Completed Event: Men's Basketball at UNLV on February 7, 2026 , Loss , 78, to, 80
M Basketball
at UNLV
L 78-80
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Rapid recap: GCU 68, California Baptist 47
3/9/2024 5:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
Lopes claim 1st outright WAC regular-season championship
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Grand Canyon won its first outright WAC regular-season championship when it defeated California Baptist 68--47 in the Lopes' road finale Saturday night at Fowler Events Center.
GCU (27-4, 17-3 WAC) entered Saturday night with its second regular-season championship secured but ended the regular season alone in first place by one game over second-place Tarleton State (23-8, 16-4 WAC).
The Lopes swept the season series against California Baptist and have won five of the past six GCU-CBU meetings. The victory also matched the Lopes' Division I-era record for victories in a season, a mark previously held by the 2015-16 team that went 27-7.
These Lopes, who led the Lancers by as much as 31 points on Saturday night, can break that mark when they next play in Friday's WAC Tournament semifinals in Las Vegas as the No. 1 seed.
GCU sophomore center Duke Brennan scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and added a career-high four blocked shots. Brennan made 5 of 6 shots from the field and 3 of 3 from the free throw line and added his first career 3-pointer after only attempting one previously.
Return to GCULopes.com later tonight for Paul Coro's updated game recap with more details and reactions from Lopes head coach Bryce Drew and players.
GCU (27-4, 17-3 WAC) entered Saturday night with its second regular-season championship secured but ended the regular season alone in first place by one game over second-place Tarleton State (23-8, 16-4 WAC).
The Lopes swept the season series against California Baptist and have won five of the past six GCU-CBU meetings. The victory also matched the Lopes' Division I-era record for victories in a season, a mark previously held by the 2015-16 team that went 27-7.
These Lopes, who led the Lancers by as much as 31 points on Saturday night, can break that mark when they next play in Friday's WAC Tournament semifinals in Las Vegas as the No. 1 seed.
Key player
GCU sophomore center Duke Brennan scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and added a career-high four blocked shots. Brennan made 5 of 6 shots from the field and 3 of 3 from the free throw line and added his first career 3-pointer after only attempting one previously.
Key moment
California Baptist was leading 17-16 midway through the first half when GCU scored 16 unanswered points. CBU head coach Rick Croy picked up a technical foul after Lopes sophomore center Duke Brennan's 3-point play and an ensuing GCU stop. The technical fouls started a string of nine consecutive points scored by Grant-Foster. The Lancers wound up going 6 1/2 minutes without scoring and 10 1/2 minutes without making a field goal. A tip-in put the Lopes halftime lead at 41-21.Key statistic
GCU held CBU to 27.1% shooting from the field. It was the lowest field goal percentage by a Lopes Division I opponent since Feb. 26, 2022, when Sam Houston shot 25.8% at GCU. It was the lowest field goal percentage by a Lopes D-I opponent at home since CSU Bakersfield shot 24.5% on March 14, 2017.Quotable
Brennan: "It really started with the intensity in practice. Especially being at the end of this year, it's hard to have very intense practices, but Coach Drew told us, coming off those two losses (in Texas), our practices need to be very, very good. It's tiring sometimes, but the intensity in practice is what makes you able to beat a team by 21 points."What's next?
GCU will be the No. 1 seed in next week's WAC Tournament in Las Vegas, where the tourney winner will be awarded an NCAA tournament automatic berth. The Lopes receive two rounds of byes to advance to the Friday semifinals at Orleans Arena, where they will play at 6 p.m. against the winner of a Thursday quarterfinal involving No. 4 seed Seattle U.Return to GCULopes.com later tonight for Paul Coro's updated game recap with more details and reactions from Lopes head coach Bryce Drew and players.
Players Mentioned
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