Lopes travel north for match at Montana

Thursday, December 8

Missoula, Mont.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Montana

12/7/2022 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GCU puts 6-1 record to test at Big Sky opponent on Thursday night

By: Nick Macdonald

Thursday, Dec. 8 \| 7 p.m. \| Dahlberg Arena \| Missoula, Mont.

	MONTANA GRIZZLIES (2-5)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (6-1)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: View

The Lopes travel for the second time this season, this time up north to Missoula, Montana, to play Big Sky opponent Montana Thursday at 7 p.m. (Phoenix time).
GCU will face a Big Sky opponent for the seventh time since the 2020-21 season. The Lopes are 4-2 against the Big Sky since then.
The Lopes look to win seven of their first eight games for the second time under head coach Molly Miller.
Under Miller, GCU is 13-10 in true road games since the 2020-21 season.

GCU, who finished top five nationally in steals per game in the past two seasons, has continued that trend early this season, ranking scond in steals per game (17.1).
The Lopes have been efficient from the floor, shooting 46.7% as a team to rank 28th in the nation and second in the WAC. The starting lineup of sophomores Aaliyah Collins and Naudia Evans, juniors Tiarra Brown and Sydney Palma and graduate Evan Zars has shot 51% combined in the past three games.
Zars is averaging a near double-double with 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest. Zars has recorded three double-digit rebound games and a nine-board game vs. Arizona State.
GCU ranked second in the first WAC Resume Seeding System rankings on Dec. 5. The Lopes were No. 108 in the first NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET), ranking among the nation's top 30% and third among WAC programs.
Miller ranks second in the nation in winning percentage (.866), tallying a 225-35 record in six seasons at Drury and three-plus at GCU. She trails only UConn head coach Geno Auriemma (.885) among active head coaches.

Brown and Collins have been a defensive presence this season, totaling 57 of the team's 120 steals.
Brown enters Thursday 13th nationally in steals with 24 while Collins is right behind her at 18th with 23. The two form the only teammate duo to be in the top 20 in steals per game in the nation.
The Lopes have registered four games with 15-plus steals, including 30 vs. Arizona Christian and 20 vs. Lindenwood.

GCU poses one of the country's toughest defenses, ranking second in steals per game (17.1), fourth in turnovers forced per game (26.71), fourth in turnover margin (10.71) and 33rd in scoring defense (55.1).
The Lopes have recorded double-digit steals in each of their seven games, including two games with 20-plus. GCU has forced at least 20 turnovers in each of its seven games, including two games with 30-plus forced turnovers.
The Lopes forced 27 turnovers at home vs. Kansas City, with 16 coming in the second half to pull ahead for the 61-50 victory.

Montana enters Thursday 2-5 overall with a 2-0 home record.
Thursday is the first home game for the Grizzlies since Nov. 20 vs. North Dakota. Montana finished a three-game road trip on Dec. 2 at Washington State with two prior games in the LMU Thanksgiving Classic in Los Angeles.
Of the Grizzlies' five losses, three rank in the top-100 NET rankings as of Dec. 5 (No. 47 Washington State at 47, No. 76 Colorado State and No. 84 California).
Sammy Fatkin leads the team in points per game (12.6). She also averages 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest.
Gina Marxen is second on the squad in points per game (11.4) and ranks 68th in the country and third in the Big Sky in free throw percentage (85.7).

Thursday marks the third-ever meeting between GCU and Montana, with the last on Nov. 19, 2019, in Montana.
The Grizzlies won both meetings in the series.

GCU returns home to face Columbia (Mo.) on Sunday.
Columbia is part of the American Midwest Conference in the NAIA. The Cougars received votes in the preseason NAIA top-25 rankings.
Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. (Phoenix time) on ESPN+.