Finishing power snatches WAC win

Saturday, December 2

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-1,2-0WAC

UT Arlington

4-4,1-1WAC

UT Arlington

Grand Canyon

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

12/2/2023 10:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score Photo Gallery

GCU holds UT Arlington without field goal for 5-plus crunchtime minutes

By: Paul Coro

The season is not even four weeks old and Grand Canyon has navigated the art of learning lessons while winning games repeatedly well.

Just as GCU previously won despite barely leading, trailing big or being mired in fouls, the Lopes showed resolve Saturday night to wipe away a 12-point, second-half hole and overcome UT Arlington 76-69 at GCU Arena.

The Lopes (6-1) are off to a 2-0 WAC start for the fourth consecutive year under head coach Bryce Drew, whose team is winning physical games and emerging as a stingy defense in crunch time. It also marks the program's best
seven-game start against all Division I opponents.

GCU did not lead UT Arlington (4-4, 1-1 WAC) in the second half until 1:24 remained as part of a 12-0, game-clinching run. The Lopes nearly held the Mavericks to only a free throw over the final 5 ½ minutes until an uncontested layup in the final seconds.

The Lopes entered Saturday with the third-most free throw attempts per game (29.5) and kept to putting pressure on opposing defenses Saturday. After taking four first-half free throws, the Lopes went 25 for 32 at the charity stripe in the second half to make up for 37.5% shooting and 14 turnovers. GCU had never won a game in its 11-year Division I era with 37.5% or worse shooting and at least 14 turnovers.

Phoenix, AZ Dec. 2, 2023: GCU gets a come from behind 76-69 win over UT Arlington at GCU Arena. Photo David Kadlubowski/GCU

Phoenix, AZ Dec. 2, 2023: GCU gets a come from behind 76-69 win over UT Arlington at GCU Arena. Photo David Kadlubowski/GCU

"You cut through all the stats and stuff," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "Getting to the free throw line, rebounding the basketball. I thought our offensive rebounds were huge that we got. And when you're not shooting it well, you've got to find other ways to win. Credit our guys for getting to the line, rebounding the basketball. And defense, I thought our deflections, especially those last eight minutes, getting our hands on balls really helped us."

The Lopes trailed 56-44 with 14:40 remaining when all of those facets kicked in, starting with graduate power forward Gabe McGlothan taking a charge from UT Arlington star Shemar Wilson to send him to the bench with three fouls.

Following that, GCU redshirt freshman guard Isaiah Shaw drew fouls on three consecutive trips and converted them to five free throw points as part of a 7-0 run. The Lopes were in the bonus for the final 14:56.

The game-ending 15-3 run began with a Lopes possession that had four offensive rebounds to get one McGlothan free throw point. But after UT Arlington followed with a free throw, senior guard Josh Baker scored on a drive to start a run of 12 unanswered points that otherwise came entirely on free throws.

Baker played his best game of the season, scoring 10 points in 18 bench minutes with solid one-on-one defense.

"If you looked, he didn't foul at the rim," Drew said. "He did a good job moving his feet, showing his hands and having the take tough 2s. His maturity is really important for us down the stretch."

Phoenix, AZ Dec. 2, 2023: GCU gets a come from behind 76-69 win over UT Arlington at GCU Arena. Photo David Kadlubowski/GCU

GCU senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster scored a team-high 21 points and added 11 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double after not previously having a double-double in his college career. Grant-Foster scored 11 of his points at the free throw line and added three steals, including a key one on an outlet pass for a potential tying shot with 35 seconds to go

UT Arlington made 14 second-half turnovers.

"That game taught us to attack adversity and really fight through," Grant-Foster said. "We've got to be better, though, in every aspect because we've got a big one coming up Tuesday (against San Diego State). If we play the whole game like we played the last eight minutes, we definitely have a chance of beating them. But if we play like we did the first 32 minutes, we're going to have a long night."

Phoenix, AZ Dec. 2, 2023: GCU gets a come from behind 76-69 win over UT Arlington at GCU Arena. Photo David Kadlubowski/GCU

The Lopes led 35-30 in the first half before committing four consecutive turnovers, starting an 11-2 Mavericks run that gave them a 41-37 halftime lead. The frontline kept GCU afloat with McGlothan and sophomore center Duke Brennan going 8 for 10 from the field in the first half while teammates were 7 for 25 with eight turnovers.

Much like senior center Sydney Curry did late in Wednesday's win at UT Rio Grande Valley, Brennan was strong on defense and the boards down the stretch to put away UT Arlington.

"We knew it was going to be physical, and our plan was to keep them off the glass and the free throw line – and we did neither of those things," Mavericks head coach KT Turner told utamavs.com. "They were just more physical than us."

Only GCU and Tarleton State finish the early WAC start at 2-0. The Lopes will resume the 20-game conference schedule in January but already handled a pair of conference gut checks.

And like the win against San Francisco, the lockdown defense emerged down the stretch to rally for wins.

"It shows us what we're capable of, but the thing is we've got to do it way before it hits that mark," McGlothan said. "We've still got a learning to do and a lot of growing, but if we can have that intensity thoughout the whole game, we'll be a great team, but right now we're just good."