Harrison's last-second shot finishes comeback win

Saturday, November 9

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-0,0-0WAC

Western Kentucky

0-2,0-0CUSA

Western Ky.

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Jack Gilday

11/9/2024 10:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score Press Conference: Bryce Drew Postgame Radio: Bryce Drew Postgame Radio: Collin Moore Photo Gallery

GCU close on 8-0 run to top fellow 2024 NCAA tourney team Western Kentucky

By: Paul Coro

After a scoreless first half, Grand Canyon guard Makaih Williams accounted for six points by assist or score to wipe out a deficit in Saturday night's final 45 seconds.

After passing up and airballing his two previous 3-point chances, Lopes forward Lök Wur hit a clutch 3.

And after going 1 for 10 from the field for 39-plus minutes, GCU senior guard Ray Harrison made a game-winning drive with four-tenths of a second to go.

Lopes players were as resilient as a brick wall Saturday night, pulling out a GCU 74-72 win against fellow 2024 NCAA tournament qualifier Western Kentucky with eight unanswered points in the final 1:27 at a rollicking Global Credit Union Arena.

"We needed a miracle there down the stretch, and we were blessed," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "Thankfully, those last three minutes were the best three of the whole game."

The Lopes (2-0) stretched their home winning streak to 18 games despite missing two starters, graduate guard Tyon Grant-Foster and junior center Duke Brennan, and facing last season's fastest-paced team and Conference USA Tournament champions.

Phoenix, AZ - November 9, 2024, GCU Mens Basketball defeats Western Kentucky 74-72 on a game-winning shot at the buzzer by Ray Harrison at Global Credit Union Arena.

Phoenix, AZ - November 9, 2024, GCU Mens Basketball defeats Western Kentucky 74-72 on a game-winning shot at the buzzer by Ray Harrison at Global Credit Union Arena.

GCU trailed 72-66 when Williams drove the lane and made a spinning, airborne kickout pass to Wur, who sank a corner 3 to halve the lead to 72-69 with 1:27 to go.

Western Kentucky drained the shot clock until Lopes senior guard Collin Moore caused a turnover that Harrison, also a senior guard, grabbed and sprinted for a transition miss. Wur, a graduate forward, kept the carom alive for Williams to put back while being fouled. The sophomore's free throw tied the game at 72-72 with 44.8 seconds remaining.

With 21.9 seconds to go, the Hilltoppers threw away their next possession for their 16th turnover.

Out of time outs, Harrison initiated a high Coles screen with eight seconds to go and got Hilltoppers 6-foot-7 forward Tyrone Marshall to switch onto him. Harrison blew by him and finessed an outstretched layup for the game-winner with four-tenths of a second to spare.

Phoenix, AZ - November 9, 2024, GCU Mens Basketball defeats Western Kentucky 74-72 on a game-winning shot at the buzzer by Ray Harrison at Global Credit Union Arena. (Photo by: Jack Gilday/GCU).

"I got good spacing, and I did what I do best," said Harrison, whose father, Ray Sr., traveled from South Carolina to be on hand. "It's a blessing. It was ugly, but to able to get a win like this means a lot to us. It's not going to always go the way we want it to, and we know that, so to be to take the adversity. I feel like wins like this are what really build chemistry and camaraderie and all that."

GCU (2-0) was shooting 37.5% from the field until the 3-for-4 finish and was reduced to a six-man, second-half rotation. It played its last game without Grant-Foster, who will return for Thursday's game against Arizona State at Footprint Center.

But the Lopes also got a Lopes career scoring high from Moore, who added his career rebounding high for his first career double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds. Coles followed up his first career double-double in his GCU debut Monday night with another one Saturday night, when he tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds.

With seven seniors coming off a 22-win season, Western Kentucky led for 30 minutes of the game but could not close out GCU.

Phoenix, AZ - November 9, 2024, GCU Mens Basketball defeats Western Kentucky 74-72 on a game-winning shot at the buzzer by Ray Harrison at Global Credit Union Arena. (Photo by: Jack Gilday/GCU).

"They were tired," Drew said of his Lopes, who had three players available from last season. "That was such a fast-paced game, getting back in transition and trying to defend them. I'm just really proud of the fight our guys had, especially there at the end.

Neither team held a double-digit lead in a game that Drew said felt like the score was scoring in the 90s. Western Kentucky returns most of its starting lineup from a team that played the fastest pace in the nation last season, and the Hilltoppers pushed tempo until they took their largest lead, 67-58, with 5:53 to go.

Moore second-chance scores helped keep GCU within range of Western Kentucky twice in the second half, but his aggression turned the tempo on the Hilltoppers. Moore drew fouls for 7-of-10 free throw shooting to go with his 7-for-14 shooting from the field, which included making both of his 3-point tries.

"It was a real fun game," Moore said. "I almost started crying when Ray made the layup.

"With Duke being out and Tyon being out, I just have to do more dirty work, and that's what I love to do."

Phoenix, AZ - November 9, 2024, GCU Mens Basketball defeats Western Kentucky 74-72 on a game-winning shot at the buzzer by Ray Harrison at Global Credit Union Arena.

Moore has never lost a home game in his two GCU seasons, with the Lopes moving to 18-0 at Global Credit Union in that span.

"Our fan base is spectacular," Drew said. "Us being here in this building with how loud it gets, it helps our guys that were tired have more energy."

Grant-Foster rejoins the action in time for GCU and ASU to play a men's-women's doubleheader Thursday for the Hall of Fame Series at Footprint Center, the Phoenix Suns' downtown arena.

"The whole team was celebrating the win in there, and then they were celebrating Tyon coming back the next game," Drew said. "There was definitely a lot of excitement in that locker room for a lot of reasons. We're excited for practice on Monday."