17-game win streak ties GCU single-season record

Saturday, January 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

19-2,6-0WAC

Utah Tech

5-13,1-4WAC

Utah Tech

Grand Canyon

1/25/2025 6:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Lopes' Ostlie sinks 6 3s; Erikstrup records 6th double-double in rout

By: Nick Macdonald

The team with the second-longest active winning streak in the nation resides in Phoenix.

Grand Canyon won its 17th consecutive game Saturday with a 78-43 victory over Utah Tech in front of 1,584 fans, improving to 19-2 on the season and 6-0 in WAC play.

News and notes

GCU's 17-game winning streak tied a program best for a single season, matching 17-win streaks from the Lopes' 2006-07 and 2010-11 seasons.
The win also tied a program record for home victories in a season. GCU is 40-8 at home since the 2022-23 campaign and has won at least 13 home games in each season over the last three years. This season's 14th home win set a GCU Division I-era mark with five home games remaining.
GCU graduate guard Anna Ostlie sparked the offense in the first half and finished with six of the team's 11 3-pointers. Ostlie has made nine 3s over her last two games.
Graduate Laura Erikstrup notched her sixth double-double of the season and third in WAC play. The Lopes forward had 17 points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.

"Today's win just shows the growth of our program," GCU head coach Molly Miller said. "The confidence the university has put into our program with pouring resources and commitment into our women's basketball program, I think we have arrived at that next level. Day by day, we are going to take it with the same mentality, but the overall view is that we do belong, and I am really proud of this team and program."

GCU's depth has long been noted to catch fire at any given moment throughout the season, and the outside efficiency from Ostlie jumpstarted the WAC's No. 1 scoring offense. After just two points through the first five minutes, the Lopes rallied off three 3s – two from Ostlie and one from Ale'jah Douglas – to go ahead 15-12 at the end of one quarter.

Utah Tech (5-13, 1-4 WAC) held the Lopes' starting five to 1-of-7 shooting from the field to open the game, but the crowd noise began to rise after five consecutive made basket. The GCU defense clamped down to limit the Trailblazers to five second-quarter points, which tied for the second fewest for a Lopes opponent in any quarter this season.

Ostlie's hot hand continued into the second quarter, when she knocked down three more 3-pointers to push the Lopes lead into double digits quickly. GCU guards Trinity San Antonio and Callie Cooper rank first and sixth in assists in the WAC, respectively, and combined for 13 dimes Saturday as Tiarra Brown, Kristyna Jeskeova and Erikstrup filled up the scoring column.

"Coach Miller has stressed to us all year to play hard every single game and to play harder than the opponent we're up against," Ostlie said. "Praise God as he is the one that has given us this opportunity. Don't remember our name, remember His."

The Lopes shot 68% from the field and 80% from 3-point range to balloon the three-point, first-quarter advantage ballooned to a 44-17 lead at the halftime break.

Eight Lopes scored at least six points throughout the contest and the defense forced 27 turnovers, marking the fourth time this season that a GCU opponent logged 27 or more turnovers. The Lopes outscored the Trailblazers 23-11 in the third and led by as many as 41 in the fourth quarter en route to a 35-point win. The margin of victory was the most against a WAC opponent since GCU won 88-41 at Utah Tech on Feb. 15, 2024.

"This team is bought in," Miller said. "I love the chemistry that we have, and every single player is not looking at the me but at the we. We have so many weapons that complement each other out there. They were really swarming Trinity tonight, so the number that looked good in her box score was her assist total (eight). Laura is getting another double-double and with Alyssa out, that takes away some 3-point shooting, but Anna steps up bigtime. For her to have the confidence to shoot it with the confidence from her teammates and coaches, the pieces are there."

Ostlie and Erikstrup combined for 35 points, while San Antonio finished with eight points, eight assists, five steals and four rebounds. The defense totaled 16 steals, its third time with 16 or more in the past six games..

"This is definitely a special group," Ostlie said. "We are so focused, and we don't even realize we are 19-2. We are 0-0 as Coach Miller would say, but it has been so much fun this season."

The Lopes head back on the road for two games in two states. They begin with a noon (Phoenix time) game Thursday at Seattle U, followed by a 2 p.m. game (Phoenix time) at Utah Valley next Saturday.