Flow returns as title race hits stretch

Saturday, February 27

Seattle, Wash.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

14-5,8-2WAC

Seattle U

10-9,3-4WAC

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

2/27/2021 11:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score Drew Interview Midtgaard Interview Photo Gallery

GCU stays in 1st in WAC with 48-point 2nd half

By: Paul Coro

SEATTLE – February was not a sweetheart deal for Grand Canyon but they loved the ending.

The Lopes lost momentum without playing for 18 days and suffered their first two losses since mid-December but head to March atop the WAC with a chance to win its first regular-season conference title at home next weekend.

That happened because the Lopes defense stayed consistent long enough for its offensive arrival to overwhelm Seattle U with 61 points over the final 23 minutes of an 81-71 victory at Redhawk Center.

The Lopes (14-5, 8-2 WAC) survived a second straight sluggish start by ending the first half with a flurry and a 33-26 lead. They kicked up their tempo in a 48-point second half that saw them lead by as many as 20 and finish off a 42-21 rebounding advantage.

GCU nearly rallied from the 16-point hole that it dug in Friday night's loss at Seattle U, but the Lopes buried the Redhawks this time with ball movement and shotmaking that had been absent since an 8-0 January.

"A big relief," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "This is who we were earlier on.

"The last 30 minutes made the coaches proud and hopefully we can continue this into March."

The Lopes ended Saturday's Redhawks Center visit with revelry but began it with a more serious tone from its morning shootaround to pregame warmups. Their energy created offensive miscues early bu Asbjorn Midtgaard

t also kept Seattle U to missing 15 of its 20 shots, stalling the Redhawks until four consecutive made 3-pointers shifted the game by halftime. Freshman guard Chance McMillian hit his second at the halftime buzzer, when the Lopes used 6.1 seconds to cover the length of the floor with senior forward Sean Miller-Moore making one of his six assists to set up the 3.

That momentum survived when sophomore point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. made a 3 to start the second half and Seattle U's collapsing defense had to extend, leaving senior big men Asbjørn Midtgaard and Alessandro Lever room to post and rebound.

GCU grabbed 13 offensive rebounds to help create extra shots that made up for the ones they lost to 18 turnovers, only five of which occurred after halftime.

"We remember last night," Midtgaard said of why GCU did not repeat Friday's slow second-half start. "I think that's the biggest thing. We did not want to have that feeling after the game again, especially when you have to get back on a plane for a couple hours back to Phoenix. That's not fun. Of course, we're just determined to win.

"Even when we went on the bus this morning, we were locked in and focused. We came out here and there was not much joking around."

The Lopes' defense is no joke.

GCU has held opponents to 37.7% shooting from the field on the season, ranking behind only Houston for the lowest opponent clip in the nation. Seattle U, with the WAC's top two leading scorers, shot 35.7% and 40.0% against GCU in the weekend series.

That effort carried more weight when the Lopes went from going 6 for 17 to start the game to making 19 of their final 35 shots.

"Sometimes, the other team is really good and tonight Grand Canyon was really good," Seattle U head coach Jim Hayford said.

The Lopes had to be because the Redhawks combo of sophomore guard Darrion Trammell and junior forward Riley Grigsby scored 53 points, including their team's final 30 points.

GCU built a 61-41 lead on a 3-point from senior Mikey Dixon, who had a 10-point second half, but Trammell and Grigsby worked the lead down to 73-68 before Blacksher put the game away with four consecutive free throws.

"We really haven't played well in February so this was by far our best 30 minutes that we've played this whole month – the last 30," Drew said. "I'm just really proud of the guys and the energy and the enthusiasm they brought all night.

"Our guys really moved the ball well. We spaced it. We were able to get Ash (Midtgaard) a few more touches down there to get the free throws when he was getting fouled. I was just really pleased with our overall effort on both ends of the court."

GCU got a lift before the game started when Oscar Frayer went from leaving Friday night's game after six minutes with an ankle injury to missing Saturday's shootaround to starting Saturday night and providing quality time. It was his soaring blocked shot on Trammell in the first half that helped spark the team.

"Isn't that incredible?" Midtgaard said. "With a rolled ankle and he had to go get an X-ray and tonight he's playing. That's just commitment, isn't it, for a senior. That's what you want. That's what any team wants."

Midtgaard finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds, one off his career high for boards. It was his fifth consecutive double-double, the longest GCU streak since Killian Larson in 2013. He is one of 20 players nationally with 10 double-doubles this season after not having recorded one in three seasons at Wichita State.

Midtgaard was joined in double figures by 14 each from Lever and Dixon and a team-high 17 from Blacksher, who also had seven assists and three steals.

"We've been trying to get up and down the court," Drew said. "It requires guys really sprinting out in transition. By far, the best we've run the floor, definitely this month, especially with missing all that practice time. Jovan did a really nice job of passing ahead and getting it to guys."

The regular season concludes with a two-game home series against Utah Valley that will decide the WAC title. The Lopes and Wolverines have clinched the tournament's top two seeds, which earns them first-round byes into the March 12 semifinals at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

To win its first WAC regular-season championship outright, GCU will have to sweep Utah Valley on Friday and Saturday nights.

"Great opportunity for our guys," Drew said. "They've worked really hard since the summer. I'm really proud that we have the opportunity to play for a conference championship. You don't get that opportunity to do that many times in your lifetime. I know our guys will be excited for that, as will Utah Valley."