GCU returns home to face Tarleton State, Abilene Christian

Thursday, February 22

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Tarleton State

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GCU returns home to face Tarleton State, Abilene Christian

2/21/2024 1:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Lopes take 1st-place WAC record into week at 13-2

By: Nick Macdonald


Grand Canyon Lopes (21-5, 13-2 WAC)	vs.	Tarleton State Texans (7-16, 4-10 WAC)	Abilene Christian Texans (11-12, 7-7 WAC)
		Thursday, Feb. 22 6 p.m.	Saturday, Feb. 24 2 p.m.
Game Notes		Watch Live Stats	Watch Live Stats

THIS WEEK

Grand Canyon returns home for the first time since Feb. 3 with back-to-back games against Tarleton State and Abilene Christian. The home contests are the second and third ones in February, with four of GCU's five games so far this month on the road.
GCU is coming off a loss for the first time since Jan. 25 and only the second time in the 2024 calendar year. It is 3-1 in games after a loss and has rattled off winning streaks of five or more following a loss on three occasions.
With five games left in the regular season, the Lopes hit a critical part of their schedule with a half-game lead over California Baptist in the WAC standings. GCU holds a .02 advantage over CBU in the WAC Resume Seeding System (as of Feb. 18).

STORYLINES

GCU's defense has held teams to 36.8% from the floor this year, 26th best in the nation and 1st in the WAC. In conference action, it has held teams to 53.9 ppg with opponents scoring 50 or less points seven times. California Baptist's 71 points scored against the Lopes was only the third time this season a team has reached 70+ for a game.
Senior forward Olivia Lane has been dominant off the glass lately, averaging 7.4 rebounds per game in February and 6.4 for the year. Of Lane's 167 total rebounds, 88 have come on the offensive glass, ranking first in the WAC with 12 more than the next player.
Junior guard Trinity San Antonio has notched four straight double digit scoring games, including a season-best 21 in last week's Utah Tech victory. In the past four games, San Antonio is averaging 14 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
In 17 games this season, fifth-year Jada Holland ranks 2nd and 7th, respectively, in assists and steals in the WAC. She has 77 assists on the year, including 15 in her last three games played.
Head Coach Molly Miller ranks fourth among active coaches in winning % (.842) with 8+ seasons of coaching. She trails only Geno Auriemma (UConn), Kim Caldwell (Marshall), and Kim Mulkey (LSU).
The Lopes are 48-11 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, including a season-high 13 last year. GCU's win over UT Arlington Jan. 27 marked the fifth straight season with double digit wins at home.

SAN ANTONIO, HOLLAND ARE HERE TO ASSIST

Junior guard Trinity San Antonio and fifth year guard Jada Holland each rank in the top-15 of the conference in assists and assists per game. Holland is second in the WAC with 4.53 assists per contest, totaling 77 in 17 games played. San Antonio has 71 assists on the season and is 11th in the league with 3.23 per game.
In WAC play, GCU is averaging 16.3 assists per game and has nine players with double digit assist totals in such games. It has 15 games with 15 or more assists this season including 12 in conference action.

O BOARDS FOR O

Senior forward Olivia Lane leads the team with 152 total rebounds and a rebounding margin of 6.4 boards per game. Of her total rebounds, 88 have come on the offensive glass, attributing to GCU's second best rebounding margin in the WAC (4.1).
Lane has three double-doubles on the season and 18 games with five or more rebounds, including a streak of 14 straight games with five or more boards. In her last five games, she is averaging 14.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.4 assists while shooting 20-of-24 from the free throw line.

3 IS KEY

The Lopes' three point production has efficient this season, shooting 33.1% from deep to rank first in the WAC.
GCU has shot over 33% from deep 14 times this season, including eight games over 40%. The Lopes have made 166 total three pointers so far this season, with Naudia Evans, Anna Ostlie, and Sydney Erikstrup combining for 102 of those makes. Those three are all shooting 30% or better and have attributed to 57% of the team's total attempts.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU heads back on the road for the final time in the regular season next week. It begins the road trip at UTRGV Thursday, Feb. 29 followed by a contest at Stephen F. Austin Saturday, March 2.