GCU heads east for Friday afternoon clash at Arizona State

Friday, December 8

Tempe, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Arizona State

12/6/2023 3:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Rematch of last year's tightly contested ASU win at GCU Arena

By: Nick Macdonald

Friday, Dec. 8 \| 1 p.m. MST \| Desert Financial Arena \| Tempe, Ariz.

	ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS 7-2	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES 6-2

WATCH: ASU LIVESTREAM \| STATS: LINK \| GAME NOTES: LINK

After six days off, GCU heads 20 minutes east to face in-state opponent Arizona State for the second time in as many seasons.
Friday's game is a rematch of last year's "Battle For State Forty-Eight", which was played at GCU Arena in front of a record-breaking crowd of 6,019 fans.
It is the second Pac-12 opponent for the Lopes this season, previously facing Oregon on Nov. 16. Friday's game is the second of four straight on the road for GCU, which travels to Idaho and Liberty next week.

Under head coach Molly Miller, GCU's defense has been known for constant pressure with a high turnover rate. In the past four games, GCU has held its opponents to 174 points (43.5 ppg), forced 66 turnovers (16.5 ftpg) and has tallied 40 steals (10 spg).
The Lopes have troubled offensives early in the past four games, allowing only 26 combined points in the first quarter. GCU's offense has combined for 72 points scored in the first quarter in such games.
Against Fresno State, who came into the GCU Classic averaging 76+ points per game, the Lopes held the Bulldogs to 36 total points, the second lowest point total for a D-I opponent since 2013-14.
It's overall 53.4 scoring defense is 31st in the country, holding opponents to 35% from the field (40th in country).

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 (1st in WAC) in assists per game (5.1) and leads the WAC in total assists with 41. She has had five games with 5 or more assists as GCU has gone 4-1 in those contests.
GCU has been lights out from three this season, owning a 38.7 three point percentage (19th in the nation, 1st in WAC) and has made seven or more threes in five contests. It has shot over 40% from deep four times, with only one game under 30% this season.
The Lopes have shot above 40% from the field six times with three games over 50%. In the past two games, both of which were conference opponents, they have combined for 55-of-104 from the field (52.9%) and 12-of-25 (48%) from deep.
Head Coach Molly Miller ranks fourth among active coaches in winning % (.843) with 8+ 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 year. The Lopes have 17 games at home this season, including six of the first seven regular season contests.

Arizona State is 7-2 overall with a perfect 5-0 record at Desert Financial Arena.
The Sun Devils get to the free throw line often, ranking 18th in the country in free throw attempts per game (23.89). Their 15.89 free throws made per game also rank 29th in the nation, with both stats first in the Pac-12.
ASU has limited opposing offenses to a 28.5% three point shooting percentage, third best in the Pac-12. GCU enters 19th in the country in three point percentage (38.7) and averages 6.9 made three pointers per contest.
Sun Devil leading scorer Jaddan Simmons is second in the country in free throw attempts (64) and fifth in the nation in free throws made (51). Simmons is also fourth in the conference in steals with 19 and fifth in steals per game (2.11).
While GCU has limited opposing offenses in scoring production in the first quarter of play, ASU has outscored its opposition 173-122 in the first quarter.
As a team, ASU has 77 steals compared to its opponents total of 48. It has also forced 155 turnovers.

Dubbed "The Battle for State Forty-Eight", GCU met ASU last season at GCU Arena in front of a record breaking crowd of 6,019 fans Nov. 30, 2022.
ASU came out victorious, 80-72, in a back and forth game that saw GCU leading by nine points at the end of the third quarter.
Tiarra Brown led the Lopes with 15 points with 11 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 assists. Naudia Evans had 12 points with three 3-pointers and added 5 assists.
GCU was out-rebounded 47-41 but was without one of their top rebounders in Olivia Lane.
Current Lope Sydney Erikstrup had 11 points and 5 rebounds for Arizona State last season.

GCU heads north to Moscow, Idaho, to take on Idaho Sunday, Dec. 17, then travels east to Lynchburg, Virginia, to face Liberty Dec. 20.
It is the last non-conference road trip of the season before heading back home for two non-conference home games against Arizona Christian and Middle Tennessee.