Lopes split week with visit to Seattle before hosting UVU

Thursday, February 1

Seattle, Wash.

7 p.m. MST

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

Lopes split week with visit to Seattle before hosting UVU

1/31/2024 2:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GCU holds Girl Scouts Day on Saturday afternoon with pregame festivities

By: Nick Macdonald


Grand Canyon Lopes (17-4, 9-1 WAC)	vs.	Seattle U Redhawks (1-17, 1-11 WAC)	Utah Valley Wolverines (8-10, 3-6 WAC)
		Thursday, Feb. 1 7 p.m. (MST)	Saturday, Feb. 3 2 p.m.
Game Notes		Watch Live Stats	Watch Live Stats

THIS WEEK

GCU splits its away and home destinations this week, facing Seattle U on the road Thursday night before heading home to host Utah Valley on Saturday for Girl Scouts Day.
The Lopes defeated both teams two weeks ago, with a 10-point victory over Utah Valley in Orem and an 11-point home win against Seattle U in double overtime.
GCU went 7-1 in January, falling for the first time since Dec. 20 against Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 25. The Lopes are one of 31 teams in the nation with at least 17 wins and have won nine of their last 10 games.

STORYLINES

Known for high intensity and lockdown defense, GCU ranks 20th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 55.2 points per game. On Jan. 27 vs. UT Arlington, it held the Mavericks to 35 points, the fewest points that GCU has allowed since Feb. 10, 2018, vs. New Mexico State. The Lopes have held opponents to 50 points or fewer eight times this season, with two games under 40 points.
Junior guard Naudia Evans ranks 33rd in the country and first in the WAC in 3-point percentage (41.4%). She has 11 games with two or more 3-pointers made and ranks third in the conference in 3-pointers per game (2.1).
Junior guard Trinity San Antonio has been a ball hawk as of late, tallying nine steals in her last two games and 22 in her last six games. San Antonio is fifth in the WAC in steals (41) and third in steals per contest (2.4). The Lopes are 6-1 when she records three or more steals in a game.
GCU owns the conference's best field goal percentage (44.5%) and field goal percentage defense (36.8%). The Lopes have shot 40% or higher in 15 games (14-1 record) and have held opponents to 40% or less in 13 contests (11-2).
Head coach Molly Miller ranks fourth among active coaches in winning percentage (.843) with at least eights seasons of coaching. She trails only Geno Auriemma (UConn), Kim Caldwell (Marshall) and Kim Mulkey (LSU)
The Lopes are 47-11 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. GCU's win over UT Arlington on Jan. 27 marked the fifth consecutive season with double-digit wins at home.

TOP-20 SCORING DEFENSE

The Lopes have held opposing offenses in check for most of the season, allowing 55.2 points per game to rank 20th in the country and first in the WAC.
GCU has held opponents to 50 points or fewer eight times this season. During their six-game winning streak from Nov. 24 to Dec. 17, the Lopes allowed 49.3 points per contest. In its eight-game winning streak from Dec. 27 to Jan. 20, it kept opponents to 56.4 points per game and 25.3% from 3-point range.
The Lopes held UT Arlington to 35 points on Jan. 27, the fewest points allowed since Miller became coach in 2020. The 35 points were the fewest since allowing only 34 vs. New Mexico State on Feb. 10, 2018.
GCU has allowed only 70 or more points twice this season and only once in regulation.

SCOUTING REPORT

The Redhawks are 1-17 overall with a 1-8 WAC record. Its previous two games have come down to the wire, with a double-overtime loss to GCU on Jan. 20 and a three-point loss at Utah Valley on Jan. 27.
Seattle U ranks sixth in the WAC in rebounds per game (35.9) and second in offensive rebounds per contest (13.2). Mya Moore (7.3) and Irena Korolenko (6.9) rank eighth and ninth in the conference in rebounds per game, respectively.
Moore is second in the league in blocks (25) and blocks per game (1.39). She is also fifth in free throw attempts (96) and sixth in steals per game (2.0).
Utah Valley enters Phoenix at 8-10 overall and 3-6 in WAC play. The Wolverines have won two in a row and three of their last four,with the lone loss coming to the Lopes on Jan. 18.
On-ball defending has been excellent for the Wolverines this season, They rank 14th in the nation and first in the WAC in steals per game (11.7). Kylee Mabry is fourth in the WAC in steals (42) and steals per game (2.3).
Utah Valley gets a lot of its offensive production from its bench, ranking eighth in the country in bench points per game (29.7).
Eleyana Tafisi is third in the league with a 1.78-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. She's also fifth in assists per game (3.7).