Final road stretch starts at Sam Houston

Saturday, February 26

Huntsville, Texas

2 p.m. MT

Grand Canyon

Sam Houston

2/26/2022 7:37:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Lopes take 4-game winning streak to Huntsville to face Bearkats

By: Sierra Smith

Saturday, Feb. 26 \| 2 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| Huntsville, Texas

	SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS (13-14, 8-8 WAC)	vs	GRAND CANYON LOPES (18-7, 11-3 WAC)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: View

The Grand Canyon women's basketball team hits the road for its final three regular-season games, starting with Sam Houston in Huntsville, Texas.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

CLUTCH DOWN TO THE WIRE: GCU is 6-0 in games decided by five points or less.
NATIONAL TOP-10 STAT UPDATE: The Lopes rank second in the nation in steals per game (13.4) while also ranking fourth nationally in steals (348) and seventh in turnovers forced per game (22.54).
2ND IN THE WAC: Thursday's win kept the Lopes alone in second place with a 1 1/2-game lead on third-place California Baptist, which they swept in the regular-season series. The WAC's top two teams receive byes into the WAC Tournament semifinals.

SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON

The Bearkats (13-14, 8-8 WAC) rank sixth in the conference standings.
Since playing the Lopes in January, the Bearkats went on a seven-game win streak before falling to Abilene Christian on Feb. 27.
In the first matchup between GCU and Sam Houston, Madelyn Batista and Courtney Cleveland posted 18 and 14 points, respectively, for the Bearkats. They each also had seven rebounds apiece.
Sam Houston ranks in the top 25 nationallyor free throw atttempts (second, 629), free throws made (third, 433), offensive rebounds per game (17th, 15.3) and turnovers forced per game (24th, 20.04).
Faith Cook leads Sam Houston's scoring with 15 points per game, followed by Cleveland with 12.8 points per game, Damaya Telemaque with 11.7 and Madelyn Batista with 11.3.

LAST TIME OUT

GCU vs. Chicago State

GCU completed the regular-season sweep over the Cougars with a 73- 55 win in its final home game of the season.
Closing the chapter on a 12-3 home season came early, quelling emotions for the seven final-season Lopes when they still have three road games to play before they begin WAC Tournament play in two weeks.
The rewards came in another victory that affirmed their buy-in to the GCU way. The Lopes lead the nation in steals per game at 13.4 and stuck to that with 14 steals on Thursday night, when they made eight in the third quarter to break the game open. After the fourth consecutive win, Miller told her squad, "That's a great team," of the way it played in the third quarter.
GCU (19-7, 12-3 WAC) went on a 25-4 run that included shutting out the Cougars for a six-minute stretch that extended into the fourth quarter.
Thursday's win kept the Lopes alone in second place with a 1 1/2- game lead on third-place California Baptist, which they swept in the regular-season series. The WAC's top two teams receive byes into the tournament semifinals.
Five of the Lopes playing their final home game scored nine or more points on Thursday night. Graduate guard Amara Graham led with 11 points while graduate power forward Jay McChristine added 10 points and six rebounds. Graduate guard Chloe Akin-Otiko also scored 10 while senior forward Kennedi Shorts made her first career 3-point shot as part of her nine-point, six-rebound effort.
Graham's scoring prowess is resurfacing within the GCU system. She is shooting 55% over the past three games with a 14.4 scoring average in conference games.