Home return gives GCU shot at vengeance vs. Seattle U

Thursday, Feb. 1 \| 7 p.m. \| Global Credit Union Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	SEATTLE U REDHAWKS (12-8, 5-4 WAC)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (19-2, 9-1 WAC)

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An isolated loss in an overwhelmingly successful Grand Canyon season does not define the Lopes.

The response does. Since taking its first WAC loss Jan. 20 at Seattle U, GCU gutted out two road-rally wins in toughness tests last week and now gets a chance to avenge the loss that ended its 14-game winning streak 12 days later.

The Lopes return to Global Credit Union Arena on Thursday night with less focus on being tied for the nation's best record (19-2) than facing a Seattle U team that has gone 3-1 against GCU in the past 12 months and is the last visitor to win on the Lopes' court.

"This means a lot to us," GCU senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster said. "We know what it comes down to. We really want this game back because we feel like we gave one up at their place. We want this game a little bit more."

Grant-Foster felt as much as anyone how much it took physically and emotionally to get out of Texas with two wins last week. He was hit with a high fever before last Thursday night's win at Stephen F. Austin and remained ill and fatigued during Saturday's win at UT Arlington. He still played 37 minutes in each game.

The Lopes came out looking like they fought for a few rounds, with graduate point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. suffering a broken nose Saturday and sophomore center Duke Brennan adding a second round of stitches and a bloody nose in the Texas games.

Much like his team being in unfamiliar territory after a loss, Grant-Foster is going through his first difficult offensive spell of the season. Between illness and extra defensive attention, Grant-Foster shot 29% from the field in the three road games, but he is able to compensate in other areas.

"Tyon had a terrific four minutes to end the game and just made play after play," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "He was sick on the trip. He didn't feel well that last game. He left in the middle of the game, and I thought he was going to throw up in the locker room and come back. Hopefully, he'll be more healthy this week, and that'll help him."

As a 6-foot-7 guard, Grant-Foster grabbed 6.7 rebounds per game in that three-game road stretch and picked up 7.0 points per game on free throws to still average 17.3 points in those games. He remains 36th nationally at 19.6 points per game this season by making the 20th-most free throws (112).

"With my athletic ability, I can get downhill and get to the line," Grant-Foster said. "That's something I can always count on.

"It's easier when it comes with the help of my teammates. With their encouragement, it's easier to push through."

The Lopes want to get back to the offensive efficiency they showed with 51% over 11 games before the current three-game rut of 33% shooting. Seattle U ranks third nationally in opponent 3-point percentage (28% and held GCU to that standard (7 for 25, 28%) in the Lopes' 86-79 loss at Redhawk Center, where Seattle U has a 12-game winning streak.

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 24: GCU drops their game against Seattle U 65-54 lat GCU Arena. (Photo by: David Kadlubowski/GCU)

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 24: GCU drops their game against Seattle U 65-54 lat GCU Arena. (Photo by: David Kadlubowski/GCU)

The Redhawks (12-8, 5-4 WAC) made 10 of 20 3-pointers in this season's first meeting with graduate guard Cameron Tyson going 5 for 8. The 6-foot-3 sharpshooter ranks third among active players for career 3-pointers and broke Seattle U's 32-year-old record for career 3s in 2 1/2 seasons there.

Tyson, who transferred to his hometown college from Houston in 2021, is trying to guide Seattle U to its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1969. After being a part of the Redhawks' first back-to-back 20-win seasons since 1964, the Redhawks have won six games in a row when Tyson is healthy.

Thursday night's game, the first GCU home game in two weeks, marks the start of its WAC season's second half. The Lopes, at 9-1 in conference, hold a two-game WAC lead in the loss column over second-place California Baptist and Tarleton State.

More impressively, GCU shares the nation's best record at 19-2 with Purdue, Houston, Utah State and McNeese. Seven of those wins have included comebacks from double-digit deficits.

"I'm really proud of the guys," Drew said. "Any sport is so hard to win. These guys work hard and they're really focused when the games come. There's a lot of season to come with 10 games left."

Lope tracks

With a Thursday night, GCU would have its best record after 22 games in program history at 20-2.
The Lopes are 10-0 at home, where they have not been undefeated for a season since 1991-92 (16-0).
GCU graduate point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr. needs a point to pass Chad Briscoe for ninth place on the program's all-time scoring list. Blacksher was limited to four minutes in Saturday's win at UT Arlington after suffering a broken nose.
Lopes junior guard Ray Harrison ranks 14th nationally for career scoring average (16.7) among active Division I players.
GCU graduate power forward Gabe McGlothan ranks 14th among active Division I players for career rebounds (954).
GCU's 14-game winning streak from Nov. 25 to Jan. 18 is tied for the third-longest in the nation this season. It was the Lopes' longest since 1978-79.
The Lopes are one of six teams in the nation to rank in the top 60 for scoring offense and scoring defense.
GCU ranks in the national top 30 for free throws made per game (fourth, 19.0), blocks per game (14th, 5.4) and scoring margin (27th, plus-12.8 per game).
Seattle U ranks seventh in the nation for opponent 3-point percentage (28.0%). GCU went 7 for 25 (28%) on 3s in the Jan. 20 loss at Seattle U.
Redhawks guard Cameron Tyson ranks 19th in the nation for 3-pointers made per game (3.1).
Seattle U commits the 16th-most fouls per game in the nation (19.9).
Redhawks senior guard Alex Schumacher averages a conference-leading 4.8 assists per game.

WAC Resume Seeding System (updated Jan. 28)
Rank	Team	Record (WAC only)	WAC points
1.	GCU	19-2 (9-1)	6.61
2.	Tarleton State	13-7 (6-3)	0.43
3.	Seattle U	12-8 (5-4)	0.20
4.	Stephen F. Austin	12-8 (5-4)	-0.37
5.	California Baptist	13-7 (6-3)	-0.45
6.	UT Arlington	9-11 (4-5)	-1.38
7.	Utah Valley	9-11 (4-5)	-1.56
8.	Southern Utah	8-12 (3-6)	-3.39
9.	Abilene Christian	8-12 (3-6)	-3.57
10.	Utah Tech	7-13 (3-6)	-3.63
11.	UT Rio Grande Valley	6-14 (2-7)	-5.98

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, Feb. 1 | 7 p.m. | Global Credit Union Arena | Phoenix, Ariz.

Lope tracks

WAC Resume Seeding System (updated Jan. 28)

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Players Mentioned

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Duke Brennan

Tyon Grant-Foster

Ray Harrison

Gabe McGlothan

Grand Canyon University Athletics