Senior Night aims to finish perfect home season

Saturday, March 2 \| 8 p.m. \| Global Credit Union Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	STEPHEN F. AUSTIN LUMBERJACKS (15-13, 8-9 WAC)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (25-4, 15-3 WAC)

WATCH: ESPNU, ESPN+ \| LISTEN: 1580 The Fanatic \| STATS: View

The scope of Saturday night's Grand Canyon home finale is a reminder of what the five Lopes who will be honored on Senior Night have done for the program.

GCU (25-4, 15-3 WAC) will at least get a share of the conference regular-season title with a Saturday night win against Stephen F. Austin and another win next Saturday at California Baptist. The stature of being well-positioned for a third NCAA tournament trip in four years puts the Lopes in front of an ESPNU audience at 8 p.m. Saturday, when they can also go 16-0 at home for the program's first undefeated home season since 1991-92.

Jovan Blacksher Jr., Gabe McGlothan, Tyon Grant-Foster, Josh Baker and Sydney Curry have impacted the program, but Blacksher's and McGlothan's five-year tenures of 2,614 points put down foundation, built the structure and beautified it with banners.

"You get sad for anyone to leave, but the longer you're with someone, you go through stuff," Lopes fourth-year head coach Bryce Drew said. "Jovan and Gabe, we've been through good times and bad times. Cheering together, crying together. It makes it more sentimental.

"Gabe and Jovan could be anomalies in the future for GCU and all of college basketball. They played well enough that they easily could've left, but they decided to stay. That speaks volumes to their character, loyalty and love for this place."

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Blacksher arrived at GCU in 2019 as one of the program's most touted recruits from crosstown Shadow Mountain High School and lifted the program to another level in a career that has included All-WAC first- and second-team honors and WAC Freshman of the Year and WAC Preseason Player of the Year Awards.

His body of work puts him in the top 10 of GCU all-time leader lists for points (seventh, 1,319), assists (tied for second, 423) and steals (fourth, 173).

Blacksher has 98 career starts but has adapted to a reserve role this season after coming back from knee surgery. He suffered the anterior cruciate tear on Jan. 5, 2023, in a game and came back from rehabilitation to make this season's debut on Dec. 16.

Despite coming off the layoff and injury, Blacksher has matched his career high for field goal percentage (42.1%) and set a career best for 3-point percentage (44.4%). His 2.3 steals per 40 minutes is also a career best.

"He had his shovel in the ground," Drew said. "He has really seen this program grow immensely from the time he was recruited here to playing here. I always have a special place for a guy like Jovan that's been loyal to you and the program. That speaks for years to come and not just the time he was here.

"I know he wants to be like the old Jovan in a way, but he also knows that it's going to take time. He's been really mature about understanding where he's at in his recovery. His voice has been very important. He's had moments where we've seen the old Jovan, and that's really fun to see him back doing that thing."

Gabe McGlothan

McGlothan also arrived at GCU in 2019, but he redshirted that season after transferring from playing his freshman season at Southeast Missouri. His career took a different arc, going from key bench roles to a more well-rounded game that turned him into a leader on and off the court.

McGlothan grew up in nearby Gilbert and was a Basha High School graduate while his mother, GCU admissions manager Janelle Danley, worked for the university since 2011. His faith, academics (he is an engineering graduate) and abilities fit the program and campus.

His tireless effort improved his game to become one of 10 active players nationally with 1,500 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. He ranks ninth on the all-time GCU scoring list with 1,295 points, just 18 behind eighth place.

This season, McGlothan Is averaging career highs in points (14.3), rebounds (7.6, tie), steals (1.1) and blocked shots (0.9). He has made 42.7% of his 3-point shots after having a previous career best of 35%.

"After he had a monstrous year last year leading us to the NCAA tournament, he decided to come back for his last year after he had already got his engineering degree," Drew said. "He exemplifies what you want in a GCU student-athlete and what we want in our men's basketball program, as far as the faith, competitiveness, loyalty and belief in team.

"He exemplifies it all. It's going to be hard to see him play on our court for the last time."

Tyon Grant-Foster

Grant-Foster has become one of the best feel-good success stories in college basketball. The Kansas City, Kansas, was sidelined from basketball for two years after collapsing during halftime of the DePaul season opener in November 2021, leading to two heart surgeries and mystified doctors.

When he was cleared by Mayo Clinic doctors to play again in March, most programs were reticent. But Drew, who had three heart surgeries as a high school freshman, signed Grant-Foster and has been rewarded beyond expectations.

Grant-Foster is the only player in the nation who is averaging at least 19 points, 5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1 block per game this season. His 19.1 scoring average ranks second in the conference and 52nd in the nation with his 155 made free throws being the 18th most nationally.

With 22 games as a freshman at Kansas and a half-game at DePaul, Grant-Foster had 77 career points. He passed that in his first four GCU games, including a career-high 30 points on opening night. Since then, his game has rounded out with improved defense and passing as defenses focus on him more.

"There was so much uncertainty when he came here with his health," Drew said. "He's really helped our team to have 25 wins at this point. He's been a huge part of that with just how he's raised our play.

"He's been a really good rebounder, and he has the ability to get in gaps and get steals to be electrifying in transition."

Josh Baker

Baker missed summer and preseason workouts because of rehabilitation for May 1 shoulder surgery, but the Phoenix native worked his way back onto the court for the third game of GCU's season.

Despite going eight months without competitive play, Baker earned a trusted rotation role for his reliable defense and improved ball-handling.

After shooting 36% at UNLV and 38% last season for GCU, Baker is shooting a career-best 46% from the field this season with averages of 3.4 points, 1.3 assists and 0.5 steals in 12.5 minutes per game.

In Thursday night's win, Baker dished out six assists in 14 minutes of action for the second-best assist total of his career. He is one of 16 players in the nation to record at least six assists in 14 minutes or fewer this season.

"Being a Phoenix native, he's been fully invested in our program from Day 1," Drew said. "He's the ultimate team guy. There's not a guy on the team who doesn't listen to him and doesn't like playing with him. Defensively, he's really helped us. He's really cerebral and has made some big shots for us this year. His play down the stretch will be important for us.

"His leadership always has been important for us, and we have confidence in him that he'll make the right play at the right time."

Sydney Curry

After playing at Louisville the previous two seasons, Louisville has set career highs for field goal percentage (72.5%) and blocked shots (nine) this season at GCU.

The burly center is averaging 10.9 rebounds per 40 minutes with 46% of his boards coming on the offensive end. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native posted some pivotal performances with a 17-point game on 7-of-7 shooting against Northern Arizona, a 10-point, 10-rebound game against North Dakota State and key play down the stretch at UT Rio Grande Valley in a season-high 25 minutes.

His game against NAU made him one of 15 players in the nation this season to score at least 17 points on 100% shooting in 18 or fewer minutes.

"Sydney really helped us early in the year to win some games," Drew said. "I think he's done a really good job of being bought in with our team and being a great teammate in his last year of college. He's been a guy that the team has really enjoyed having around on the team."

Saturday, March 2 | 8 p.m. | Global Credit Union Arena | Phoenix, Ariz.

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Gabe McGlothan

Tyon Grant-Foster

Josh Baker

Sydney Curry

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Josh Baker

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Sydney Curry

Tyon Grant-Foster

Gabe McGlothan

Grand Canyon University Athletics