Rise reaches program-high NET ranking at No. 31

The greatest start in Grand Canyon's Division I history is translating into the program's best national rankings by the week.

NCAA NET

Two weeks ago, the initial NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings debuted GCU at a program-best No. 58. After a statement week of wins vs. then-No. 25 San Diego State and at Liberty, the Lopes shot to No. 37 and kept rising this week to No. 31 with an exclamatory 91-63 win against Portland in Saturday's Colangelo Classic at Footprint Center.

GCU ranks ahead of every Pac-12 program except No. 2 Arizona with its first 9-1 start since 2005, when it was a Division II program. The Lopes play at home Wednesday night against Sam Houston for a chance at their first 10-1 start since the 1995-96 season, when they went 19-1 before taking their second loss.

"It's a blessing at the start of the year," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "You know how some of these games can go either way."

The Lopes also picked up 13 voting points in Monday's USA Today Coaches Poll for the seventh most points outside of the top 25. GCU earned two voting points for the Associated Press top 25. NCAA March Mandess' Power 36 ranking puts the Lopes at No. 35 in the nation.

GCU is one of 22 programs in the nation that has won at least 90% of its games this season. The Lopes boast the nation's 15th-leading scorer, senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster, with 21.2 points per game and rank third nationally as a team for free throws made per game (20.8).

NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings — Dec. 18
Rank	Team	Record
1.	Houston	11-0
2.	Arizona	8-1
3.	Purdue	10-1
4.	BYU	10-1
5.	UConn	10-1
6.	Iowa State	9-2
7.	Marquette	9-2
8.	Tennessee	8-3
9.	Creighton	9-2
10.	Oklahoma	10-0
11.	Florida Atlantic	9-2
12.	Alabama	6-4
13.	Kansas	9-1
14.	Illinois	8-2
15.	Clemson	9-1
16.	Indiana State	9-1
17.	Baylor	8-1
18.	Wisconsin	8-3
19.	Auburn	8-2
20.	Colorado State	9-1
21.	Texas A&M	7-4
22.	Princeton	9-1
23.	Virginia	9-1
24.	Duke	7-3
25.	San Diego State	7-2
26.	James Madison	9-0
27.	Kentucky	8-2
28.	New Mexico	10-1
29.	Utah State	9-1
30.	Dayton	8-2
31.	Grand Canyon	9-1
32.	Ohio State	9-2
33.	Utah	8-2
34.	Memphis	8-2
35.	Mississippi State	9-2
36.	Gonzaga	8-2
37.	North Carolina	8-2
38.	Colorado	8-3
39.	Cincinnati	7-2
40.	Pittsburgh	4-2

🚨 NEW #Power36 from @TheAndyKatz 👇

1. Purdue
2. Kansas
3. UConn
4. Arizona
5. Houston
6. Marquette
7. Oklahoma
8. Kentucky
9. Creighton
10. North Carolina

📰: https://t.co/CNQiWfg0dY pic.twitter.com/jpD2QtCtZw
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) December 18, 2023

NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings — Dec. 18

Players Mentioned

Tyon Grant-Foster

Grand Canyon University Athletics