Lopes look to bounce back at home Saturday

Saturday, January 28

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Abilene Christian

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1/27/2023 2:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GCU hosts Abilene Christian at 2 p.m.

By: Nick Macdonald

Saturday, Jan. 28 \| 2 p.m. \| GCU Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	ABILENE CHRISTIAN WILDCATS (10-9, 4-4 WAC)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (14-6, 6-3 WAC)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: LINK

THIS GAME

Grand Canyon closes out a two-game homestand Saturday with Abilene Christian at 2 p.m.
GCU looks to avenge a three-point loss to Southern Utah on Wednesday night. The loss was only the Lopes' third at home this season and their second in January. GCU is 5-2 this month.
The Lopes look to avoid back-to-back home losses for the first time under head coach Molly Miller and for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The last time GCU dropped two straight at GCU Arena was February 2019 vs. CSU Bakersfield and Kansas City.

5 NOTES ABOUT THE LOPES

GCU ranks third in the nation in steals per game (13.4), sixth in turnovers forced per game (22.4) and 21st in 3-point percentage defense (26.7%). The Lopes have forced 15-plus turnovers in 17 of 20 games this season.
Three players are averaging double figures in WAC play, including Naudia Evans (14.5), Tiarra Brown (11.5), and Olivia Lane (10.8). Evans' average ranks ninth in the league, while her overall 2.19-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio is first in the WAC and 46th in the nation.
GCU is one of four teams in the conference to have two players in the top 15 in rebounds per game in conference play. Evan Zars (6.8) and Olivia Lane (6.1) rank ninth and 15th, respectively, among the conference's top rebounders. The duo's 116 rebounds combined in WAC play attest for 32.6% of the team's rebounds against league foes.
The Lopes rank 21st in the country and first in the WAC in 3-point defense, holding opponents to 26.7% from 3-point range. Of the nine conference games played, only once has a team eclipsed better than 30% from deep. Wednesday against Southern Utah, GCU held the Thunderbirds to 22.2% from 3 on 4-of-18 shooting. Of GCU's 13 home games, opponents have averaged 25.1% from 3 with only four teams recording above 30% for the game.
Head coach Molly Miller ranks third in the nation in winning percentage (.854), tallying a 234-40 record in six seasons at Drury and four at GCU. She trails only UConn head coach Geno Auriemma (.885) and LSU head coach Kim Mulkey (.860) among active head coaches who have competed in four seasons.

LOCKDOWN DEFENSE FROM COLLINS

Sophomore guard Aaliyah Collins ranks second in the WAC in steals (53) and steals per game (2.65). She ranks 23rd and 30th in the nation in those categories, respectively.
Collins has recorded three or more steals 12 times this season with three games of five or more. She has tallied a steal in 17 of 20 games played and has 20 against WAC competition.
A transfer from Chicago State who played in the WAC, Collins totaled 65 steals for he Cougars last season with 34 in conference play.
GCU is third in the nation in steals per game (13.4). It has registered 10-plis steals in 16 of 20 games with seven games of 15 or more.

KRUEGER STEPPING UP IN WAC PLAY

Freshman guard/forward Emma Krueger has showcased her rebounding and defensive abilities. Since WAC play started Dec. 29, the Topeka, Kansas,, native is 18th in the conference with 5.6 rebounds per game vs. WAC opponents.
Krueger had a career day Jan. 14 at UT Rio Grande Valley, grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds while adding six points, four assists and two steals in the 61-52 win. The 14 rebounds vs. the Vaqueros are the most in a game among WAC freshmen.
All of Krueger's game averages have doubled in conference play, with her 19 steals ranking second on the team and 16 assists coming in third on the squad. She is also shooting 40% from 3-point range.

SCOUTING REPORT

The Wildcats (10-9, 4-4 WAC) most recently played New Mexico State in Las Cruces, falling 69-61 on Thursday evening.
ACU is 2-7 on the road, inclluding a 2-3 road mark against WAC teams.
The Wildcats enter as the conference's leading 3-point shooting team (34th in NCAA), averaging 8.1 makes per game. Its' 25.8 3-point attempts per game are 20th most in the nation and second most in the WAC.
ACU is shooting 44.6% from the floor, second best in the conference. It has shot under 40% twice this year, with its lowest shooting percentage in conference play at 41.4% at Tarleton on Dec. 29.
Madi Miller leads the team with 12.6 points per game and is shooting 37.5% on 3s. Her 3-point percentage is second in the WAC while her 48 made 3s is the most in the conference.

LAST TIME THEY MET

These two teams met for the third time ever and first time as WAC opponents a year ago, when GCU won 74-69 in Abilene.
Dominique Phillips scored 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting with a trio of 3-pointers in 19 minutes. Tiarra Brown also had seven points and five rebounds in the win.
The home game at GCU Arena is the first between the schools in the series.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes take a week off and next play Saturday, Feb. 4, at New Mexico State.
GCU defeated the Aggies 69-62 in overtime on Jan. 19. Entering Saturday, both teams hold a 6-3 conference record to tie for fourth place in the WAC standings.