Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at South Carolina on November 3, 2025 at TBA
W Basketball
TBA
at South Carolina
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, February 4
Las Cruces, N.M.
4 p.m.
Grand Canyon
16-6,8-3WAC
64
at
59
New Mexico State
12-11,7-4WAC
1
2
3
4
F
Grand Canyon
22
12
15
15
64
New Mexico St.
15
15
11
18
59
Lane’s 26 points fuel win at NMSU
2/4/2023 6:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Zars' 12 boards, Palma's return sends GCU 5th straight win vs. Aggies
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The last time Grand Canyon met New Mexico State on Jan. 19, GCU prevailed in overtime behind a 16-point, 19 rebound effort from junior forward Olivia Lane. Saturday's game did not reach overtime, but it was once again fueled by a dominant performance from Lane, who scored 26 points with six rebounds in the Lopes' 64-59 victory at Pan American Center.
GCU moves to 16-6 overall and 8-3 in WAC play. It entered Saturday in a tie for third place with California Baptist and New Mexico State in the standings and held third place in the WAC Resume Seeding System.
Lane's 26 points, a new career high, surpassed sophomore guard Naudia Evans' individual season high by one. Lane entered her first GCU start shooting 84% from the free throw line in WAC play and nearly matched that with a 10-of-12 (83.3%) performance. She added six rebounds and went 8 of 12 from the field in her first start as a Lope.
GCU junior forward Tiarra Brown totaled 13 points and six boards in her fifth consecutive double-digit scoring game, while Evans had nine points, four steals and two assists. Graduate teammate Evan Zars tied a season high with 12 rebounds and tallied two steals. It was the third double-digit rebound effort this season as she now has more than 1,050 career rebounds, seventh most among active D1 players.
Lopes junior guard Sydney Palma returned to action for the first time since the Dec. 29 WAC season opener. She registered two assists and a rebound in 19 minutes.
GCU got off to a hot start, making three of its first four shots and forcing New Mexico State (12-11, 7-4 WAC) to call a timeout two minutes into the game. The Lopes shot 67% in the first quarter, going 10 of 15 from the floor. Lane and Brown were nearly perfect, as the duo combined to shoot 8 of 9 and recorded 17 of the team's 22 first-quarter points to lead by seven after one.
GCU led by as much as eight twice in the second quarter, pulling ahead 32-24 with 3:21 left to play in the half. The Aggies ended the quarter on a 6-2 run and cut it to a 34-30 contest. Lane and Brown combined for 23 points and five rebounds in the first half, while Zars grabbed eight of the team's 19 rebounds.
Lane kept the offensive rolling in the third quarter, scoring seven points with a 3-for-3 mark from the free throw line for the quarter. Evans made the team's first 3-pointer midway through the quarter to go up 46-36 for the first double-digit lead of the game. GCU got up by as much as 13 points (49-36) and led 49-41 at the end of three.
The Aggies pulled within three points early in the fourth quarter, extending a 10-0 run from the end of the third as GCU called timeout with 7:52 on the clock. After back-and-forth buckets from each team, Lane took over, scoring the next six points for the Lopes on back-to-back and-one plays. Senior forward Dominique Phillips' 3 put GCU back up 60-50 with 3:30 remaining.
New Mexico State got within three with less than 30 seconds left in the contest, converting a 3-pointer to make it 62-59 with 17 seconds to play. Evans and freshman guard Emma Krueger made a free throw to make it a two-possession game and seal the victory.
GCU's defense held the Aggies to 36.5% from the field and improved to 5-1 in WAC play when holding an opponent to less than 40%. The Lopes totaled seven steals and forced nine turnovers, the first time this season and first time under head coach Molly Miller that it has not had a double-digit forced turnover night. The Lopes also attempted 34 free throws, the most under Miller's tenure and second most in the school's Division I era.
GCU stays on the road for two straight games next week beginning Thursday at Sam Houston and followed by Saturday at Stephen F. Austin.
GCU moves to 16-6 overall and 8-3 in WAC play. It entered Saturday in a tie for third place with California Baptist and New Mexico State in the standings and held third place in the WAC Resume Seeding System.
Lane's 26 points, a new career high, surpassed sophomore guard Naudia Evans' individual season high by one. Lane entered her first GCU start shooting 84% from the free throw line in WAC play and nearly matched that with a 10-of-12 (83.3%) performance. She added six rebounds and went 8 of 12 from the field in her first start as a Lope.
GCU junior forward Tiarra Brown totaled 13 points and six boards in her fifth consecutive double-digit scoring game, while Evans had nine points, four steals and two assists. Graduate teammate Evan Zars tied a season high with 12 rebounds and tallied two steals. It was the third double-digit rebound effort this season as she now has more than 1,050 career rebounds, seventh most among active D1 players.
Lopes junior guard Sydney Palma returned to action for the first time since the Dec. 29 WAC season opener. She registered two assists and a rebound in 19 minutes.
GCU got off to a hot start, making three of its first four shots and forcing New Mexico State (12-11, 7-4 WAC) to call a timeout two minutes into the game. The Lopes shot 67% in the first quarter, going 10 of 15 from the floor. Lane and Brown were nearly perfect, as the duo combined to shoot 8 of 9 and recorded 17 of the team's 22 first-quarter points to lead by seven after one.
GCU led by as much as eight twice in the second quarter, pulling ahead 32-24 with 3:21 left to play in the half. The Aggies ended the quarter on a 6-2 run and cut it to a 34-30 contest. Lane and Brown combined for 23 points and five rebounds in the first half, while Zars grabbed eight of the team's 19 rebounds.
Lane kept the offensive rolling in the third quarter, scoring seven points with a 3-for-3 mark from the free throw line for the quarter. Evans made the team's first 3-pointer midway through the quarter to go up 46-36 for the first double-digit lead of the game. GCU got up by as much as 13 points (49-36) and led 49-41 at the end of three.
The Aggies pulled within three points early in the fourth quarter, extending a 10-0 run from the end of the third as GCU called timeout with 7:52 on the clock. After back-and-forth buckets from each team, Lane took over, scoring the next six points for the Lopes on back-to-back and-one plays. Senior forward Dominique Phillips' 3 put GCU back up 60-50 with 3:30 remaining.
New Mexico State got within three with less than 30 seconds left in the contest, converting a 3-pointer to make it 62-59 with 17 seconds to play. Evans and freshman guard Emma Krueger made a free throw to make it a two-possession game and seal the victory.
GCU's defense held the Aggies to 36.5% from the field and improved to 5-1 in WAC play when holding an opponent to less than 40%. The Lopes totaled seven steals and forced nine turnovers, the first time this season and first time under head coach Molly Miller that it has not had a double-digit forced turnover night. The Lopes also attempted 34 free throws, the most under Miller's tenure and second most in the school's Division I era.
GCU stays on the road for two straight games next week beginning Thursday at Sam Houston and followed by Saturday at Stephen F. Austin.
Team Stats
GCU
NMSU
FG%
.477
.365
3FG%
.286
.313
FT%
.588
.571
RB
38
27
TO
20
9
STL
7
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
10
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
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