Lopes host 2-day, 4-team event starting Friday

Friday, November 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

2:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

North Dakota

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11/23/2022 3:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes

Lindenwood, Manhattan, North Dakota partake in tournament

By: Nick Macdonald


Grand Canyon Lopes (3-0)	vs.	North Dakota Fighting Hawks (2-2)	Lindenwood Lions (0-3)
		Friday, Nov. 25 2:30 p.m.	Saturday, Nov. 26 2:30 p.m.
Game Notes		Watch Live Stats	Watch Live Stats

The Grand Canyon women's basketball teams hosts the Thanksgiving Classic for the second consecutive season. This year's field includes Lindenwood, Manhattan, and North Dakota for two games each on Friday and Saturday afternoons. The Lopes will face North Dakota on Friday and Lindenwood on Saturday.

AT A GLANCE

GCU hosts the Thanksgiving Classic on Friday and Saturday afternoons as Lindenwood, Manhattan, and North Dakota partake in the weekend tournament.
It is the fourth Thanksgiving weekend tournament hosted by GCU since the program entered the Division I era for 2013-14. GCU is 5-1 all-time in the Thanksgiving Classic and have won three straight in the tournament.

5 NOTES ABOUT THE LOPES

Through three games, the Lopes rank at the top in steals per game (20.7) and turnovers forced per game (30.7), ranking first and second in the nation, respectively.
Three players are averaging double figures for scoring, with junior Tiarra Brown and sophomore Naudia Evans averaging 11.7 and graduate student Evan Zars at 10.3. Zars is near a double-double average with 8.7 rebounds per contest.
GCU has dished out at least 15 assists in each of its three games played, including a DI-era record 30 in its season opener vs. Arizona Christian. Its average of 21.0 assists per game ranks fourth in the country.
The Lopes are averaging 83.7 points per game, the most under head coach Molly Miller.
GCU had 12 players in the scoring column in its 79-41 victory at Nicholls. The bench has accounted for 41.5% of its scoring this season.

1ST ROAD TEST COMPLETE WITH A W

GCU went on the road for the first time this season Nov. 18 at Nicholls in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and defeated the Colonels 79-41. The Lopes had 12 players scorer and forced 33 turnovers.
The victory moved the Lopes to a 3-0 start for the second time under Miller. A win over North Dakota would move them 4-0 for the second time under Miller and a victory over Lindenwood would put the Lopes 5-0 for the first time in program history.

EFFICIENT FROM THE FLOOR

GCU has shot the ball well through three games, ranking second in the WAC in field goal percentage (46.3%). Four players with 40 or more minutes played this season are shooting 50.0% or better from the field, led by Brown, who is 12th in the country shooting 68.0% overall.
Brown went 6 for 6 at Nicholls, including 5 of 5 in the second half. She went 7 of 14 vs. Grambling and 4 of 5 in the home opener vs. Arizona Christian. Not far back from her is Zars, who is 14 of 21 (66.7%) from the field. Senior Dominique Phillips (58.8%) and freshman Alaina Harper (50.0%) also are shooting 50% or better.
Evans has made a 3 in each of her last three games and is 6 of 9 from 3-point land, ranking third in the country with a 66.7% 3-point shooting.

SCOUTING REPORT

The Fighting Hawks are 2-2 with both wins at home. It defeated Detroit Mercy (70-61) and Wyoming (67-55) while dropping two straight to Montana State and Montana.
One of the nation's top scorers enters the tournament in Kacie Borowicz, who is averaging 23.5 points per game. Her points per game is 13th in the country while her 92 field goals attempted is sixth. She is also 34th in the nation in assists per game (5.5).
Borowicz scored 35 points and added five rebounds and three assists in the Fighting Hawks' last game vs. Montana.
Joli Daniger leads the squad with 8.5 rebounds per contest as she has grabbed seven or more boards in three of four games this season.
The Lions are 0-3. They previously fell to Cincinnati in its first home game of the season on Monday evening.
Lindenwood has three players averaging double figures, led by Emily Benzschawel with 13.3 per game.
Masyn McGrath is the second-leading scorer (13.0 points per game) and leading rebounder (5.0 per game) on the team. She recently had 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals vs. Cincinnati.
This season is the first season in the Ohio Valley Conference for Lindenwood.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU stays home for the Battle for State Forty Eight versus Arizona State on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m.
Single-game tickets are on sale and can be found on the schedule page with the ticket link next to the Arizona State game.
The game will be broadcast on Fox10 Xtra (Ch. 45, Cable 9) and ESPN+.