GCU heads south to face Arizona Thursday evening

Thursday, December 5

Tucson, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Arizona

Phoenix, AZ Nov. 29 2024 : The Lopes dominate East Texas A&M with a 110-71 win during the Talking Stick Resort Thanksgiving Classic at Global Credit Union Arena. David Kadlubowski/GCU

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

12/3/2024 1:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Lopes bus to Tucson for first-ever meeting with Wildcats

By: Nick Macdonald

Thursday, Dec. 5 \| 6 p.m. \| McKale Center \| Tucson, Ariz.

	ARIZONA WILDCATS (7-3)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (5-2)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: LINK

THIS GAME

After three straight home wins last week, GCU heads south to Tucson to face Arizona for the first time in program history Thursday evening.
The game is the second of three games against each of Arizona's other Division I programs. GCU defeated Arizona State on Nov. 14 at Footprint Center and will host Northern Arizona on Dec. 29.
U of A is the third Quad 2 opponent GCU has faced this season, previously playing Oregon (51 NET) and Middle Tennessee (65 NET). The Wildcats come in at 69 in the NET rankings.

STORYLINES

GCU is coming off a record breaking performance vs. East Texas A&M, shooting 63.2% from the floor and never shooting below 46% in any quarter. It notched 110 points scored, the second most points in the program's D-1 era (since 2013). The starting five combined to shoot 78% (25 of 32) and scored 61 points.
Senior Alyssa Durazo-Frescas is one of the best sharpshooters in the country, ranking ninth in the nation in three pointers per game (3.29) and 14th in three point percentage (50%). She made five 3 pointers vs. East Texas A&M, one shy of her season-high six vs. Arizona State. The senior is currently seventh among active D-1 players for career three point percentage (42.3%).
Senior guard Trinity San Antonio dished out 25 assists in GCU's three victories last week, moving her to 16th in the country in assists per game (61) and 27th in total assists (43). The Olympian has scored in double figures in six of seven games this season, tallied five or more assists in four games, and has pocketed three steals or more in four. Among the WAC rankings, San Antonio is 5th in points (14.1), 2nd in assists (6.1), and 2nd in steals (3.0) per game.
Graduate Tiarra Brown's defense has once again shined early throughout the season, ranking 4th in the WAC in blocks per game (1.0) and second in steals per game (3.0). Brown has eight steals in her past two games played, with 21 on the season, and is tied for first on the squad with 25 defensive boards. Brown has earned All-WAC Defensive Team in each of the past two seasons.
The Lopes are first in the conference and 38th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (1.17). Senior Callie Cooper is 3rd in the WAC (2.10) in assist/TO ratio and dished out 11 assists to zero turnovers vs. East Texas A&M.
The Lopes are 54-12 at Global Credit Union Arena since Molly Miller took the helm in 2020. GCU has won at least 12 games at home in each of her three seasons in Phoenix and tied the Division-I record for most home wins in a season (13) Feb. 24, 2024 during the 2023-24 campaign.
Head Coach Molly Miller ranks fifth among active coaches in winning % (.833) with 9+ seasons of coaching. She trails only Geno Auriemma (UConn), Kim Caldwell (Tennessee), Kim Mulkey (LSU), and Jeff Hans (Northern Kentucky).

FIRST EVER MEETING

The meeting between the Lopes and Wildcats is the first in program history.
The in state opponent is the second on the season for GCU, who previously played Arizona State Nov. 14 in the Hall of Fame Series at Footprint center. It ends the 2024 calendar year hosting Northern Arizona.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS

Arizona is coming off a 78-43 victory at home versus fellow WAC school Seattle U Monday to improve its home record to 5-0 on the season.
The Wildcats ranks 47th nationally and second in the Big 12 in steals per game (11.4) and are fourth in the conference in turnovers forced per contest (20.40).
U of A scores a lot of points from the free throw line, making 14.7 free throws per game, to rank 40th nationally in that category.
Breya Cunningham is the team's leading scorer at 13.0 points per game. She is 11th nationally in field goal percentage (63.3%) and is the team's leading rebounder at 8.1 per contest. Her 73 boards are 45th best in the country.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes return home and begin a seven game home stand Sunday, Dec. 8 vs. Utah State at 1 p.m.
GCU will host the Have Fayth Christmas Classic presented by TruHilton Hotels Dec. 18-21 as part of the home stand.