4th-quarter rally fuels Lopes past UTRGV

Saturday, January 14

Edinburg, Texas

3 p.m.

Grand Canyon

13-4,5-1WAC

UT Rio Grande Valley

7-9,1-4WAC

Grand Canyon

UTRGV

1/14/2023 5:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Krueger grabs 14 boards; Lopes outscore Vaqueros 23-8 in final quarter

By: Nick Macdonald

EDINBURG, Texas – Down eight at the half and six to start the fourth quarter, Grand Canyon women's basketball rallied from its deficit with 23 fourth-quarter points to close out its two-game road trip with a come-from-behind, 61-52 victory at UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday.

The victory is the fifth straight for the Lopes, who move to 13-4 overall and 5-1 in WAC play. Since its lone loss in WAC play Dec. 29 at Utah Valley, GCU has averaged 70.4 points while allowing 61.6. Saturday's win marked the second time in the five-game winning streak that the Lopes held a team to 53 points or less. The defense held UTRGV to an opponent season low of 29.1% shooting.

Junior forward Olivia Lane led the Lopes in points with 13 in 19 minutes. She went 7 of 8 from the free throw line to aid GCU's free throw shooting percentage (73.9%, 17 of 23). Freshman Emma Krueger had a career day on the boards, securing 14 rebounds along with six points, four steals and two assists. Graduate forward Evan Zars recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

GCU got out to a 5-2 lead less than four minutes into the game. UTRGV (7-9, 1-4 WAC) ended the final six minutes of action outscoring the Lopes 12-4 to lead 14-9 at the end of the first. GCU was 3 of 15 from the floor through the first 10 minutes.

After trailing as much as 17-11 in the second quarter, back-to-back Zars layups put the Lopes within two (17-15). The Vaqueros again found a rally and outscored GCU 10-4 to end the half and lead 27-19.

The Lopes shot 26.9% from the field in the first half and converted only 1 of 7 shots from 3-point range.

Both teams found a scoring rhythm early in the third, countering each other's baskets as the Vaqueros led 39-30 with five minutes left in the third. GCU cut the lead to 44-38 with ten minutes to play.

Down 47-38 early in the fourth, GCU began its comeback with a 10-0 run, fueled by sophomore guard Naudia Evans' 3 and a Lane and-one layup. The 48-47 lead was the first for the Lopes since the 6:08 mark of the first quarter. Two ties ensued, and with 3:23 remaining, both teams were at a 52-52 draw.

The Lopes defense, which forced 12 turnovers and held UTRGV to 15.4% from the floor in the fourth quarter, never let the Vaqueros score again as it ended the game on a 9-0 run to secure the win. Lane scored five of the team's nine points in that stretch, including another and-one layup in the paint.

The Lopes return home Thursday to take on New Mexico State at 6 p.m. before heading back on the road for a Saturday contest at California Baptist at 2 p.m.