WAC race comes into focus with trip to SFA

Thursday, Jan. 25 \| 5:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| Johnson Coliseum \| Nacogdoches, Texas

	GRAND CANYON LOPES (17-2, 7-1 WAC)	at	Stephen F. Austin LUMBERJACKS (12-6, 5-2 WAC)

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NACOGDOCHES, La. – The big picture of Grand Canyon's fantastic season came into a tighter focus this week.

GCU had won 14 games in a row, tied for the third-longest winning streak in the nation this season, and was on the brink of a possible top-25 ranking before a late lead slipped away in Saturday's loss at Seattle U.

The chatter about the Lopes shifted quickly from a national picture to a conference snapshot. GCU continues its most difficult stretch of road games this season with a two-game Texas trip that starts Thursday night at Stephen F. Austin (12-8, 5-2 WAC), which could pull even with GCU (17-2, 7-1 WAC) in the conference loss column with a win.

The returning Lopes learned last year how difficult it can be to play at SFA, which beat GCU 73-68 by dictating a physical style that has won 21 games per season in head coach Kyle Keller's seven season at the helm in Nacogdoches.

The Lumberjacks are on a five-game home winning streak, including an 89-84 victory against Seattle U last Thursday and a weeklong break since then. With seven wins in its past eight games, SFA appears to be regaining the form of a team that features four returning starters and was picked second to GCU in the WAC coaches' preseason poll.

Harrison and Grant-Foster

"I feel like everybody just has a clear mind," Lopes junior guard Ray Harrison said of playing after a loss for the first time since Nov. 25. "We're going into this with a clean slate. We're not thinking about what we've lost or what we have to gain. We're just staying present and sticking to the plan.

"It's making us shore up a few areas. Defensively, being more connected out there and come together a little bit more.

GCU negated the highest free throw attempt total (44) of its Division I era by allowing Seattle U to end Saturday night's game on a 17-3 run, including its final eight points going unanswered. All of it occurred after Lopes junior guard Collin Moore fouled out with GCU leading by seven.

Moore took blame for the loss, although his 1-for-2 shooting did not contribute to the Lopes posting their second-worst shooting of the season (39%).

"Since Seattle U beat us, everybody thinks they've got a chance to beat us," Moore said. "I don't want that to happen. We're all level-headed We don't want to lose any more."

SFA will come at GCU in waves, touting the third-highest scoring bench in the nation at 37.6 points per game. Reserve power forward Jalil Beaubrun, at 6-foot-9, 240-pound junior, is coming off a career-best 16 point perfromance against Seattle U with 10 rebounds.

The Lumberjacks' depth maintains their reputed level of defensive pressure that causes 18.3 opponent turnovers per game, the fourth-highest average in the nation.

SFA's style requires a long bench because the Lumberjacks lead the nation in fouls at 22.3 per game, an interesting juxtaposition against a GCU team that averages the 14th-most free throw attempts per game (24.9) in the nation.

SFA also counters its style by committing more turnovers per game than any Division I team (17.4).

"I don't think there is any team is more tough than we are," Moore said. "I believe the guys in that locker room can out-tough them."

Lope tracks

Home teams have won 18 of the 20 WAC games since Jan. 11. The Lopes lost their previous two January visits to SFA (71-46 in 2022 and 73-68 last year).
GCU's 17-2 record matches the best start of its 11-year Division I era (1995-96).
The Lopes received Top 25 poll voting points (five) for the seventh consecutive week.
GCU graduate power forward Gabe McGlothan is the only top-five scorer and rebounder in WAC play. He is averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds with a conference-best 63% shooting from the field.
McGlothan ranks 14th among active Division I players for career rebounds (941).
Lopes senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster is averaging 20.2 points per game to rank 23rd in the nation.
GCU graduate point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr.'s next point will push him past Kenny Archbold for eighth on the program's all-time scoring list.
Lopes junior guard Ray Harrison ranks 13th nationally for career scoring average (16.7) among active Division I players.
GCU ranks in the national top 30 for field goal percentage (26th, 48.7%), blocks per game (13th, 5.5), free throws made per game (eighth, 18.5) and rebound margin (23rd, plus-7.5 per game).
McGlothan ranks 14th among active Division I players for career rebounds (941).
SFA 6-foot-5 junior forward Sadaidrienne Hall led the WAC in field goal percentage last season despite playing with a shoulder that needed offseason surgery. He is averaging a team-best 10.7 points per game on 54% shooting.
Lumberjacks junior guard Latrell Jossell was a teammate of Grant-Foster when they were Kansas freshmen in 2020-21.

WAC Resume Seeding System (updated Jan. 23)
Rank	Team	Record (WAC only)	WAC points
1.	GCU	17-2 (7-1)	5.34
2.	Tarleton State	12-6 (5-2)	1.02
3.	Stephen F. Austin	12-6 (5-2)	0.45
4.	Seattle U	11-8 (4-4)	-0.28
5.	UT Arlington	9-10 (4-4)	-1.21
6.	Utah Valley	9-10 (4-4)	-1.31
7.	California Baptist	11-7 (4-3)	-1.49
8.	Utah Tech	7-11 (3-4)	-2.77
9.	Abilene Christian	7-11 (2-5)	-2,99
10.	Southern Utah	6-12 (1-6)	-4.48
11.	UT Rio Grande Valley	6-13 (2-6)	-5.31

The WAC Resume Seeding System will determine seeding for the eight-team WAC Tournament. The top two seeds will receive first- and second-round byes. The third and fourth seeds will receive first-round byes.

Thursday, Jan. 25 | 5:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) | Johnson Coliseum | Nacogdoches, Texas

Lope tracks

WAC Resume Seeding System (updated Jan. 23)

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Players Mentioned

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Tyon Grant-Foster

Ray Harrison

Gabe McGlothan

Collin Moore

Grand Canyon University Athletics