Lopes continue 4-game trip at Idaho on Sunday

Sunday, December 17

Moscow, Idaho

3 p.m. MST

Grand Canyon

Idaho

12/15/2023 12:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GCU looks to extend 5-game winning streak vs. Vandals

By: Nick Macdonald

Sunday, Dec. 17 \| 3 p.m. MST \| ICCU Arena \| Moscow, Idaho

	IDAHO VANDALS 4-4	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES 7-2

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: LINK \| GAME NOTES: LINK

THIS GAME

GCU closes out its four-game road trip with two games in four days, the first coming at Idaho on Sunday afternoon.
The contest is a rematch of last year's overtime game in which Idaho won, 81-78 at Global Credit Union Arena. The Lopes went 13-4 at home last season, with the Vandals being one of four teams to win in Phoenix against the Lopes.
GCU is 3-0 on the road this season with wins over North Dakota, UT Arlington and Arizona State. Idaho is 1-3 at ICCU Arena and has lost its last three games at home.

LOCKDOWN DEFENSE

Through nine games, GCU leads the WAC with a 44.4 field goal percentage and a 37.8 3-point percentage and is second with a 74.0 free throw percentage.
The Lopes have shot 40% or higher in seven games and 50% or better in three games. From 3-point range, GCU has eclipsed 33% or better in seven games with two 50% or better performances.
GCU's free throw shooting has improved as the season has gone on, starting the first five games shooting 67.7% and since has recorded a 82.3% mark over the last four games.

STORYLINES

Junior guard Trinity San Antonio has showcased her offensive abilities this season, including her ability to find open players. San Antonio is 43rd in the country (first in WAC) in assists per game (5.0) and leads the WAC in assists with 45. She has had five games with five or more assists as GCU has gone 4-1 in those contests.
GCU has been lights out from 3 this season, owning a 37.8 3-point percentage (25th in the nation, first in WAC) and has made seven or more threes in five contests. It has shot over 40% from deep four times, going 4-0 in those contests.
The Lopes have forced double-digit turnovers in every game this season and have pressured opposing offenses to 15-plus turnovers in each of their last three games. GCU has tallied 45 points off turnovers in its last three games, averaging 16.7 forced turnovers per game in that stretch.
Senior Tiarra Brown has averaged 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in the last three contests. The Spanaway, Washington, native is 38 points away from 1,000 for her career. Brown is looking to become the second Lope to achieve 1,000 career points this season as graduate Shay Fano did so Dec. 2 at UT Arlington.
Head coach Molly Miller ranks fourth among active coaches in winning percentage (.844) with at least eights seasons of coaching. She trails only Kim Caldwell (Marshall), Geno Auriemma (UConn) and Kim Mulkey (LSU).
The Lopes are 41-10 at GCU Arena since Molly Miller took the helm in 2020. GCU has won at least 12 games at home in each of her three seasons in Phoenix, including a season-high 13 last season. The Lopes have 17 games at home this season, including six of the first seven regular-season contests.

SCOUTING REPORT

Idaho is 4-4 on the season and 1-3 at home. It is 0-1 vs. the WAC this season, falling to Utah Valley 66-59 in Moscow Nov. 25.
Amalie Langer is 19th in the country with a 90.9 free throw percentage. She leads the team in scoring (10.0 ppg) with 10 steals and 15 assists so far this season.
Sarah Schmitt has a 3.00 assist/turnover ratio, good for 18th in the nation and first in the Big Sky. She has 27 assists to nine turnovers and has recorded 17 assists in her last three games.
Much like GCU, Idaho's defense has held opposing offenses this season to an average of 55.4 points per game, 46th best in the country and first in the Big Sky. It has held four teams to 50 points or less this season with a season-low 40 points allowed at Hawaii Nov. 19.
The Vandals take care of the ball well, ranking 26th in the nation and second in the Big Sky with 12.9 turnovers per game. It has had 12 or fewer turnovers in four games this season including its last two games.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Sunday's matchup is a rematch of last year's overtime contest at GCU Arena. Idaho won, 81-78, in comeback fashion after being down eight with 1:33 to play in regulation.
Naudia Evans scored 18 points with 4 rebounds and 5 assists, while Tiarra Brown had 8 points and 6 points.
GCU went into halftime leading 35-25 and ended the third quarter up 54-47. Sydney Gandy made a three pointer at the buzzer to send the game into OT, and Gandy made two go ahead free throws to give the Vandals a three point lead with eight seconds to spare. A last second three point attempt was made by GCU to force double OT, but not in time as review showed it was after the horn sounded.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes stay on the road and conclude their longest road stretch of the season on Wednesday at Liberty.
The contest is the first of two in the Conference USA/WAC series. GCU will host Middle Tennessee on Dec. 30 to close out nonconference play in the second of such matchups.