Harrison's career-high 38 carries win

Wednesday, January 18

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

13-6,4-2WAC

Utah Tech

9-10,1-5WAC

Utah Tech

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg

1/18/2023 10:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score

Sophomore hits 7 from 3-point range, gets GCU's 2nd-best total of DI era

By: Paul Coro

Utah Tech had no idea what it started the first time it gave Ray Harrison a window to score on a baseline drive 70 seconds into Wednesday night's game.

The Grand Canyon sophomore guard decimated the Trailbazers with five consecutive 3-pointers after that, scored 19 points in the first half and then put that feat on repeat like a favorite gif. With another 19 points after halftime, Harrison delivered a career-high 38 points and a GCU victory because the Lopes needed all of it to outlast Utah Tech 89-85 at GCU Arena,

Harrison scored the most points by a WAC player this season and the most by a Lope against a Division I opponent since DeWayne Russell, another "Zero the Hero," scored 42 against Louisville in 2016.

"I can't even describe how I was feeling," Harrison said. "I was just doing what I was doing."

What he was doing was unstoppable for the Trailblazers, who fell victim to Harrison making a career-best seven 3-pointers on nine tries while digging into his bag of mid-range jumpers and drives.

"We definitely rode him, that's for sure," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "It really shows how you do miss that next guard. We need that next guard. Ray, Chance (McMillian), Bake (Josh Baker), Kobe (Knox), I thought they gave all they had tonight for us. I think Ray felt like he needed to score for us to be able to win. He made some tough shots there. I thought some of the 3s were really tough that he made in the first half. And then some of the pull-ups were sensational in the second half."

Tying for the 16th-highest scoring game in the nation this season, Harrison became one of five players in the nation to have at least 38 points, six rebounds and four assists in a game this season. But he did not stand alone for the Lopes to put together their highest-scoring game of the season against a Division I opponent.

After GCU (13-6, 4-2 WAC) went from fiery 3-point shooting in a home win last week to chilly perimeter results on the road, the Lopes learned where they left their bag of shots. It was at home the whole time and a return to GCU Arena relit the fire for 14-of-23 accuracy on 3-pointers, matching their most makes of the season.

Baker, a junior guard, scored a career-high 14 points with a career high for 3-pointers (4 for 5), but the game was a shootout with Utah Tech making 10 of 20 from 3-point range to keep within single digits for the entire second half.

GCU matched its largest second-half lead at 85-76 with one minute remaining and had made one second-half turnover at that point. But three consecutive turnovers off a mid-court steal and two inbound mistakes allowed Utah Tech (9-10, 1-5 WAC) to cut the lead to 85-83 with possession and 24 seconds remaining. Isolated against Trailblazers guard Isaiah Pope during his 17-point second half, Baker slid with him to force him to step on the baseline.

"I was just trying to keep him in front of me," said Baker, who scored a career-high 14 points and added a team-high five assists. "I knew he was going to try to get something downhill."

Playing without injured leading scorer Cameron Gooden for a fifth consecutive loss, Utah Tech attacked GCU on the post with 6-foot-10 Tanner Christiansen for its first seven points. Christiansen scored 16 in the first half but only five in the second half with junior power forward Gabe McGlothan joining the post defense rotation with freshman center Isaiah Carr and junior Aidan Igiehon.

"Gabe was undersized but he was there every possession," Drew said of McGlothan, who added 15 points and seven rebounds after a 24-point, eight-rebound game on Saturday.

Coming off a game in which he scored 17 but went 0 for 6 on 3-pointers, Harrison matched his season-high for made 3s in the first 10 minutes on Saturday night.

"I do have to give a shout-out to Coach Drew," Harrison said. "He always gives me good pointers because he was a sniper back in the day. He showed me a few things, and it really helped out."

Harrison logged 38 minutes, consistent with his 37.2-minute average over the past five games since point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr.'s season-ending knee injury on Jan. 5. Beginning Saturday, Harrison said he has been determined to be more aggressive, whether that means scoring, defense or playmaking, but it was his third career 30-point game that won Saturday.

At Presbyterian, his team was 3-7 in his top 10 scoring games over the past two seasons. GCU is 3-0 in his top three scoring games this season.

"The win makes it feel better," Harrison said. "The win is really all that matters. If I had 50 points and we lose, I don't care. Everybody in the locker room knows that."

GCU stays home for an important WAC clash on Saturday night, when Utah Valley (15-5, 6-1 WAC) visits GCU Arena for a 6 p.m. tip-off.