Lopes rebound, defeat Abilene Christian 68-59

Saturday, January 28

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

15-6,7-3WAC

Abilene Christian

10-10,4-5WAC

Abilene Christian

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Rachel Sollazzo

1/28/2023 5:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

2nd-half defense propels GCU to 7th WAC win

By: Nick Macdonald

The message from Grand Canyon women's basketball head coach Molly Miller heading into Saturday's game against Abilene Christian was three words: "turn the page." The Lopes indeed turned it with a bounce-back victory at GCU Arena. as they defeated the Wildcats 68-59 for its seventh WAC win of the season.

The Lopes (15-6, 7-3 WAC) entered as the conference leader in 3-point percentage defense, and despite eight first half threes from the Wildcats (10-10, 4-5 WAC), they did not allow a 3 after halftime and fueled off its defense for a 34-23 second half.

Junior forward Olivia Lane led the Lopes with 13 points off the bench while shooting 5 of 5 from the free throw line. The double-digit performance was her eighth in WAC play and 11th of the season, with her free throw percentage increasing to 84.2% in conference action. GCU junior forward Tiarra Brown had 12 points and four rebounds with sophomore guard Naudia Evans registering nine points, four rebounds and five assists.

The Lopes tallied 12 steals, their third straight game of 10 or more steals. GCU sophomore guard Aaliyah Collins led the way with four steals while adding four assists, three rebounds and seven points to her day.

Abilene Christian (10-10, 4-5 WAC) drained three of its eight 3s in the first four minutes as it led 11-4 before a Lopes timeout. GCU got back within two points later in the quarter and trailed 22-17 after one.

The Lopes tied it at 22-22 after a 3-point play from Lane early in the second. The GCU freshman duo of Alaina Harper and Ellie Buzzelle kept the Lopes close throughout the second, as Harper scored six second-quarter points while Buzzelle added a 3 to keep Abilene Christian's halftime lead to 36-34.

GCU dialed in on the offensive and defensive ends in a game-high 21-point third quarter. By limiting the Wildcats to nine points, the Lopes held an opponent to single-digit scoring in the third quarter for the second time in four days (Souther Utah had seven on Wednesday. GCU led 55-45 heading to the final quarter.

Abilene Christian began the fourth on a 5-0 run and cut the Lopes lead in half. After back-and-forth baskets, Evans' steal and 3-point fastbreak play rallied GCU to close out its 11th home victory of the season.

When the Lopes return home for three consecutive games in mid-February, GCU will looking to join Stephen F. Austin as the only WAC teams to win at least 12 home games in each season since 2020-21.

The Lopes are back in action Saturday, Feb. 4, at New Mexico State. GCU defeated the Aggies 69-62 in overtime on Jan. 19 in Phoenix.