Vaqueros start WAC play against Lopes

Saturday, February 6

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

UT Rio Grande Valley

2/5/2021 9:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GCU heads into third conference series

By: Sierra Smith

Saturday, Feb. 6 & Sunday, Feb. 7 \| 2 p.m. & 11 a.m. \| GCU Arena

	UT Rio Grande Valley VAQUEROS (4-5, 0-0 WAC)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (11-3, 3-1 WAC)

WATCH: FOX 10 Xtra (Ch. 45 / Cable 9), GCULopes.com \| STATS: View

The Grand Canyon women's basketball team hosts UT Rio Grande Valley, who will be playing its first WAC series this season.

Saturday's game will be broadcasted on Fox 10 Xtra (Ch. 45 / Cable 9) and ESPN3. Both games will also be broadcasted on GCUTV and YouTube.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

Lopes in the top 25: The Lopes rank No. 1 in the country for opponent turnovers (26.29) and turnover margin (10.57), No. 2 in total steals per game (15.1) and total steals (211) and rank No. 33 in points per game (76.2). Freshman Katie Scott's 56.5% field goal percentage sits at No. 21 nationally.
Conference leaders: The 11-3 Lopes lead the conference in multiple team and individual stat categories including steals per game, turnover margin, opponent turnovers per game and offensive rebounds per game (13.9). Scott leads the WAC with 17.3 points per game. Sophomore Taylor Caldwell leads the conference with 3.5 steals per game, ranked No. 5 nationally. Junior Laura Piera's 2.9 steals per game ranks No. 20 in the country.
Making history: Scott made WAC history by becoming the first player in 31 years to earn WAC Player of the Week three consecutive times.
Miller's success: With a .905 career winning percentage, head coach Molly Miller has the highest of any active NCAA Division I, II or III basketball coach, men or women with at least six seasons under their belt.

SCOUTING

This will be the first WAC series being played this season for UTRGV, as COVID-19 has caused postponements for its first three scheduled conference opponents.
Two Vaqueros are averaging double-digit points including graduate student Amara Graham (16.7) and sophomore Sara Bershers (15.3).
Last game, UTRGV fell to WAC foe Tarleton in a nonconference match up 79-63 despite double-digit performances from five Vaqueros.

LAST TIME OUT

GCU completed the sweep against Tarleton to move to 3-1 in the WAC and 11-3 overall.
The Lopes forced 22 turnovers, keeping the streak going of at least 20 opponent turnovers in every game this season.
Freshman Katie Scott's 20-point performance made it the seventh game with 20-plus points this season.
Freshman Tiarra Brown recorded her second double-double of the season in game 1 against Tarleton.
Graduate student Ny'Dajah Jackson recorded a season-high seven rebounds.
Junior Tianna Brown led the team with four assists and added three steals.
Sophomore Taylor Caldwell posted 14 points, five rebounds and three assists.