4th-quarter boost pushes Lopes past Utah Valley

Saturday, February 3

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

19-4,11-1WAC

Utah Valley

8-12,3-8WAC

Utah Valley

Grand Canyon

2/3/2024 6:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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GCU outscores UVU 28-10 in final frame, moves to 11-1 in WAC play

By: Nick Macdonald

Throughout the 2023-24 campaign, Grand Canyon always has been able to lean on that "one quarter," where the offense is clicking and the defense clamps down to force turnovers that create points.

On Saturday, that quarter came over the final 10 minutes of regulation, as a deficit turned into a lead and a Lopes double-digit point victory at Global Credit Union Arena.

GCU's massive fourth quarter, including a 28-10 scoring differential and a 14-2 run in the first five minutes, aided its 19th win of the season and the 11th in WAC to play to maintain its first-place lead by a half-game over California Baptist.

The Lopes (19-4, 11-1 WAC) thrived off the glass, outrebounding Utah Valley (8-12, 3-8 WAC) for a 40-24 margin with 17 offensive rebounds. Senior forward Olivia Lane led the Lopes with 13 points and added five rebounds, all of which came on the offensive glass to help GCU's 17 second-chance points.

"We came together and got those defensive stops," Lane said. "We knew our offense would follow by being patient with the ball, and we gave it all the effort we had. We have so many weapons on this team. Off the bench with players coming in and out, we are united as a team and working so well together."

Classmate Tiarra Brown had a game-high seven boards to go with seven points while fifth-year point guard Jada Holland had 12 points, nine of which came in the final quarter. The defense once again swarmed the Wolverines to force 21 turnovers for GCU's seventh game of forcing 20-plus turnovers this season. The turnovers included 15 Lopes steals, their second most this season.

Much like the first GCU-UVU meeting, a 78-68 Lopes victory in Orem on Jan. 18, the first quarter saw plenty of points until GCU led 19-15 at the end of one. Both squads stalled early in the second quarter with three combined points through the first 4:50, but GCU found a groove before the halftime buzzer and led 30-22 at the half.

Before GCU had its best quarter of the game in fourth, Utah Valley had its best in the third. The Wolverines orchestrated an 18-4 run to take a 40-36 lead with 1:44 remaining in the third and outscored the Lopes 20-8 for the frame as they led 42-38 entering the fourth.

As the WAC's 3-point percentage leader, GCU struggled from deep Saturday. The Lopes went 2 of 17 through the first three quarters with an 0-of-6 clip in the third alone. But when it is needed most, junior guard Naudia Evans finds a way to win a game or spark the offense from 3-point range.

Holland's 3 with 7:30 to play pulled the Lopes within one. after a combination of layups and jumpers from Brown, Lane and junior guard Trinity San Antonio, Evans connected from deep with 2:19 to play to put the Lopes ahead 58-49.

GCU shot 56% in the final quarter with five scorers and grabbed 12 rebounds, four each coming from Lane and San Antonio. The 12 boards accounted for 30% of the team's output as 11 of its 17 second-chance points were fueled off the aggressive play inside.

"Today was about resilience and fight," Lopes head coach Molly Miller said. "When you're coming from behind, it takes a certain type of edge and we're building that. We're figuring each other out every game, getting bette, and figuring out what works on both ends of the ball. Proud of the resilience. That's a game you have to fight and claw, and we battled every step of the way."

The Lopes enter the first of two bye weeks this week, taking six days off before a contest at Southern Utah next Saturday. GCU ends the regular season with five of its final eight games on the road. Its next game at Global Credit Union Arena will be Feb. 22 versus Tarleton State.