Big-man duo gets large task at Hall of Fame Classic

Monday, November 21

Kansas City, Mo. / T-Mobile Center

1 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

Wichita State

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

11/20/2022 9:57:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

KC PRACTICE PHOTOS

GCU faces Wichita State with 3-guard lineup that leans on Ouedraogo, McGlothan

By: Paul Coro

Monday, Nov. 21 \| 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| T-Mobile Center Center \| Kansas City, Mo.

	WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS (2-1)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (3-1)

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Grand Canyon recently went to a starting lineup with a three-guard look that it pledged to implement often this season.

It exploits a GCU perimeter strength but leaves heavy lifting on the interior for the remaining big men, starting juniors Gabe McGlothan and Yvan Ouedraogo, as the Lopes (3-1) enter sizable Hall of Fame Classic matchups on Monday and Tuesday.

Fortunately for GCU's Monday hopes against Wichita State at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) in Kansas City's T-Mobile Center, McGlothan and Ouedraogo are frontcourt players who can rebound with any big men while being mobile enough to keep up with guards for defensive switches and fastbreak chances.

Gabe McGlothan

"We're uniquely balanced," McGlothan said. "Our guards are aggressive, so they go and crash the glass and help us out. Ultimately, Yvan and I have to do our job, take care of the ball, post up and rebound. Rebounding is probably the main emphasis for us."

The Lopes do not have to sacrifice that battle of the boards with McGlothan and Ouedraogo, who combine to average 23 rebounds per 40 minutes of play. There are taller frontcourts, but there are few that have better rebounding knacks and pick-and-roll coverage.

They were key to GCU's 81-48 dominance of Grambling State on Friday, when McGlothan posted 10 points and nine rebounds in 16 minutes and Ouedraogo defended the Tigers' post-up threat.

Phoenix, AZ Nov. 5, 2022: GCU secures a 60-54 come from behind victory over Montana State at GCU Arena.

Phoenix, AZ Nov. 5, 2022: GCU secures a 60-54 come from behind victory over Montana State at GCU Arena.

"I like guarding the best player on the opposing team," Ouedraogo said after the team's Sunday practice at T-Mobile Center. "I'm trying to be the anchor of this team on defense."

Much like how Wichita State (2-1) must prepare for GCU's new look, the Lopes saw how the Shockers changed their lineup Thursday to win 56-53 at Richmond.

Wichita State has held opponents to 58 points per game and 37% shooting but threw in a new wrinkle Thursday, when it played more zone defense to prompt Richmond to take only 3-pointers for the game's first nine minutes. This is a Shockers program that has eight NCAA tournament trips since 2012.

"They defend at a high level," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said of the Shockers. "Their man is really aggressive, really long. Their zone was really impressive against a good-shooting Richmond team. That was an impressive road win. Hopefully, our defense holds strong and our offense plays like last game."

Like the past two seasons, GCU's defense has been stingy, too. The Lopes rank 12th nationally for points allowed per game (52.8) by keeping opponents to the 11th-lowest shooting percentage (33.0%).

But McGlothan showed he can also be a consistent complementary scorer for the Lopes with an offensive game that is more versatile. He has a developing perimeter shot but was more aggressive Friday with driving into the paint to score.

"It's something I've worked on in the summer," McGlothan said. "It can give our team a different look. It's working so far. I'm taking what the defensive is giving me. If they close short because they want to protect the drive, then I knock down the shot. If they close out hard trying to take away the shot, then drive by. Really, it's seeing what we can get in the flow of the offense."

McGlothan, Ouedraogo and the backup big men can take advantage of GCU's guard-laden team. The Lopes won Friday in a blowout despite their leader and WAC Preseason Player of the Year, Jovan Blacksher Jr., not making a shot for the first time in his four-year career.

Blacksher not only has other scorers around him in wings Ray Harrison, a sophomore, and Josh Baker, a junior, but they can initiate offense as well. With Grambling switching often on defense, that facet might become more apparent on Monday against Wichita State and Tuesday against either Northern Iowa or San Francisco.

"Having three playmakers is really going to help us because they're going to find passes and get easy baskets," Ouedraogo said. "It's going to put more pressure on us because we have to rebound more and be more active on defense, but I really like that playing style."

HOF inductions start event

The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame weekend began Sunday with the induction of seven new members and a reception that the GCU staff and players attended.

The new National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame members included coaches John Beilen, Jim Calhoun, Jerry Krause, Lon Kruger, Larry Miller and Roy Williams and players Richard Hamilton, Frank Selvy and Jimmy Walker. Calhoun and Williams were formally recognized after being part of the Hall of Fame's 2006 founding class when the College Basketball Experience opened in Kansas City.

Drew's father, Homer, was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 for his 640-win coaching career at Bethel and Valparaiso. Bryce was present for that weekend as a proud son and an ESPN analyst.

"I have great memories from here of my dad being inducted and getting to be part of the whole ceremony and event," Bryce said. "It's really cool to be back now, playing in it with GCU."