Opponent turnovers pile up in exhibition rout

Wednesday, October 30

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Benedictine Mesa

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

10/30/2024 9:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Paul Coro

PHOTO GALLERY Photo Gallery

GCU's pressure causes 32 1st-half turnovers to prep for Monday opener

By: Paul Coro

For five months of work, the Grand Canyon women's basketball team's push for turnovers inside GCU Basketball Practice Facility became increasingly difficult against teammates who are accustomed to playing the same way.

The Lopes unleashed 94 feet of defensive havoc against a visitor for the first time Wednesday night, and the first-half turnovers forced (32) more than doubled the first-half points allowed (15). GCU decimated Benedictine Mesa 94-40 in an exhibition victory at Global Credit Union Arena, where the Lopes return at 4 p.m. Monday to open the regular season against CSU Bakersfield.

Tiarra Brown

GCU's brand of pressure defense remains affixed to the program with the Wednesday public debut of this team amassing 44 opponent turnovers. The Lopes' Division I-era regular-season record for opponent turnovers is 36, and the Lopes only reached 30 one other time. They exceeded that in the first half against NAIA member Benedictine Mesa on Wednesday night, when senior forward Tiarra Brown snatched five steals in her 10-point first half.

"When we play each other, we have the cheat codes to what we do," GCU fifth-year head coach Molly Miller said. "It was nice to go out there and execute, defend and showcase the brand we want to bring every single night.

"When you see that halftime turnover number exceed 30, then you can tell that that the pace we play and the energy we infuse on the defensive end is worth it."

The Lopes were led by newcomers Nneka Obiazor and Alyssa Durazo-Frescas, the UNLV transfers who each scored 16 points in 15 and 13 minutes, respectively.

Durazo-Frescas, a 5-foot-7 smooth shooter who started with fellow guards Callie Cooper and Trinity San Antonio, scored 15 of her 16 on 5-for-8 accuracy from 3-point range. The Newport Beach, California, native added four steals.

"I've never played defense like this in my entire life," said Durazo-Frescas, who shot 44% from 3-point range for Mountain West champion UNLV last season. "Once it all meshes and we all flow, I think it's unstoppable."

Brown's eight-point first quarter helped send GCU on its way to a rout. The defense allowed one first-quarter field goal, taking a 17-1 lead in the first 3:40 before Benedictine Mesa scored on a putback.

The Lopes' other returning star, San Antonio, took over the offensive lead in her eight-point second quarter that included a four-point play, a feat that GCU graduate guard Sydney Erikstrup matched in the fourth quarter.

The Lopes rattled off six consecutive scores in a two-minute span, relentlessly running with 13 players seeing first-half action. GCU led 57-15 at halftime with Benedictine Mesa getting eight of those points on free throws.

"It was fun to see the contributions across the board," Miller said. "The biggest thing is gaining confidence, getting comfortable and developing chemistry, and you want to do that with different alignments."

Molly Miller and Nneka Obiazor

Obiazor came off the bench to lead the second-half effort, scoring 12 of her 16 after halftime. The 5-foot-10 forward from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, scored on three consecutive third-quarter possessions, showing off her ability to convert buckets in transition or traffic.

"I like this environment," Obiazor said. "We always strive for togetherness, just like Coach Molly harps on every day that we're a team – together, together, together. It's really important that we continue to do that, and we'll be unstoppable."

GCU put five scorers in double figures with Obiazor and Durazo-Frescas being joined by Brown (12), San Antonio (10) and Laura Erikstrup (10). Brown notched a team-high five assists with San Antonio and Cooper also each having four.

The game put some examples on video for Miller and her coaching staff to use in preparation for Monday's season opener. Miller said she will want to see more physicality in the post and better defensive foot movement and offensive ball care.

"We're going to bring our hard hats Friday for practice," Miller said.
Exhibition game defense