior guard | New Mexico State |
| Ty Rowell, junior guard | California Baptist |
| Darrion Trammel, sophomore guard | Seattle U |
Coaches' Preseason All-WAC second team |
|
| Player | School |
| Damien Daniels, senior guard | Abilene Christian |
| Savion Flagg, graduate guard/forward | Sam Houston |
| Montre' Gipson, senior guard | Tarleton |
| Demarkus Lampley, senior guard | Sam Houston |
| Johnny McCants, senior forward | New Mexico State |
| Donnie Tillman, senior forward | New Mexico State |
| Roti Ware, senior guard | Stephen F. Austin |
| Trey Woodbury, junior guard | Utah Valley |
Coaches' preseason poll |
|||
| Rank | Team (first-place votes) | Points | |
| 1 |
 |
New Mexico State (8) | 138 |
| 2 |
 |
GCU (3) | 131 |
| 3 |
 |
Stephen F. Austin (1) | 106 |
| 4 |
 |
Utah Valley | 103 |
| 5 |
 |
Abilene Christian (1) | 92 |
| 6 |
 |
Seattle U | 90 |
| 7 |
 |
Sam Houston | 86 |
| 8 |
 |
California Baptist | 84 |
| T9 |
 |
Tarleton | 48 |
| T9 |
 |
UT Rio Grande Valley | 48 |
| 11 |
 |
Lamar | 41 |
| 12 |
 |
Dixie State | 35 |
| 13 |
 |
Chicago State | 12 |
Media Preseason WAC Player of the Year |
|
| Player | School |
| Fardaws Aimaq, sophomore center | Utah Valley |
Media Preseason All-WAC first team |
|
| Player | School |
| Fardaws Aimaq, sophomore center | Utah Valley |
| Jovan Blacksher Jr., junior guard | GCU |
| Montre' Gipson, senior guard | Tarleton |
| Gavin Kensmil, senior forward | Stephen F. Austin |
| DeMarkus Lampley, senior guard | Sam Houston |
| Jabari Rice, junior guard | New Mexico State |
| Ty Rowell, junior guard | California Baptist |
| Darrior Trammel, sophomore guard | Seattle U |
Media Preseason All-WAC second team |
|
| Player | School |
| Teddy Allen, junior guard | New Mexico State |
| Johnny McCants, senior forward | New Mexico State |
| Coryon Mason, senior guard | Abilene Christian |
| Reggie Miller, senior guard | Abilene Christian |
| Reed Nottage, sophomore guard | California Baptist |
| Roti Ware, senior guard | Stephen F. Austin |
| Trey Woodbury, junior guard | Utah Valley |
| Holland Woods II, graduate guard | GCU |
Media preseason poll |
|||
| Rank | Team | ||
| 1 |
|
New Mexico State | |
| 2 |
|
Stephen F. Austin | |
| 3 |
|
GCU | |
| 4 |
|
Abilene Christian | |
| 5 |
|
Utah Valley | |
| 6 |
|
California Baptist | |
| 7 |
|
Sam Houston | |
| 8 |
|
Seattle U | |
| 9 |
|
Tarleton | |
| 10 |
|
Lamar | |
| 11 |
|
UT Rio Grande Valley | |
| 12 |
|
Dixie State | |
| 13 |
|
Chicago State | |
Players Mentioned
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