Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Baylor on October 10, 2025 , Loss , 74, to, 79
M Basketball
at Baylor
L 74-79
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Thursday, December 19
Phoenix, Ariz.
7 p.m.
Grand Canyon
vs
Chicago State
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Brennan brawn bruises interior for Lopes
12/18/2024 5:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
GCU center holds down middle entering Thursday game vs. Chicago State
Thursday, December 19 | 7 p.m. (Phoenix time) | Global Credit Union Arena | Phoenix, Ariz. |
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CHICAGO STATE
COUGARS (0-12) |
at | GRAND CANYON LOPES (6-4) |
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| WATCH: ESPN+ | LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic | STATS: View | ||||
The centers of attention for many recent Grand Canyon games have been Maxime Raynaud of Stanford, Asa Newell and Somto Cyril of Georgia and Daniel Batcho of Louisiana Tech.
Front and center for GCU each time, junior Duke Brennan has stood tall.
After missing the season's first four games of the season with a left arm injury, the Lopes 6-foot-10 center is on the best six-game scoring stretch of his career (10.3 points per game) as he enters GCU's 7 p.m. Thursday home game against Chicago State with improvements showing across the board.Brennan is doing more than raising his scoring level with an improved touch from the field and free throw line. His rebounding average is a career-best 7.8 per game in 25.8 minutes per game.
"I try to make those plays that give us energy," Brennan said. "If we're struggling to find a spark on offense or defense, I try to be the one who gives us a spark. A lot of these dudes are trying to find their leadership on this team. I lead by action. I lead by diving for loose balls on the ground. I lead by making a statement play or with effort on the court. Small plays turn into a big finishes."
Brennan credits his offseason work with Jordan Jackson, GCU associate director of sports performance, for becoming stronger and more explosive to dunk through defenders or rise over taller defenders for hooks and post-ups. In a three-day road stretch, he posted a 13-point, seven-rebound game against Georgia and a 10-point, eight-rebound effort Monday at Louisiana Tech.
In Atlanta on Saturday, Brennan logged a career-high 34 minutes against Georgia's huge, deep front line..
"Duke was beat down after that Georgia game," Lopes head coach Bryce Drew said. "I mean, he was battling those guys. He was beat down coming into the (Louisiana Tech) game. But he's a warrior."
Brennan's 65.7% shooting is a jump from last season's 58.3% clip, which was an improvement from shooting 51.9% in his freshman year. His improved touch shows up at the free throw line, where is making 80.0% of attempts after being at 57.8% last season.
With four double-digit scoring outputs in his first six games, Brennan nearly has as many as he posted in his first two seasons combined – six.
"In our offense, I'm more of the dude who does the dirty work and the screen-and-rolls and catches and finishes in pockets," Brennan said. "I worked on my post game too. I'm still waiting to let everyone see what I worked on with explosiveness and a lot of those quick movements for touch around the rim."The most important development in Brennan's game might be his foul rate, which is dropping for a second consecutive season. He had one of the highest in the nation as an Arizona State freshman at 7.8 fouls per 40 minutes, but the Chandler, Arizona, product has reduced it at GCU to 5.4 fouls per 40 minutes last season and 4.4 this season.
"Some guys are smaller or not as big so when I hit them, they go 4 extra feet," Brennan said. "I was proud that I had zero fouls last game. That's me playing more mature, especially staying on the court. I feel like I can impact the team if I have longevity on the court."
After 11 days without a home game, GCU returns to Global Credit Union Arena for a two-game homestand that starts with a 7 p.m. Thursday game against Chicago State, a former WAC member that is now part of the Northeast Conference. After losses to Georgia (9-1) and Louisiana Tech (10-2), the Lopes (6-4) are trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak since January 2022.
"Our team is still trying to find a mesh and connectivity, but that's good for us," Brennan said. "We need to do it now. It's more urgent. We need to get some wins under our belt. A lot of guys are locked in, pushing into these next weeks. We know we need to regroup and refocus and play better."
Lope tracks
- Thursday night's game is the third of a four-game, nine-day stretch that concludes with a 2 p.m. Sunday home game against Saint Louis.
- Chicago State challenged Loyola Chicago in a 79-72 loss in a season-opening road game and has remained winless, including losing 75-63 at Mercer on Sunday despite trailing by three points in the second half.
- GCU has not committed more turnovers than its opponent in a game this season. It is a 16-game streak, including the final six games of last season.
- Lopes senior guard Ray Harrison needs 13 points to pass Ben Lindsey on the GCU all-time scoring leaderboard. With 2,114 career points at Presbyterian and GCU, Harrison ranks seventh among all active Division I players for career points.
- Only Alabama's Ray Sears has made more career free throws (633) than Harrison (560) among active Division I players.
- GCU has made fewer than 30% of its 3-pointers in four consecutive games for the first time since December 2019.
- Lopes sophomore guard Caleb Shaw is averaging 11.7points on 55% shooting over the past three games after scoring seven points in the previous five games combined.
Players Mentioned
Wilhelm celebrates the putback
Wednesday, November 12
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Northern Illinois - Postgame with Caleb Shaw, Makaih Williams
Tuesday, November 11
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Northern Illinois - Postgame Radio with Bryce Drew
Tuesday, November 11
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Northern Illinois - Postgame with Bryce Drew
Tuesday, November 11