Busy week returns to GCU Arena

Wednesday, November 9

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

San Diego Christian

Tickets

11/8/2022 4:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

GCU Notes

Lopes follow up comeback win with Wednesday home game

By: Paul Coro

Wednesday, Nov. 9 \| 7 p.m. \| GCU Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN HAWKS	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (1-0)

WATCH: FOX 10 Xtra (Ch. 45, Cable 9), ESPN+ \| LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic \| STATS: View

There were few teams willing to challenge themselves in a season opener to the degree Grand Canyon did Monday night with Big Sky favorite Montana State.

The Lopes escaped their season's entrance exam with a comeback win and a list of lessons longer than their Santa Claus lists. Rallying from a 19-point, second-half hole was exhilarating, but GCU aims to emerge Wednesday night with a pace better than Monday's first-half sleepwalk.

The Lopes face San Diego Christian at 7 p.m. in GCU Arena as they use the game against the NAIA visitor to build toward a significant road test Saturday at Nevada.

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.

"We said in the locker room that we don't want to get used to this," GCU junior point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. said after the comeback. "This is an example of who we are and who we can be, but we don't want to get comfortable playing like that. Second half, yes, but not the whole game."

The Lopes expect to shore up several areas, although head coach Bryce Drew's defense backed up having the second-best defensive field goal percentage in the nation over the past two seasons. After ranking 31st nationally for shooting last season, Montana State made 38% of its shots against GCU. However, the Lopes bench went 2 for 11, and sophomore guard Ray Harrison (eight points) is still warming up to his new home.

"We know what we play like in practice, but we have yet to show it on the court," said junior power forward Gabe McGlothan, whose eight-point, four-rebound second half helped turn the tide.

"We got punched in the mouth right from the start, but our team didn't quit. We just kept going to each other, finding ways to win, really toughening up and trying to get the W."

Surprise debuts

After redshirting last season, wing players Kobe Knox and Casey Shaw knew their GCU time was coming but never imagined debuts in the fashion that unfolded Monday night.

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

With the Lopes trailing 36-19 at halftime, Drew turned to Knox and Shaw to start the second half and help shift momentum.

"Coach Drew told us at halftime, 'I need five guys that want to play,' " said Shaw, Drew's nephew and assistant coach Casey Shaw's son. "He looked at Kobe and said, 'Will you play hard for me?' Kobe said, 'Yeah.' And then he looked at me and said, 'Shaw, will you play hard for me?' I said, 'Of course.' I just wanted to set the tone for the rest of the guys and I think it worked. It was all about giving effort and picking each other up."

Knox, who was recently cleared from knee surgery rehabilitation, and Shaw started the second half with original starters Blacksher, McGlothan and junior power forward Yvan Ouedraogo.

Shaw made a 3-pointer off McGlothan's dribble-handoff assist and Knox blocked a jump shot 17 seconds later to start the energy flip that built into a 41-18 second half for GCU.

"To God be all the glory," Shaw said. "He's been so good to me with where I'm at in life right now. The work always shows. I'm in the gym a lot."

Lope tracks

San Diego Christian is 1-0 after beating Saint Katherine 77-73 and lost exhibition games at No. 19 San Diego State (102-52) and at CSU Bakersfield (68-35).
Senior 6-foot-6 forward Greg Chew posted 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds in the Hawks' win.
GCU graduate forward Noah Baumann ranks 10th in the nation for career 3-point percentage (42.8%) among active Division I players. He and Pacific's Luke Avdalovic are the only active DI players who have made at least 200 3-pointers with at least 40% accuracy.
Blacksher reached 1,119 career points on Monday night to pass Kevin Warren, the Big Ten commissioner, on the Lopes' all-time scoring list.
Monday's win came after trailing by 19 points to tie for the largest comeback in GCU's Division I history.
GCU was ranked No. 79 in the nation by CBS Sports and No. 11 in the Mid-Major Top 25.