Energy starts with McGlothan for LMU visit

Monday, November 29

Los Angeles, Calif.

8 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

Loyola Marymount

11/29/2021 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

GCU Game Notes LMU Game Notes GCU Media Guide

GCU road trip continues with junior power forward's role expanding

By: Paul Coro

Monday, Nov. 29 \| 8 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| Gersten Pavilion

	LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS (4-2)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (5-1)

WATCH: WCC Network \| LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic \| STATS: View

LOS ANGELES – Gabe McGlothan for Grand Canyon, but starting Monday night at Loyola Marymount would accentuate his collegiate career shift.

McGlothan is expected to start his sixth consecutive game for the first time in his career at LMU, going from the defined role of bench energizer last season to a reliable fixture of the first five in this season's 5-1 start.

Gabe McGlothan

The Lopes junior power forward's playing time has bumped from 16.8 minutes last season to 27.0 this season, when foul trouble has kept it from being more.

McGlothan picked up third and fourth fouls on offensive fouls early in Saturday's second half, but he played the final six minutes without fouling out to allow him to make the shot that gave the Lopes a three-point lead in the final minute.

"Last year, with Ash (Asbjorn Midtgaard) and Ale (Alessandro Lever) being in front and leading the way, my job was to know what to do coming in, see where to fix things, complement our second group and bring a lot of energy," said McGlothan, a graduate of Basha High School in crosstown Chandler. "This is a different thing. Now, I can't sit on the bench and think. I have to get locked in way earlier and starts us off with that energy."

McGlothan's energy was off the charts in the Lopes' exhibition game, when he made eight turnovers. He came off the bench in the regular-season opener and has started since then, averaging 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game with 50% shooting on the season.

McGlothan found scoring success from the post three times before leaving with foul trouble Saturday. When a GCU play broke down late in the game, McGlothan created a face-up shot on the extended right post for a 59-56 lead with 58 seconds remaining.

"I'm not much of a one-on-one player, but that's definitely where I want to get to," McGlothan said. "I was excited about that shot. Hoopers hoop at the end of the game. The tough rise. Nuna (junior guard Jovan Blacksher Jr.) hit two great shots and our team locked up on defense the last four minutes. If we repeat that, we're going to be solid."

GCU looks to roar back at Lions

It took 36 minutes to get there, but GCU head coach Bryce Drew would like to bottle up the final four minutes of Saturday's win at Pepperdine to pour again Monday night at LMU.

The Lopes did not make a turnover or allow a field goal to pull out the 59-56 win against the Waves.

"We executed better, made some shots and locked in defensively," Drew said. "The question coming in is 'Can we sustain it for 40 minutes?' We've played well in stretches and then we haven't for stretches. Against LMU, with the depth and quality of players they have, you're going to have to play a 40-minute game."

Before that clean finish, GCU committed a season-high 17 turnovers with seven offensive fouls and three traveling calls.

"The good thing, looking at a lot of them, is you hope they're correctable as the season goes on," Drew said.

Lope tracks

Blacksher made 17 assists with only two turnovers in 103 minutes of play over the past three games. He ranks 32nd nationally for assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.57 to 1.
Blacksher has scored in double figures in 10 consecutive games and made a 3-pointer in eight consecutive games, dating back to last season. His previous longest streaks were six games for both categories.
GCU ranks fourth nationally for rebound margin (plus-16.3 per game) and offensive rebounds per game (16.3). LMU's rebound margin is minus-1.5 per game.
In Stan Johnson's first year as LMU head coach, the Lions went 13-9 last season and finished in the West Coast Conference's top three for the first time since 2005-06. The NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) ranking put LMU at No. 95, its best final ranking since its 1990 Elite Eight season.
LMU guard Joe Quintana has led the Lions' 4-2 start to this season with 18.0 points per game while ranking fifth in the nation with 4.2 made 3-pointers per game. The 6-foot-2 senior has shot 51% from 3-point range and not missed a free throw (21 for 21). "He is shooting as well as anybody in the country right now."
The Lions make 16.7 turnovers per game, the nation's 31st-highest rate, but also have opponents averaging 15.8 turnovers per game.