GCU heads to Texas to face UTA, UTRGV

Thursday, January 12

Arlington, Texas

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

UT Arlington

1/11/2023 11:38:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Lopes look to extend 3-game winning streak

By: Nick Macdonald


Grand Canyon Lopes (11-4, 3-1 WAC)	at	UT Arlington Mavericks (7-9, 1-3 WAC)	UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (7-8, 1-3 WAC)
		Thursday, Jan. 12 6 p.m. (Phoenix time)	Saturday, Jan. 14 3 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Game Notes		Watch Live Stats	Watch Live Stats

GCU heads on the road for two straight games in the state of Texas, at UT Arlington on Thursday and at UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday. The Lopes look to extend a three-game winning streak as they sit a half-game back from first-place Southern Utah at the top of the WAC standings.

5 NOTES ABOUT THE LOPES

GCU ranks second in the nation in steals per game (14.8), fourth in turnovers forced per game (24.4) and 13th in turnover margin (plus-6.5). It has registered double-digit steals in 14 of 15 games and has forced double-digit turnovers in every contest, including seven games of 25 or more.
Keeping in the theme of defense, the Lopes rank 25th in the country and second in the WAC in 3-point defense (26%). GCU is holding opponents to 18.2% from beyond the arc in WAC play, with teams going a combined 17 of 92. Stephen F. Austin, which leads the conference in 3-point percentage (38.5%) was held to 4-of-20 shooting from deep in GCU's 74-70 win on Saturday.
Graduate forward Evan Zars achieved a milestone Saturday vs. SFA, grabbing the 1,000th rebound for her career. Zars surpassed 1,000 career points earlier this season and became the sixth active player in Division I to record 1,000 career points and rebounds.
GCU has been active on the glass, averaging 39.5 rebounds per game (fifth in WAC) and 14.5 offensive boards, ranking 36th in the country and second in the nation. Of its 82 rebounds in the past three games, 41 have been offensive with Tiarra Brown collecting 10 offensive boards to total 22 rebounds in that stretch.
Head coach Molly Miller ranks third in the nation in winning percentage (.859), tallying a 231-38 record in six seasons at Drury and four at GCU. She trails only UConn head coach Geno Auriemma (.884) and LSU head coach Kim Mulkey (.860) among active head coaches who have competed in three or more seasons.

20-POINT EFFORT GUIDES WIN VS. SFA

Junior forward Tiarra Brown has shown her offensive skills and rebounding abilities through the first four games of conference play, averaging 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while adding six steals and a block against WAC opposition. Brown led all scorers and finished two shy of her career high on Saturday vs. Stephen F. Austin, recording 20 points, five rebounds and two assists on 8-of-12 shooting. She aided a Lopes team that shot 48.1% from the floor and 41.2% from 3-point range. Brown is the team's leading scorer with 10.3 points per game and averages 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals. She has 10 games of five or more rebounds this season, including in each of her past six games.

A TOUGH GO FROM 3 FOR OPPONENTS

The Lopes have have stepped up perimeter defense in WAC play and enter the weekend 26th in the country and second in the conference in 3-point percentage defense (26%).
In WAC play, opponents have combined to shoot 18.5% from deep (17 of 92). Stephen F. Austin, which was the WAC's best 3-point shooting team, was held to 4-of-20 shooting (20%) on 3s and went 0 for 10 in the second and third quarters combined.

SCOUTING REPORT

UT Arlington enters Thursday at 7-9 overall and 1-3 in WAC play. It is 5-2 at home, including 1-1 vs. WAC teams at home this season.
The Mavericks were selected to finish second in the WAC Preseason Coaches' Poll with graduate forward Starr Jacobs tabbed as the WAC Media Preseason Player of the Year. Jacobs and teammates Jireh Washington (second team) and Kayla White (second team) were named to the coaches' Preseason All-WAC.
UTA is seventh in the country in free throw attempts per game, averaging 24 from the charity stripe per contest. They're shooting 65.1% (250 of 384) from the line.
Jacobs leads the team and the conference with 16.2 points per game. She has scored in double figures in 14 of 16 games, including a season-best 28 last Saturday vs. Abilene Christian. She is also the team's leading rebounder (6.8 per game) and is tied with GCU's Aaliyah Collins for first in the conference in steals with 44.
White is averaging 13.5 points and 3.4 rebounds and is the team's best 3-point shooter at 35.3%.
Washington has averages of 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-high 3.3 assists per game.
UT Rio Grande Valley enters the weekend 7-7 overall and 1-2 in the WAC. It is 4-3 at home and 0-2 against conference teams at UTRGV Fieldhouse. The Vaqueros play Tarleton on the road Thursday before hosting the Lopes on Saturday afternoon.
The Vaqueros are 17th in the nation in 3-point attempts per game (26.4) and 61st in 3-pointers per game (7.6). Those numbers rank second in the WAC.
Iyana Dorsey leads the team and is second in the conference with 16.0 points per game. She has nine double-digit scoring games this year with a pair of 30-point performances, including 31 points on 13 of 15 from the free throw line Saturday at UT Arlington. That performance aided her in winning WAC Player of the Week.
Deborah Ogayemi is the team's leading rebounder with 7.5 per contest. With 36 of her 82 boards on offense, the team is 44th in the country and third in the WAC in offensive boards per game. Ogayemi is also averaging 10.3 points per game.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes return home for a Thursday night game against New Mexico State on Jan. 19 before going back on the road to California Baptist on Jan. 21.
Thursday's game starts at 6 p.m. (Phoenix time) with live coverage on ESPN+.