Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball at Baylor on October 10, 2025 at 2 p.m. (MST)
M Basketball
2 p.m. (MST)
at Baylor
.png&width=100&type=webp)
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Wednesday, December 20
Phoenix, Ariz.
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
10-1,2-0WAC
76
vs
64
Sam Houston
6-7,0-0CUSA
1
2
F
Sam Houston
29
35
64
Grand Canyon
39
37
76
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Redo of big run beats Sam Houston, puts GCU at 10-1
12/20/2023 10:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
Lopes record best start since 1995 with Brennan's career night
The Grand Canyon fight song proclaims that "the echoes of thunder reign havoc on you."
The Lopes are harkening echoes of past success with their first 10-1 start in 28 years and echoing their dominance within the same game. After taking a 16-point lead and nearly losing all of it Wednesday night, GCU rebuilt the monster and led Sam Houston by 17 in the second half of a 76-64 win at Global Credit Union Arena.
The Lopes won their seventh consecutive game, the nation's 10th-longest active streak, by leading wire to wire with the help of center Duke Brennan's breakout night. The 6-foot-10 sophomore from Chandler, Arizona, answered a physical Bearkats team with career highs for points (19) and steals (three), while grabbing 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.
"I was feeling it out there, but I give all the credit to my teammates," Brennan said. "They were able to find me in certain zones and certain places for me to get angles and get buckets down the stretch.
"No one on the team is selfish. Everyone loves each other. Everyone comes out and competes every day in practice. Whoever scores and whoever's night it is, we all enjoy each other so much."
Christmas has come early for Lope Nation in the packaging of a team that entered Wednesday ranked 33rd nationally in NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) after having a program-best No. 31 ranking two days earlier.
Success has not created susceptibility in the Lopes, who followed up the statement wins against San Diego State and Liberty with a 28-point rout of Portland and Wednesday's 12-point win against Sam Houston.
"I think they still have a hunger," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "I think they know that we can play better than what we're playing now. We can continue to improve. I think them knowing there's so much more upside to this team motivates them to keep working hard."
The Lopes' lead had dwindled to 49-47 with 12 minutes remaining when GCU entered the bonus situation to continue its strength as the nation's second-most frequent free throw shooting team. In addition to sparking offense with free throw trips, GCU went to another frequent facet – game-changing zone defense.
Switching to a 2-3 zone defense led to Sam Houston (6-7) going nearly four minutes without scoring. GCU used that for nine unanswered points, the first seven of which were scored by junior guard Collin Moore before he assisted on the run's final two points – a fastbreak alleyoop to senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster for a 61-49 lead with 8:05 remaining.
It was also Moore's 6-foot-11 wingspan at the top of the zone that makes the look even more effective.
"This is definitely the best team at getting deflections and turning deflections into transition points on the other end," Drew said. "I think guys have really active hands, and we collapse really quickly when the ball gets to the rim."
The Lopes maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game to secure its first seven-game winning streak since February 2021.
"We stopped playing our basketball, and we had to get back to that," said Grant-Foster, who scored 18 points with 9-of-10 shooting at the free throw line and his third career-high game of five assists. "I'm trying to get my teammates involved, and just play a better overall game. It's fun."
With a follow score and a rolling layin, Brennan helped the Lopes open the game with a 7-0 lead that prompted a quick Sam Houston timeout. The defense held Sam Houston without a field goal for nearly five minutes to lead 26-14 on a Brennan post-up.
Even on a one-point scoring night, GCU junior guard Ray Harrison still put his impact on the game with five assists and three steals. Offensively, he continually dribbled into places that drew double teams and started the Lopes' offensive opportunities.
Facing constant ball pressure, Harrison often found Brennan for rolls or post-ups on the center's 8-of-10 shooting night.
"Ray is one of the greatest leaders on our team," Brennan said. "He's not selfish with the ball. He's looking for other people. Tonight, he was able to find me on those seal-ups and on those drives. It was my night. Ray can have his nights, and everyone on the team can have their nights."
The Lopes limited the Bearkats to 41.8% shooting from the field. GCU's defense has held eight of 11 opponents to less than 42% shooting this season.
During the key 9-0 run in 2-3 zone, Sam Houston did not hit the rim once because of four turnovers, including two on Harrison back-to-back steals. The Bearkats also had an airball and another shot blocked by graduate power forward Gabe McGlothan.
The Lopes can extend the winning streak to eight games with a recently added game. GCU will play Bethesda on Dec. 27 in a 1 p.m. game at Luke Air Force Base, which is just west of Phoenix. The game will be played exclusively for Luke airmen and be broadcast on 1580 The Fanatic (95.9 or 99.3 FM) and streamed on The Fanatic app.
The Lopes are harkening echoes of past success with their first 10-1 start in 28 years and echoing their dominance within the same game. After taking a 16-point lead and nearly losing all of it Wednesday night, GCU rebuilt the monster and led Sam Houston by 17 in the second half of a 76-64 win at Global Credit Union Arena.
The Lopes won their seventh consecutive game, the nation's 10th-longest active streak, by leading wire to wire with the help of center Duke Brennan's breakout night. The 6-foot-10 sophomore from Chandler, Arizona, answered a physical Bearkats team with career highs for points (19) and steals (three), while grabbing 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.
"I was feeling it out there, but I give all the credit to my teammates," Brennan said. "They were able to find me in certain zones and certain places for me to get angles and get buckets down the stretch.
"No one on the team is selfish. Everyone loves each other. Everyone comes out and competes every day in practice. Whoever scores and whoever's night it is, we all enjoy each other so much."
Christmas has come early for Lope Nation in the packaging of a team that entered Wednesday ranked 33rd nationally in NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) after having a program-best No. 31 ranking two days earlier.Success has not created susceptibility in the Lopes, who followed up the statement wins against San Diego State and Liberty with a 28-point rout of Portland and Wednesday's 12-point win against Sam Houston.
"I think they still have a hunger," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "I think they know that we can play better than what we're playing now. We can continue to improve. I think them knowing there's so much more upside to this team motivates them to keep working hard."
The Lopes' lead had dwindled to 49-47 with 12 minutes remaining when GCU entered the bonus situation to continue its strength as the nation's second-most frequent free throw shooting team. In addition to sparking offense with free throw trips, GCU went to another frequent facet – game-changing zone defense.
Switching to a 2-3 zone defense led to Sam Houston (6-7) going nearly four minutes without scoring. GCU used that for nine unanswered points, the first seven of which were scored by junior guard Collin Moore before he assisted on the run's final two points – a fastbreak alleyoop to senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster for a 61-49 lead with 8:05 remaining.
It was also Moore's 6-foot-11 wingspan at the top of the zone that makes the look even more effective.
"This is definitely the best team at getting deflections and turning deflections into transition points on the other end," Drew said. "I think guys have really active hands, and we collapse really quickly when the ball gets to the rim."
The Lopes maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game to secure its first seven-game winning streak since February 2021.
"We stopped playing our basketball, and we had to get back to that," said Grant-Foster, who scored 18 points with 9-of-10 shooting at the free throw line and his third career-high game of five assists. "I'm trying to get my teammates involved, and just play a better overall game. It's fun."With a follow score and a rolling layin, Brennan helped the Lopes open the game with a 7-0 lead that prompted a quick Sam Houston timeout. The defense held Sam Houston without a field goal for nearly five minutes to lead 26-14 on a Brennan post-up.
Even on a one-point scoring night, GCU junior guard Ray Harrison still put his impact on the game with five assists and three steals. Offensively, he continually dribbled into places that drew double teams and started the Lopes' offensive opportunities.
Facing constant ball pressure, Harrison often found Brennan for rolls or post-ups on the center's 8-of-10 shooting night.
"Ray is one of the greatest leaders on our team," Brennan said. "He's not selfish with the ball. He's looking for other people. Tonight, he was able to find me on those seal-ups and on those drives. It was my night. Ray can have his nights, and everyone on the team can have their nights."The Lopes limited the Bearkats to 41.8% shooting from the field. GCU's defense has held eight of 11 opponents to less than 42% shooting this season.
During the key 9-0 run in 2-3 zone, Sam Houston did not hit the rim once because of four turnovers, including two on Harrison back-to-back steals. The Bearkats also had an airball and another shot blocked by graduate power forward Gabe McGlothan.
The Lopes can extend the winning streak to eight games with a recently added game. GCU will play Bethesda on Dec. 27 in a 1 p.m. game at Luke Air Force Base, which is just west of Phoenix. The game will be played exclusively for Luke airmen and be broadcast on 1580 The Fanatic (95.9 or 99.3 FM) and streamed on The Fanatic app.
Team Stats
SHSU
GCU
FG%
.418
.464
3FG%
.176
.280
FT%
.789
.739
RB
32
37
TO
16
13
STL
8
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
18
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
9
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballMakaih Williams | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Dusty Stromer | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Kaleb Smith | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Non-Conference Schedule Release | Men's Basketball
Monday, August 04