Focus turns to dangerous UT Arlington visit

Saturday, December 2

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

UT Arlington

Tickets

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

12/1/2023 11:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

GCU Notes UTA Notes

Lopes' Saturday home conference opener faces Mavericks after their big WAC win

By: Paul Coro

Saturday, Dec. 2 \| 6 p.m. \| GCU Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	UT ARLINGTON MAVERICKS (4-3, 1-0 WAC)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (5-1, 1-0 WAC)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic \| STATS: View

Since the Grand Canyon schedule launched, many eyes looked ahead to Tuesday's home game against national runner-up San Diego State.

Saturday night's visitor has the Lopes eyes fixed like a statue on the immediate task at hand.

GCU has a game in front of them Saturday that requires all of its attention with UT Arlington visiting for a 6 p.m. tipoff at GCU Arena. The Mavericks (4-3, 1-0 WAC) are a buzzer shot at New Mexico away from being 5-2 and shot 57% from the field in their WAC-opening victory Wednesday night against Abilene Christian.

This is part of the anticipated growth in the Mavericks program once UT Arlington hired head coach KT Turner, who spent the past decade as an assistant at SMU, Texas, Oklahoma and Kentucky.

The Lopes (5-1, 1-0 WAC) are coming off a Wednesday night 79-69 win at UT Rio Grade Valley, where they overcame a difficult pace with 54 fouls that disqualified three GCU players.

"It's always good to win and learn, so we're looking forward to getting back in our home gym," Lopes head coach Bryce Drew said.

GCU has a short history with UT Arlington, which joined the WAC last season. The Lopes routed the Mavericks 80-48 at home but were tested in an 82-77 WAC Tournament victory in which GCU guard Ray Harrison scored 30.

UT Arlington already is looking more formidable, although it returns its top player in Valley product Shemar Wilson. The Tolleson High School graduate is averaging 16.1 points and 10.6 rebounds (14th most nationally) and is getting help from another familiar face, former New Mexico State guard DeJuan Gordon (10.3 points per game).

The Mavericks had 25 assists on 27 made field goals in beating Abilene Christian 86-71 at home Wednesday.

"Abilene Christian is an unbelievable team and we did a good job of getting paint touches and moving the ball," Turner said in his postgame press conference. "I think it's the best we've moved the ball all year. I harp on that all the time. We took good shots and we had intensity."

Lope tracks

GCU has opened WAC play at 2-0 in each of Drew's first three seasons in Phoenix. This is the Lopes' earliest conference home opener in program history.
GCU ranks third nationally for free throw attempts per game at 29.5 and are making 72% of them.
Lopes senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster ranks fifth nationally in scoring with 22.5 points per game. He leads GCU in getting to the line, shooting 7.7 free throws per contest with 74% accuracy.
After going 21 for 38 from the field in the past two games, Grant-Foster is shooting 54% and has been the Lopes' second-best rebounder at 5.8 per game after grabbing a career-high 11 boards on Wednesday.
GCU's tempo has notably increased from last season, nearly doubling its fastbreak scoring. The Lopes are averaging 15.2 fastbreak points per game this season (ranking 41st nationally) after averaging 7.7 last season (250th nationally).
The Lopes rank 17th in the nation for team blocked shots with 5.8 blocks. Seven players have blocked at least three shots this season with Grant-Foster swatting a team-best seven.
GCU junior guard Collin Moore leads the WAC with 2.5 steals per game, ranking him 29th in the nation.
Lopes senior center Sydney Curry has blocked six shots in 98 minutes after having 12 blocks over two Louisville seasons (944 minutes).
UT Arlington is outrebounding opponents by an average of 8.7 boards per game. Its margin ranks 39th nationally.
This game will only be available for viewing on ESPN+.