Altitude game calls Lopes to hit higher level

CEDAR CITY, Utah — Grand Canyon's trip to Southern Utah is emblematic of what is needed in the final week of the regular season to ready itself for the WAC Tournament.

The Lopes need to reach a higher level after plunging from record-setting shooting to record-low first-half scoring within a week, with a tall-task Tuesday chance to do it against Southern Utah at 5,846-feet elevation.

GCU meets the new WAC member for the first time this season in the final regular-season week with the Thunderbirds on a nine-game home winning streak. They are 12-1 this season at America First Event Center, where 4,554 fans turned out for their last home win against Utah Tech.

Southern Utah (19-10, 11-5 WAC) is going for its third consecutive 20-win season under head coach Todd Simon, who has lifted a program that had 12 consecutive losing seasons until 2017-18. The Thunderbirds are 39-4 at home in the past three seasons with this team's only home loss coming Nov. 30 to Montana State, which GCU beat at home.

"Mental toughness is a huge factor when you go on the road," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "We've shown that at times, and other times, we have not shown it as strong as what we need. After this last game and going on the road, we have some high-character guys. We expect them to bounce back with a lot of toughness."

The Lopes (18-11, 9-7 WAC) set the program's Division I-era program low for scoring in a half with 13 first-half points against Seattle U at home Friday night, just a week after shooting an all-time program record high of 66.7% from the field against Abilene Christian.

Drew hinted that the team could tweak strategical approaches this week, with the idea that it may face a WAC Tournament title scenario of winning four games in five days. The Lopes rank sixth in the WAC Resume Seeding System, which determines seeding, but could make a major impact by beating third-place Southern Utah.

Playing at high elevation against a top-25 fastbreak scoring team, GCU might need to use a deeper rotation that also could prove useful in a tournament run. The Thunderbirds are averaging 83.3 points per game with 13.6 of them coming on fastbreaks.

Southern Utah nearly upset now-No. 3 Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse on Nov. 30, when the Thunderbirds trailed by one in the final minute but had a blocked shot go back to the Jayhawks for a 3-pointer.

With that style, the Thunderbirds also turn over the ball more often (14 per game) and foul often (19 per game).

"March is when legends are made," Drew said. "If you play great in March, people forget about February real quick."

The Lopes will lean on their top-20 defense to slow the Southern Utah attack, which includes former Chandler (Arizona) High School standout Tevian Jones. The 6-foot-7 guard is averaging 18.3 points per game with 37.3% 3-point shooting and is playing his final home games this week.

"He's going down as one of the best to ever do it here," Simon said on his coaches show. "He's just been a special talent."

Lope tracks

GCU is 37-15 against Southern Utah, but the programs have not met since 1992 when the Lopes were in Division II.
Sophomore guard Ray Harrison (38 points vs. Utah Tech), junior power forward Gabe McGlothan (18 rebounds vs. Northern Iowa) and injured junior Jovan Blacksher Jr. (seven steals vs. Grambling) hold the WAC season highs for each category.
Harrison has made 141 free throws this season, ranking 24th in the nation. He is the WAC's leading scorer in conference games at 20.3 points per game.
After going 39 for 82 (47.6%) on 3-pointers since Nov. 29, the Phoenix Desert Vista High School graduate ranks 18th nationally among active players for career 3-point shooting percentage at 42.5%. He is the only active Division I player besides Pacific's Luke Avdalovic to have at least 250 made 3s and 42% accuracy.
Sophomore guard Chance McMillian is averaging 13.5 points in his 14 starts since replacing WAC Preseason Player of the Year Jovan Blacksher Jr., who underwent season-ending knee surgery.
McGlothan's season average of 8.1 rebounds per game ranks second in the WAC and 80th nationally.
McGlothan passed the 1,000-point mark for his career Friday night, joining Harrison and Baumann in the club.
The Lopes are 14-3 this season when making eight or more 3s and 7-0 when making more than 10
The Lopes are 11-0 when scoring 78 ot more points. They are 10-0 when they shoot 48% or better.
GCU ranks No. 19 nationally for opponent field goal percentage (40.0%) and 37th for opponent 3-point percentage (37.3%)
The WAC is ranked as the 11th-strongest conference among 32 nationally by KenPom.com.

WAC Resume Seeding System (updated Feb. 27)
Rank	Team	Record (WAC only)	WAC points
1.	Utah Valley	22-7 (13-3)	6.29
2.	Sam Houston	22-6 (12-4)	6.12
3.	Southern Utah	19-10 (11-5)	3.30
4.	Seattle U	19-10 (10-6)	3.25
5.	Stephen F. Austin	19-10 (11-5)	1.74
6.	GCU	18-11 (9-7)	1.51
7.	Tarleton	15-15 (9-9)	-0.08
8.	California Baptist	15-14 (7-9)	-1.85
9.	Abilene Christian	13-15 (7-10)	-2.35
10.	UT Rio Grande Valley	15-15 (6-11)	-2.68
11.	Utah Tech	12-17 (4-11)	-3.37
12.	UT Arlington	11-18 (6-10)	-4.49
13.	New Mexico State	Disqualified

The WAC Resume Seeding System will determine seeding for the 12-team WAC Tournament. The top four seeds will receive first-round byes.

Lope tracks

WAC Resume Seeding System (updated Feb. 27)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Ray Harrison

Gabe McGlothan

Chance McMillian

Grand Canyon University Athletics