WAC kings: Lopes keep crown, return to Big Dance

Saturday, March 16

Las Vegas, Nev.

8:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

29-4,17-3WAC

UT Arlington

20-14,13-7WAC

UT Arlington

Grand Canyon

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

3/17/2024 3:08:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score GCU Presser UTA Presser Audio: President Mueller Audio: Bryce Drew Audio: Collin Moore Audio: Lök Wur Audio: Duke Brennan GCU WAC Tourney History Photo Gallery

GCU wins back-to-back conference tourney titles; UT Arlington makes 26 turnovers

By: Paul Coro

LAS VEGAS – Grand Canyon did not become the WAC Tournament champions Saturday night when the confetti fell from the Orleans Arena rafters and the trophy ascended in Gabe McGlothan's hands.

That happened during eight months of practices, workouts, film sessions and more that bonded the Lopes like family. Sticking with each other is what made GCU a family, and that inner trust carried to the title game, when the top-seeded Lopes trailed third-seeded UT Arlington early and then led for the last 29 minutes of an 89-74 win that punched the Lopes' ticket to the Big Dance.

GCU head coach Bryce Drew's magical work with the program has become a Las Vegas residency with three WAC Tournament championships and corresponding NCAA tournament trips in four years.

For its third NCAA Division I tournament in the program's seven tries since becoming D-I postseason eligible, GCU will learn its fate for seeding, opponent and location when the NCAA Selection Show reveals the 68-team field at 3 p.m. (Phoenix time) on CBS.

"Four years ago when I came and I was blessed to get offered the job, we talked a lot about what this place could be and what it would look like and what our team could be," Drew said. "Four years later, looking at the crowd and looking at our team, some of that vision is happening right now. It's so fun to be part of the process."

What it looked like Saturday was a scene with about 90% of the crowd of 4,019 fans painting the arena purple for a team that improved to 29-4, which ties the Lopes for the sixth-best winning percentage in the nation with Purdue.

GCU backed up its regular-season WAC championship and ended UT Arlington's eight-game winning streak with defense that rattled the Mavericks into 26 turnovers, a season high for a Lopes opponent, and Las Vegas, NV March 16 2024 : GCU beats UT Arlington 89-74 to win the WAC Championship for the second year in a row. The Lopes will advance to the NCAA Tournament. David Kadlubowski/GCU

a downhill offense that drew most of UT Arlington's 33 fouls. The Lopes made 37 free throws on 50 attempts, one off the national season high. It was the first time a team had shot at least 50 free throws in a conference championship game in 25 years, according to OptaSTATS.

GCU made 13 of 14 free throws in the final 3:09 to outscore UT Arlington 19-7 in that final stretch, which was lengthened into Sunday for three-fourths of the nation when the Mavericks committed two flagrant fouls with 2.9 seconds remaining. Lopes junior guard Collin Moore threw down an exclamatory windmill dunk, which UT Arlington coach KT Turner said he did not object to happening, and was shoved by Mavericks guard Phillip Russell before having Akili Vining hit him with a throw of the ball.

As the 29th of 32 NCAA tournament automatic qualifiers, the Lopes knew the perils of top seeds this year. Only 11 of the conferences' 32 No. 1 seeds will win their conference tournament, and 17 No. 1 conference seeds did not even reach their conference tournament championship games.

"This Las Vegas, NV March 16 2024 : GCU beats UT Arlington 89-74 to win the WAC Championship for the second year in a row. The Lopes will advance to the NCAA Tournament. David Kadlubowski/GCU

is what we've been waiting for since this summer – to get to this tournament," said Drew, who players showered with water as he entered the locker room after the on-court celebration. "The great thing is I feel we can still play a lot better. This team is extremely thankful that we had this opportunity. They're really motivated to be able to get to the (NCAA) tournament and be able to play as well as we possibly can."

Drew said it made him privately emotional during the Saturday to consider how much commitment his players made this season for the greater good of the team.

"Our huddles were so good these last couple days," Drew said. "Our locker room was so good. Guys were just so locked into each other wanting to win.

Las Vegas, NV March 16 2024 : GCU beats UT Arlington 89-74 to win the WAC Championship for the second year in a row. The Lopes will advance to the NCAA Tournament. David Kadlubowski/GCU

GCU senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster, the WAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, embodied that for scoring more than 50 points in the Lopes' two tournaments wins. On Saturday, he led the Lopes in points (22) and rebounds (nine) and also made three steals and blocked a shot.

As the WAC Player of the Year made six consecutive free throws in the final three minutes, Grant-Foster was serenaded with "M-V-P" chants. His arsenal was so unguardable that he drew 10 fouls.

"This team really makes me play less for myself and play for these guys," Grant-Foster said. "They've made me a whole lot better at basketball than I have been these previous years."

The Lopes needed to be better than their start to Saturday's game, when they missed 11 of their first 13 shots before graduate reserves Jovan Blacksher Jr. and Lök Wur scored eight consecutive points and took a 19-17 lead midway through the half when Grant-Foster found Wur for a baseline slam.

Las Vegas, NV March 16 2024 : GCU beats UT Arlington 89-74 to win the WAC Championship for the second year in a row. The Lopes will advance to the NCAA Tournament. David Kadlubowski/GCU

Blacksher and Wur were GCU's high scorers in the first half with nine and 10 points, respectively. Wur continued his amazing in-season turnaround with a career-high 16 points, putting him at 11 points per game in February and March with eight or more points in 12 consecutive games.

Blacksher was hitting pivot and left-side bank shots from the get-go and having Drew ask him, "Who's that guy on defense?" Blacksher finished with 14 points and three assists in 21 minutes, including two 3-pointers that put him at 45.5% on 3s in the past 10 games (15 for 33).

"This is probably his best game all year," Drew said. "Coming back from the knee, some days he looks like himself and some days he doesn't. But these last two days, that's the guy that we saw through the years win so many games for us. His defense and his energy was outstanding today. He led and played with his heart today with so much emotion and passion. It gave a big lift to these guys."

Wur was an astounding plus-21 in his 22 minutes of action, putting GCU at a minus-6 in the 18 minutes that he rested. He scored a career-high 16 points in the biggest game of his career.

"There was a deep sense of urgency," Wur said. "Tournaments are always like that. We have big goals as a team. We had goals to go dancing. This was just part of it, and we handled business."

But UT Arlington almost got away with making 16 turnovers and 14 fouls in the first half when GCU only led 36-32 at halftime.

Las Vegas, NV March 16 2024 : GCU beats UT Arlington 89-74 to win the WAC Championship for the second year in a row. The Lopes will advance to the NCAA Tournament. David Kadlubowski/GCU

Lopes junior guard Ray Harrison, who tallied 19 points, opened the second half with a tone-setting 3-point play on a jump shot and roused the crowd again when Moore's steal became a Grant-Foster slam for a 52-44 lead with 13:34 remaining.

The lead remained in double digits until consecutive UT Arlington 3-pointers tightened the Lopes lead to 70-67 with 3:25 to play.

Russell, the Mavericks' leading scorer, scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half, but senior power forward Shemar Wilson scored 13 a night after notching a career-high 29 in the semifinal.

"GCU is a heck of a team, and I tip my hat to them," Turner said. "They've been good all year and they were good tonight."

When Russell missed his last shot and GCU stretched the lead to a three-possession game, the Lopes were on their way to an on-court celebration with championship shirts, hats and sunglasses. Blacksher slapped the GCU logo on a ceremonial giant Big Dance ticket, and Harrison applied the "Grand Canyon" name to the winner's line of a wall-sized tournament bracket.

"That was my first time with the confetti and the nets," Grant-Foster said. "It was one of the best moments of my life."

Most of the Lopes fans stayed for the ceremonies as GCU President Brian Mueller proudly watched the players take the trophy for an arena lap to their fans and enter the Havocs section to celebrate.

"You can't beat it," Mueller said. "It's magic."