Lopes drain 14 3s, cruise to 41-point win in opener

Monday, November 4

Phoenix, Ariz.

4 p.m.

Grand Canyon

1-0,0-0WAC

Cal State Bakersfield

0-1,0-0Big West

CSU Bakersfield

Grand Canyon

11/4/2024 7:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

5 GCU players score in double figures as team shoots 47%

By: Nick Macdonald

Behind a first-half barrage of 3-pointers and its signature lockdown defense that has been instilled at Grand Canyon since head coach Molly Miller arrived, GCU ran away with a 93-52 victory over Cal State Bakersfield in its regular-season opener Monday at Global Credit Union Arena.

Highlights

GCU shot 9 of 17 from 3-point range in the first half and finished 14 of 26 for the game (54%). GCU shot over 50% from 3-point range just twice last season, but the emergence of senior transfers Alyssa Durazo-Frescas and Ale'jah Douglas may change that with each knocking down three shots from long range.
The Lopes forced 25 turnovers, tallying 14 steals with graduate forward Tiarra Brown leading the way with five. GCU converted 25 of its 93 points off turnovers.
GCU improved to 7-0 in home openers since the 2018-19 season.
Eleven Lopes found the scoring column, five of which were in double figures as graduate guard Nneka Obiazor led the way with 19 points in her GCU debut.
Cal State Bakersfield shot 0 of 17 from 3-point range, the first time since Jan. 10, 2019, that a GCU opponent did not make a 3-pointer with at least 10 attempts.

After a slow start on the offensive end with Bakersfield leading 8-7 with 4:21 remaining in the first quarter, GCU ended the quarter on an 11-2 run to take an eight-point advantage into the second quarter.

"We were a little shaky to start, perhaps the nerves for the home opener," Miller said. "I am really proud of how well we shot the ball tonight, That's a good sign for us. Being able to play with different lineups and develop some chemistry is really important this time of year. We're going to watch film and build on it, but I say that was a pretty good win."

The offense, which made two 3s to end the first quarter, made four straight to begin the second, with Durazo-Frescas's second of the afternoon moving the Lopes' lead to 18 points. GCU's defense held the Roadrunners to eight points for the quarter, and like it did to begin the second, drained two straight 3s in the final 90 seconds to extend the lead to 27 at the half.

SEVEN first half threes for the Lopes!

30-12 #LopesUp in the second quarter. pic.twitter.com/U1zEGRa6Ki
— GCU Women's Basketball (@GCU_WBB) November 4, 2024

CSU Bakersfield outscored GCU 12-5 to open the third, but the Lopes defense forced five turnovers over the final three minutes and rattled off 15 points to the Roadrunners' five to lead 65-35 at the end of three.

GCU scored its most points of any quarter in the fourth, with seven Lopes scoring as GCU solidified its victory with 93 points, the most in a game since a 115-41 victory over Arizona Christian on Dec. 27, 2023, and the most against a Division I opponent since a 97-46 win against Lindenwood on Nov. 26, 2022.

"The pressure and the turnovers forced always gives us momentum and good energy," Miller said. "We have to go back to the drawing board and do a good job of containment and help side, but it's all a work in progress right now as we begin the season."

GCU made 14 shots from 3-point range for the first time since a Nov. 7, 2022, win against Arizona Christian and the first time against a Division I opponent since going 19 for 38 on 3s in a Nov. 26, 2021, win against Nicholls State.

Obiazor, who transferred from UNLV with Durazo-Frescas, led all scorers with 19 points while adding seven rebounds and shooting 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Brown, playing in her fifth and final year at GCU, showcased what she has done since she stepped on campus in the fall of 2020 with tenacious defense and efficient offense, registering 15 points, five steals and five rebounds.

GCU heads on the road for the first time this season and takes on Middle Tennessee, which is receiving top-25 poll votes, on Friday at 5:30 p.m. (Phoenix time).