Regular-season road slate ends at UTRGV, SFA

Thursday, February 29

Edinburg, Texas

5:30 p.m. MST

Grand Canyon

UT Rio Grande Valley

2/28/2024 6:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GCU could clinch WAC regular-season title with 2 wins, 2 CBU losses

By: Nick Macdonald


Grand Canyon Lopes (23-5, 15-2 WAC)	at	UTRGV Vaqueros (6-19, 5-11 WAC)	Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks (18-9, 12-4 WAC)
		Thursday, Feb. 29 5:30 p.m.	Saturday, March 2 1 p.m.
Game Notes		Watch Live Stats	Watch Live Stats

THIS WEEK

The Lopes conclude their regular-season road schedule with back-to-back games in Texas, beginning Thursday at UT Rio Grande Valley and Saturday at Stephen F. Austin.
GCU began conference play Nov. 29 at home versus UTRGV, winning 63-50. Each WAC team plays each other twice, with UTRGV and GCU having the longest stretch of days between games. The Lopes will look to even the series against the Ladyjacks, who gave GCU one of its two WAC losses in a Jan. 25 game.
With a tight race for the WAC regular-season crown, GCU has a chance to clinch the outright title with two wins and two California Baptist losses this week. CBU also plays at Stephen. F Austin and UTRGV this week.

STORYLINES

GCU boasts one of the nations toughest defenses, limiting teams to 54.4 points per game, ranking 13th in the nation. It has held WAC opponents to 30% or less four times and 40% or less 11 times this season, holding league opponents to 50 points or less eight times.
Fifth-year Jada Holland and senior Tiarra Brown are both coming off a season-high performance of 20 points vs. Abilene Christian. It is the first pair of Lopes teammates to score 20+ in the same game since Brown and Amara Graham did so March 11, 2022 vs. California Baptist.
The Lopes set a new D-I program record of 23 wins in a season Saturday, Feb. 24 vs. Abilene Christian. The record surpassed 22 set two seasons ago. GCU's 13 home wins is tied for most in the D-I era (since 2013-14) and is one road win away from tying the Division I mark.
Senior Olivia Lane notched her 4th double-double of the season Thursday vs. Tarleton State, recording 13 points and 11 rebounds. She is averaging 11.0 points and 7.1 rebounds in WAC play, with 66 of her 120 rebounds on the offensive glass. She leads the WAC in total offensive rebounds with 94 on the season.
Head Coach Molly Miller ranks fourth among active coaches in winning % (.843) with 8+ seasons of coaching. She trails only Geno Auriemma (UConn), Kim Caldwell (Marshall), and Kim Mulkey (LSU).
The Lopes are 50-11 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 and tied the Divsion-I record for most home wins in a season (13) Feb. 24. The Lopes have a chance to set the record Saturday, March 9 vs. California Baptist.

TOP-15 SCORING DEFENSE

The Lopes have held opposing offenses in check for most of the season, allowing 54.4 points per game to rank 13th in the country and first in the WAC.
GCU has held opponents to 50 points or less 10 times this season. During its six game winning streak from Nov. 24 to Dec. 17, the Lopes defense allowed an average 49.3 points per contest. In its eight game winning streak Dec. 27 to Jan. 20, it kept opponents to 56.4 points per game and 25.3% from three point range (43-of-166).
The Lopes held UT Arlington to 35 points Jan. 27, the fewest points allowed under Molly Miller's tenure (since 2020-21 season). The 35 points were the fewest since allowing only 34 vs. New Mexico State Feb. 10, 2018. It held Seattle U to 40 points in the very next game (Feb. 1), the 75 combined total points a season-low in back-to-back games this season.
It has allowed only 70 or more points three times this season and twice in regulation.

EFFICIENT FROM THE FLOOR

The Lopes rank first in the WAC with a field goal percentage of 44.4%. It has never shot under 30% on the season, with a season low 30.8% against Oregon back on Nov. 16. Of GCU's 28 games, 19 have seen a field goal percentage above 40%, including seven games over 50%.
In Feb. 24th's win over Abilene Christian, the Lopes shot 42 field goals, the lowest in a game since March. 7, 2020. In that game, they shot 52% from the floor, 30% from three and set a new season-best 95% from the free throw line (min. 10 attempts).
GCU has recorded eight games above 40% behind the arc, going 8-0 in such contests. It is 17-1 when shooting 30% or higher, with a 6-4 record when shooting below 30%. Eight Lopes are shooting above 30% on the season, led by junior guard Naudia Evans, who has made a team-best 52 threes.

O BOARDS FOR O

Senior forward Olivia Lane leads the team with 181 total rebounds and a rebounding margin of 6.5 boards per game. Of her total rebounds, 94 have come on the offensive glass, attributing to a WAC leading 4.5 rebounding margin.
Lane has four double-doubles on the season and 19 games with five or more rebounds. She has scored in double digits in six of her last eight games and has grabbed five or boards in seven of her last eight.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes return home and take a week off before hosting California Baptist in its final regular season game of the season Saturday, Mar. 9.
The contest has major implications, with both teams fighting for the WAC regular season title and number one overall seed in the WAC Tournament. Entering this week, GCU holds a half game lead over the Lancers.