Louisiana Tech offers chance to strengthen GCU résumé

Saturday, Dec. 30 \| 6 p.m. \| Global Credit Union Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS (9-4)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (11-1)

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The Grand Canyon nonconference schedule has been a means to becoming the best conference team that the Lopes can be so that they can secure the top WAC Tournament seed and an automatic NCAA tournament berth by prevailing in the postseason.

But as the Lopes wrap up nonconference play Saturday night against a formidable Louisiana Tech squad, GCU is paving another potential NCAA tournament path as an at-large candidate.

The Lopes' sole goal is to win the WAC regular-season and tourney titles, but being tied for the sixth-best winning percentage in the nation, holding the eighth-longest active winning streak in the nation (eight) and ranking 41st in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) is building an at-large résumé should GCU need it. A win against Louisiana Tech, 9-4 and No. 75 in NET, would only strengthen the case.

Phoenix, AZ Dec. 5, 2023: Grand Canyon recorded the program's first victory against a top-25 opponent by knocking off 25th-ranked San Diego State, the 2023 national runner-up, with a 79-73 victory Tuesday night at Global Credit Union Arena. Photo David Kadlubowski/GCU

Phoenix, AZ Dec. 5, 2023: Grand Canyon recorded the program's first victory against a top-25 opponent by knocking off 25th-ranked San Diego State, the 2023 national runner-up, with a 79-73 victory Tuesday night at Global Credit Union Arena. Photo David Kadlubowski/GCU

"Every game, we want to get better for conference play," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "Any time you can play a top-75 team, it can be great for the postseason if you get that chance to be in the tournament.

GCU (11-1) is trying to match the longest winning streak of the four-year Drew era with a ninth consecutive win. The Lopes are off to their best start since a 1995-96 team went 19-1 in Division II.

The top-40 offense that has put GCU there with 48.5% shooting (39th nationally) and 83.4 points per game (34th) will run into a top-30 Louisiana Tech defense. The Bulldogs are holding opponents to 38.2% shooting (19th) and 63.5 points per game (29th) with 6-foot-11 rim protector Daniel Batcho, formerly of Arizona and Texas Tech.

Batcho, coming off a career game of 24 points and 16 rebounds in a loss at Seattle U, ranks seventh in the nation with 10.7 rebounds per game and blocks 2.2 shots per game. He co-stars with Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year Isaiah Crawford, a 6-6 senior swingman who is averaging a team-best 14.9 points per game.

Louisiana Tech likely would be right next to GCU in NET rankings if its past two games didn't slip away. The Bulldogs led by five points with 30 seconds remaining at Saint Louis and lost on a 3-pointer at the buzzer. In their last game a week ago, they lost in overtime at Seattle U after Crawford missed a potential game-winning shot at the regulation buzzer.

In the second season under head coach Talvin Hester, Louisiana Tech used eight transfers to jump from No. 227 nationally in field goal percentage defense to No. 20.

"They're really tough," Drew said. "Their only losses are on the road against quality teams. Once they get in Conference USA, they're going to win a lot of games. It starts with Crawford, a touch matchup who goes inside-outside, and Batcho, one of the better centers that we're going to face all year. He really protects the rim and scores.

"Part of the reason we wanted to schedule this game was the style. They get up and really press you on defense, and they make you make extra passes. We're going to see that with some of our conference teams."

GCU has not been beaten since its only loss came Nov. 19 in a 75-68 defeat to South Carolina, which is 11-1 with its only defeat coming to No. 18 Clemson. The Lopes have turned many heads nationally, being projected for higher NCAA tournament seeds than it had in 2021 and 2023 Big Dance trips and having The Field of 68 pick senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster as one of its five midseason All-Americans. Grant-Foster ranks 13th nationally with 20.9 points per game after missing two seasons because of a heart condition.

Phoenix, AZ Dec. 16, 2023: Grand Canyon Antelopes guard Collin Moore (8) during their 76-64 win over Sam Houston at Global Credit Union Arena. Photo David Kadlubowski/GCU

Phoenix, AZ Dec. 16, 2023: Grand Canyon Antelopes guard Collin Moore (8) during their 76-64 win over Sam Houston at Global Credit Union Arena. Photo David Kadlubowski/GCU

But to the Lopes, a potential 12-1 record entering 2024 and the resumption of WAC play is just the first piece to its long-range season plans.

"That's not the main goal," GCU junior guard Collin Moore said. "The main goal is to get to the (NCAA) tournament and win some games. It's all prep for us for the WAC. If we buy in, we'll be good.

"This is just like the San Diego State game. Whoever plays the hardest is going to win. If we all know what we're capable of doing and do what we're best at, I don't think anybody can stop us."

Lope tracks

GCU junior guard Ray Harrison ranks fifth nationally for career scoring average (17.0) among active Division I players.
Lopes graduate Gabe McGlothan is tied for 13th among active Division I players for career rebounds (890).
GCU's eight-game winning streak is their longest since winning nine in a row two seasons ago (Jan. 8-Feb. 19, 2021).
Harrison and Grant-Foster are the only teammates in the nation to each have three games of at least nine free throws made besides the Maryland duo of Julian Reese and Jahmir Young.
Lopes centers Duke Brennan and Sydney Curry are combining to shoot 66.7% from the field this season. Brennan (65.5%) and Curry (68.3%) would both rank among the national top 15 if they met the qualifying minimum (five made field goals per game).
GCU has recorded eight double-doubles, the most in a season since 2020-21, and they have come from a program-record five players.
The Lopes received three voting points for this week's Associated Press Top 25 and seven points for the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll.