Bench re-enters for impact vs. North Dakota State

Saturday, Nov. 25 \| 6 p.m. \| GCU Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	NORTH DAKOTA STATE BISON (4-2)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (3-1)

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Josh Baker has started 38 games. Sydney Curry has started 37 games. Lök Wur started in the NIT last season. And Isaiah Shaw is playing his first college season.

The Grand Canyon bench is built different than most. But like the entire team, the reserve unit is still finding its identity as the Lopes take a 3-1 record into Saturday's 6 p.m. game against North Dakota State (4-2), a team coming off five consecutive Summit League Tournament championship appearances.

In two season-opening blowout wins, the GCU bench was a major factor as an extension of the starting lineup's good work and the reserves enjoyed extended playing time for doing so.

In two tightly contested, high-level games at the Arizona Tip-off in Glendale last weekend, the GCU bench's impact and playing time lessened to the point where the four reserves' only scoring in in the 1-1 tourney were the four points that Curry recorded Sunday against South Carolina.

"Part of it is we have to give them more minutes and opportunity to produce," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "Those games just got in a certain rhythm with our starters. Those games were at such a high level and every possession was so valuable that those five guys got locked together.

"They're confident players. They've produced in the past, and they'll produce again."

One of the expected hallmarks of this season's GCU team was its depth, although chemistry and roles would need game time to be sorted. Curry (Louisville) and Wur (Oregon) transferred from other programs this summer, while Shaw is coming off a redshirt season for a knee injury and Baker spent the entire offseason rehabilitating after May shoulder surgery.

Lok Wur

"We definitely can come in the game and bring energy," Wur said. "A few of us come in the game, and there's no drop-off. We can maintain what we've got going. With me, Syd, Isaiah and Bake, we come in and provide a spark for our team."

That ability was clear in the first two victories with Shaw's 3-point shooting ability (5 for 9 in those games), Curry's power (11 for 14 from the field in those games), Wur's two-way versatility and Baker's on-ball defense and experience providing backcourt depth.

But that GCU bench quartet went from playing 146 minutes in the first two games to 79 minutes in the next two games with fewer impact chances.

"We have a lot of firepower with the starters," Shaw said. "Our goal coming off the bench is for us to hit them with the second punch. We want to give them another big blow, take the lead and wear them down.

"It's almost like their team can look down and think, 'Man, they've got another guy coming off the bench who can knock down a shot?' I can hit a 3. Lok comes in and gets a big block or a steal. Sydney buries a guy in the post. We can keep rotating guys and really have an effect on the other team and wear them down."

The Lopes have even more experience on the way in Jovan Blacksher Jr., the graduate point guard and four-year starter who is finishing his rehabilitation following knee surgery on a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Eventually adding an All-WAC first-team talent will shift roles and rotations again, as it did when Baker debuted in this season's second game.

"Not many teams can have pretty talented players come off the bench and give the look that we do," Wur said. "We've got a lot of size and length coming off the bench, and it's a different look than the starters and a different aspect for teams to prepare for."

Saturday's game will be the Lopes' final preparation before an early WAC start, a two-game conference slate next week because the WAC schedule expanded to 20 games. GCU plays at UT Rio Grande Valley next Wednesday.

"Our coaching staff was more excited for this week of practice than any other because now we've seen our team play for four games, and it gives us a much better indication on things moving forward," Drew said.

Lope tracks

GCU and North Dakota State are meeting for the first time in the programs' histories.
The Lopes rank third nationally with 22.8 made free throws per game.
North Dakota State ranks seventh nationally for least fouls per game at 13.0.
GCU senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster ranks 19th nationally with 21.2 points per game.
The Lopes rank 16th nationally for rebound margin at plus-11.8 per game.
Bison senior guard Boden Skunberg averages a team-high 14.5 points and 5.2 rebounds with 39% 3-point shooting.
North Dakota State 10-year coach David Richman has won 60% of his games (179-116).
The Bison shoot 38.3% from 3-point range to rank 50th in the nation.
North Dakota State averages 10.0 turnovers per game, the 39th-lowest average in the nation.

Saturday, Nov. 25 | 6 p.m. | GCU Arena | Phoenix, Ariz.

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Players Mentioned

Josh Baker

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Sydney Curry

Tyon Grant-Foster

Isaiah Shaw

Lök Wur

Grand Canyon University Athletics