GCU drops road game at NAU

Thursday, December 9

Flagstaff, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-3,0-0WAC

108

Northern Arizona

4-3,2-0Big Sky

Grand Canyon

Northern Ariz.

108

Photo by: Zach Campbell

12/10/2021 12:32:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Lopes fall 108-77 against Lumberjacks in Flagstaff

By: Sierra Smith

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The Grand Canyon women's basketball team fell to in-state foe Northern Arizona 108-77 on the road Thursday night.

Four Lopes scored in double figures, led by junior forward Dominique Phillips' 14 points. Freshman point guard Ja'Mya Powell-Smith posted 13 points, graduate forward Jay McChristine scored 12 and sophomore guard Tiarra Brown put up 10 points.

GCU (5-3) started the scoring after junior guard Taylor Caldwell dished a perfect bounce pass into the paint to find McChristine for the layup.

The next few minutes went back and forth until the 7:09 mark, when the Lumberjacks took the lead for good after connecting on the first of 12 3-pointers.

The Lopes fought back from a seven-point deficit to a one-point deficit with 2:25 to go in the first quarter before NAU went on a 7-2 run to finish the first with a 26-20 advantage.

NAU's 33-14 advantage in the second quarter put the Lopes behind by 25 points (59-34) at halftime.

The Lumberjacks (4-3) expanded their lead by outscoring GCU 23-16 in the third quarter. The Lopes had their best offensive showing in the fourth quarter with 27 points, but it was not enough to rally.

The Lumberjacks held their own against the Lopes' defense, which led the nation in turnovers forced per game (28) and steals per game (17.7) coming into the Thursday. GCU forced 16 NAU turnovers and had nine steals.

Up next, the Lopes head to Texas for the South Padre Island Classic for two games against Liberty and UT San Antonio on Dec. 17-18 before returning to GCU Arena on Dec. 23.