WAC play resumes vs. Southern Utah, Utah Tech at home

Thursday, January 4

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Southern Utah

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

1/3/2024 12:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Lopes have won 7 of last 8 games, finished December with 5-1 record

By: Nick Macdonald


Grand Canyon Lopes (10-3, 2-0 WAC)	vs.	Southern Utah Thunderbirds (3-8, 1-1 WAC)	Utah Tech Trailblazers (7-6, 1-1 WAC)
		Thursday, Jan. 4 6 p.m.	Saturday, Jan. 6 2 p.m.
Game Notes		Watch Live Stats	Watch Live Stats

The Lopes continue WAC play with home games against Southern Utah on Thursday and Utah Tech on Saturday.
GCU won its first two conference games over UT Rio Grande Valley and UT Arlington. It is one of three teams to begin league play with a 2-0 record, along with California Baptist and Stephen F. Austin.
The Lopes have won seven of their last eight games, five of which have come at home. They are outscoring the opposition 546-418 at home and limiting opponents to 52.3 points per game at Global Credit Union Arena. The last team to score more than 60 points in a home contest was Montana on Nov. 20.
GCU is second in the updated WAC Resume Seeding System, 1.2 points behind California Baptist. The top two teams in the WAC Tournament get a double bye, with the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds earning one bye.

GCU junior guard Naudia Evans ranks as one of the best 3-point shooters in the country, ranking 36th in 3-point percentage (43.9%). She is first in the WAC in that category, along with second in made 3-pointers (29) and 3-pointers per game (2.2).
The Lopes have have held the opposition to 54.9 points per game (34th in nation). They lead the conference in field goal percentage defense (36.5%) and have forced double-digit turnovers in each game, including 64 in the last three games.
GCU has shot 50% or higher four times this season and 40% or better nine times. It ranks first in the WAC in field goal percentage (44.8%) and is shooting 45.7% at home this season.
Head coach Molly Miller ranks fourth among active coaches in winning percentage (.842) with at least seasons of coaching. She trails only Kim Caldwell (Marshall), Geno Auriemma (UConn) and Kim Mulkey (LSU).
The Lopes are 43-10 at Global Credit Union Arena since 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.

The Lopes have held opposing offenses in check for most of the season, allowing 54.9 points per game to rank 34th in the country and first in the WAC.
GCU has held opponents to 50 points or less five times this season. During its six-game winning streak from Nov. 24 to Dec. 17, the Lopes defense allowed 49.3 points per contest.

GCU ranks No. 13 in the most recent College Insider Mid Major Poll for its best ranking of the season. It jumped two spots after its victory over Middle Tennessee, which was ranked No. 7 at the time of competition.
The Lopes are one of two teams from the WAC ranked in the poll, joining California Baptist at No. 24. GCU is the only team from the WAC to be ranked in every poll released by College Insider this season.

The reigning WAC champions head to Phoenix and face GCU for the first time this season in a rematch of last season's WAC Tournament semifinal game.
The Thunderbirds are 3-8 overall with a 1-1 conference record. It has lost its last three games and split its first two conference matchups, falling to California Baptist and defeating Seattle U.
Southern Utah is the conference's leader in blocks per game (3.8). Megan Smith leads the WAC with 19 blocks and is first in blocks per contest (1.7).
Smith is second in the WAC in points per game (16.2). She is 44th in the nation and first in the league in field goal percentage (55.6%) and is first in field goals made (80).
The Thunderbirds are fourth in the WAC in rebounds per game (37.0) and third in defensive rebounds per game (25.9).
Utah Tech is 7-6 overall and 3-3 on the road. Its last win came against Oregon at home Dec. 19, and it has split its first two WAC games.
The Trailblazers average 77.1 points per game and have four players in double figures, including a pair of 16-plus points per game guards in Breaunna Gillen and Maddie Warren.
Gillen leads the squad in points per game (16.2) and rebounds per game (6.6). She also has a team-high 62 assists.
Utah Tech is shooting 37% from 3-point range. Three players are making more than 40% of their 3s with 45 or more attempts. Five players are shooting more than 35% for the season. Warren is the team leader with 35 made 3s.

GCU heads back on the road for the first time since Dec. 20 with contests at Abilene Christian (Jan. 11) and Tarleton State (Jan. 13).
It is the first time playing both teams on the road since the 2021-22 season, as it hosted both teams last season.