Road tests up next at Abilene Christian, Tarleton State

Thursday, January 16

Abilene, Texas

5 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

Abilene Christian

Photo by: Jack Gilday

Road tests up next at Abilene Christian, Tarleton State

1/14/2025 3:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GCU heads to Texas on a 13-game winning streak

By: Nick Macdonald


Grand Canyon Lopes (15-2, 2-0 WAC)	vs.	Abilene Christian Wildcats (12-5, 1-1 WAC)	Tarleton State Texans (11-7, 2-1 WAC)
		Thursday, Jan. 16 5 p.m. (Phoenix time)	Saturday, Jan. 18 6 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Game Notes		Watch Live Stats	Watch Live Stats

THIS GAME

Grand Canyon takes its first two-game WAC road trip of the 2024-25 season, going to Texas to face Abilene Christian and Tarleton State.
The Lopes are four wins shy of tying the all-time program record for consecutive victories, currently sitting at 13 straight wins. GCU's last defeat came Nov. 18 at nationally ranked Oregon.
GCU is one of three teams that are undefeated in WAC play through two weeks. Tarleton State and Abilene Christian are fourth and fifth places, respectively, in the WAC standings.

STORYLINES

After a week off, GCU enters Texas at 15-2 overall and 2-0 in WAC play, earning wins over Southern Utah and Utah Valley in January. The Lopes extended their win streak to 13 games, the fourth-longest active streak in the nation, trailing only LSU, UCLA and Ohio State.
GCU senior guard Alyssa Durazo-Frescas is one of the nation's top 3-point scorers, ranking first in 3-pointers per game (4.0), second in 3s made (68) and 11th in 3-point percentage (46.3). The senior has knocked down four or more 3s in eight games this season. She is 8 shy of tying the GCU Division I-era record for 3s in a season, with 14 regular-season games to play.
Graduate forward Laura Erikstrup is the Lopes' leading scorer at 15.5 points per game and is 12th in the country in field goal percentage (60.9%). Erikstrup has totaled 13 straight games with double-digit point totals, including four double-doubles in that span. Erikstrup is second in the WAC in points (263), trailing only Abilene Christian's Payton Hull (314). Her 112 field goals made are best in the conference.
GCU is one of the most efficient teams from the floor in the entire nation, ranking sixth in field goal percentage (49.3%). Five players are shooting 45% or better from the floor (minimum 50 attempts), with three players over 50% on the season. The Lopes have shot 50% or better in 10 games, and have shot less than 40% only three times.
Defensive duo Tiarra Brown and Trinity San Antonio are first and second in the WAC, respectively, in steals. Brown has 51 on the season to San Antonio's 47. The Lopes have 212 steals compared to their opponents' 118.
San Antonio is 20th in the country with 89 assists this season, averaging 5.6 for the season (also ranking 20th). San Antonio and senior guard Callie Cooper have combined to dish out 145 assists, with Cooper's 2-to-1 assist/turnover ratio ranking third best in the WAC.
Head coach Molly Miller ranks fifth among active coaches in winning percentage (.838) with nine or more seasons of coaching. She trails only Geno Auriemma (UConn), Kim Caldwell (Tennessee), Kim Mulkey (LSU) and Jeff Hans (Northern Kentucky).
The Lopes are 61-12 at Global Credit Union Arena since Miller took the helm in 2020. GCU has won at least 12 home games in each of her last four seasons in Phoenix and tied the GCU Division I-era record for most home wins in a season (13) on Feb. 24, 2024. The team needs two home wins to set the all-time program record for home wins.

EFFICIENT FROM THE FLOOR

One of the best shooting teams in the land, GCU is sixth in the country with a 49.3 field goal percentage. GCU has shot 50% or better 10 times this season, including seven straight times from Dec. 8 to Dec. 29.
Seven players are shooting 40% or better with at least 45 attempted field goals each, led by Laura Erikstrup at 60.9%. Nneka Obiazor is second on the squad with a 51.1% clip from the floor, doing so off the bench and leading reserves with 166 points.
The efficient shooting extends to outside the 3-point line, ranking 23rd in the country in 3-point percentage (36.8). The Lopes also rank third in the WAC in free throw percentage (71.9).

3-POINT SPECIALIST

Senior guard Alyssa Durazo-Frescas has made a case to be the best 3-point shooter in the nation this season, ranking second in 3-pointers made (68) and first in 3-pointers per game (4.0). Durazo-Frescas is a career 42.7% 3-point shooter, ranking seventh in the nation last year at 44%. The UNLV transfer has scored at least 245 points in each of her three college campaigns and made a career-best 77 3s last season.
Durazo-Frescas set a new GCU single-game record with nine made 3s vs. Park Gilbert on Dec. 27.
The California native is third among active D-I players in career 3-point percentage.

SCOUTING REPORT

Abilene Christian enters 12-5 overall and 1-1 in WAC play.
ACU had the second-longest winning streak of WAC teams this season, earning nine straight victories from Nov. 24 to Dec. 30. It fell to Utah Valley, 64-63, in double overtime last week and bounced back with a 28-point win vs. Seattle U on Saturday.
The Wildcats attempt a lot of 3-pointers, ranking 15th in the nation in 3-point attempts per game (26.9). Their defense also forces a lot of turnovers, ranking ninth in turnovers forced per game (24.8).
Payton Hull is the league's leader in points (314) on the season. Her point total is 31st in the country, while her 18.5 points per contest ranks 40th overall and first in the WAC.
Hull is second in the WAC in 3-pointers (37) and 3-point attempts (110), trailing only Durazo-Frescas.
Tarleton State is 11-7 and 2-1 in league play heading into the weekend. It boasts an 8-1 home record and is 5-0 at Wisdom Gym since Dec. 7.
The Texans are great off the boards, ranking first in the WAC and 33rd nationally in rebound margin (plus-7.9 per game). They rank third in the conference with 25.8 defensive rebounds per contest.
Tarleton State has limited opposing offenses from scoring, holding teams to 56.8 points per game, first in the league and 37th nationally. It has allowed 70 or more points only once over its last nine games.
Arieona Rosborough gets to the free throw line often, leading the WAC in free throws made (70) with the second-highest free throw attempts (100). Faith Acker is second in the conference with 19 blocks on the season.