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
Rapid Recap: ASU 67, GCU 62
12/9/2021 7:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Scoring struggles leave Lopes playing catch-up to Sun Devils
TEMPE, Ariz. – Grand Canyon had the fortitude to keep coming back on Arizona State on Thursday night, but the Lopes never had enough to come all the way back in a 67-62 loss in front of 11,391 dual-faction fans at Desert Financial Arena.
On a night when the Lopes (8-2) only shot 31.5% and the Sun Devils were worse at 31.1%, GCU never led but had plenty of fight to rally continuously in a raucous atmosphere with two home crowds. In the second half, the Lopes trailed 40-29 but had the margin down to 42-41 six minutes later on a 3-pointer from guard and ASU graduate transfer Holland Woods II.
The Sun Devils stretched the lead back out to nine at 57-48 on a follow with 3:08 remaining, but the Lopes tried to make one last push with several sections drenched in purple. GCU junior power forward Gabe McGlothan, playing after being ill this week, summoned the strength to score 11 consecutive points that came too late.
McGlothan's run put the Lopes lead at 63-59 with 6.6 seconds remaining and Woods ended with a 3 that put the margin at 65-62, but the Sun Devils' Marreon Jackson made six consecutive free throws down the stretch to close out the win.
Woods scored a game-high 20 points and added seven rebounds while junior point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half and grabbed six rebounds. The Lopes held an opponent to less than 40% percent shooting for the seventh time, but lost while doing it for the first time.
ASU won the game by setting a GCU Division I-era opponent record with 13 blocked shots, outscoring GCU 25-5 on fastbreaks and made 26 of 28 free throws.
GCU's throng on the building's north side was stirred in the second half after the Lopes had gone more than five minutes without scoring and had its largest deficit at 40-29. The Lopes went on a 12-2 run with Blacksher scoring seven in a row and Woods hitting a 3 to pull GCU within one for the only time in the second half with 9:15 to go.
The Lopes pulled within one possessions four more times, but ASU never lost the lead on Kimani Lawrence's 14-point, 14-rebound night.
The teams' offenses could not match the fervor in the building in the first half, when GCU especially struggled to score with 25% percent shooting and eight turnovers. The Lopes' defense gave them every chance to get back in the game and GCU did at one point when it rattled off 11 points in less than two minutes with nine of the points coming from graduate guard and ASU transfer Holland Woods II.
In the other 18 minutes of the first half, the Lopes only managed 13 points on 5-of-29 shooting. The Sun Devils' length bothered the Lopes around the rim and GCU's cold perimeter shooting gave ASU no reason not to pack the paint.
The Sun Devils blocked seven first-half shots, but their aggression got them into first-half foul trouble. GCU reached the double bonus with 5:23 remaining in the half but never earned a return trip to the free throw line to capitalize on it.
Meanwhile, ASU went 14 of 15 from the free throw line to lead 33-24 at halftime despite only shooting 30% from the field. As frustrating as GCU was with 2-for-12 shooting from 3-point range in the first half, ASU was worse by going 1 for 12 on 3-pointers but bailed itself out with a 14-2 advantage on fastbreaks by halftime.
Return to gculopes.com for Paul Coro's full game recap with comments from Bryce Drew and players.
On a night when the Lopes (8-2) only shot 31.5% and the Sun Devils were worse at 31.1%, GCU never led but had plenty of fight to rally continuously in a raucous atmosphere with two home crowds. In the second half, the Lopes trailed 40-29 but had the margin down to 42-41 six minutes later on a 3-pointer from guard and ASU graduate transfer Holland Woods II.
The Sun Devils stretched the lead back out to nine at 57-48 on a follow with 3:08 remaining, but the Lopes tried to make one last push with several sections drenched in purple. GCU junior power forward Gabe McGlothan, playing after being ill this week, summoned the strength to score 11 consecutive points that came too late.
McGlothan's run put the Lopes lead at 63-59 with 6.6 seconds remaining and Woods ended with a 3 that put the margin at 65-62, but the Sun Devils' Marreon Jackson made six consecutive free throws down the stretch to close out the win.
Woods scored a game-high 20 points and added seven rebounds while junior point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half and grabbed six rebounds. The Lopes held an opponent to less than 40% percent shooting for the seventh time, but lost while doing it for the first time.
ASU won the game by setting a GCU Division I-era opponent record with 13 blocked shots, outscoring GCU 25-5 on fastbreaks and made 26 of 28 free throws.
GCU's throng on the building's north side was stirred in the second half after the Lopes had gone more than five minutes without scoring and had its largest deficit at 40-29. The Lopes went on a 12-2 run with Blacksher scoring seven in a row and Woods hitting a 3 to pull GCU within one for the only time in the second half with 9:15 to go.
The Lopes pulled within one possessions four more times, but ASU never lost the lead on Kimani Lawrence's 14-point, 14-rebound night.
The teams' offenses could not match the fervor in the building in the first half, when GCU especially struggled to score with 25% percent shooting and eight turnovers. The Lopes' defense gave them every chance to get back in the game and GCU did at one point when it rattled off 11 points in less than two minutes with nine of the points coming from graduate guard and ASU transfer Holland Woods II.
In the other 18 minutes of the first half, the Lopes only managed 13 points on 5-of-29 shooting. The Sun Devils' length bothered the Lopes around the rim and GCU's cold perimeter shooting gave ASU no reason not to pack the paint.
The Sun Devils blocked seven first-half shots, but their aggression got them into first-half foul trouble. GCU reached the double bonus with 5:23 remaining in the half but never earned a return trip to the free throw line to capitalize on it.
Meanwhile, ASU went 14 of 15 from the free throw line to lead 33-24 at halftime despite only shooting 30% from the field. As frustrating as GCU was with 2-for-12 shooting from 3-point range in the first half, ASU was worse by going 1 for 12 on 3-pointers but bailed itself out with a 14-2 advantage on fastbreaks by halftime.
Return to gculopes.com for Paul Coro's full game recap with comments from Bryce Drew and players.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballGCU Men's Basketball vs. Fresno State - Postgame Radio with Bryce Drew
Wednesday, March 11
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Fresno State - Postgame Radio with Brian Moore Jr.
Wednesday, March 11
What's Ahead for the Mountain West Tournament?
Monday, March 09
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Fresno State - Postgame with Dusty Stromer, Brian Moore Jr.
Sunday, March 08