Seniors keep focus high entering home game on ESPNU

Thursday, January 39 \| 9 p.m. \| Global Credit Union Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	SEATTLE U REDHAWKS (8-12, 3-3 WAC)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (15-5, 5-1 WAC)

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

When Ray Harrison and JaKobe Coles roomed together on Grand Canyon's road trip last week, there were 268 combined games of experience in their Utah hotel room.

But when this week's home slate of Thursday night's nationally televised game against Seattle U and Saturday night's potential first-place showdown with Utah Valley are done, only the last half – eight games – of their final conference season will remain.

They have a determination to make them count, being reflective of GCU's team-wide flip in spreading joy and the ball. Four consecutive double-digit wins have been easy to enjoy, as will be the Lopes' 9 p.m. Thursday environment for an ESPNU game against Seattle U.

After 4 1/2 college years dedicated to basketball, Harrison and Coles are among the Lopes ready to bring all-out effort for a white-out, sold-out Global Credit Union Arena.

St. George, UT Jan. 25, 2025 : The Lopes outscore Utah Tech 79-66 at Burns Arena in St. George, Utah. David Kadlubowski/GCU

St. George, UT Jan. 25, 2025 : The Lopes outscore Utah Tech 79-66 at Burns Arena in St. George, Utah. David Kadlubowski/GCU

"We've been just having some good conversations with one another and he (Coles) actually encouraged me a lot, so I really want to just give him a public appreciation because he helped me remember to just have fun and enjoy everything that's going on right now," Harrison said.

While Harrison was wrapping up that trip by scoring 13 points and shutting out Utah Tech's top scorer until the second half, Coles was completing his best back-to-back performances since he opened the season with his career's first pair of double-doubles.

It was a momentous trip with Harrison moving to eighth on the GCU all-time scoring list (1,333 points in 2 1/2 Lopes seasons), and Coles hitting the 1,000-point career plateau at Southern Utah. More than 27% of the career points for Coles, a TCU transfer, have come in 20 GCU games.

"We talked about having fun," Coles said of relating to his road roommate. "We've been in college for a while. When you get to this point and you've been here and did it, you have to remind yourself what you do it for – the love of the game. You've got to find that joy that you had as a kid. We talked about that, and the whole team is feeling it."

GCU (15-5, 5-1 WAC) can win Thursday night to position itself for a chance to tie first-place Utah Valley (15-6, 7-0 WAC) on Saturday night because Coles' best career road trip averaged 19.0 points and 7.5 rebounds.

"He could just nap, and he's a natural scorer," Harrison said of Coles.

The four-game streak with an average victory margin of 20.5 points has featured 51% shooting from the field, 39% shooting on 3-pointers and 77% free throw shooting. The defense has continued its ways that recalibrated in mid-December and have held opponents to 37.3% shooting from the field since then.

Defensive consistency added an offensive groove and effusive fun.

"Th Cedar City, UT Jan. 23, 2025 : The Lopes dominate against Southern Utah with a 74-59 win in Cedar City, Utah. David Kadlubowski/GCU

Cedar City, UT Jan. 23, 2025 : The Lopes dominate against Southern Utah with a 74-59 win in Cedar City, Utah. David Kadlubowski/GCU

at's a recipe for success," Coles said. "That's what we have now, and we're going to continue it."

For a team with five of their top six scorers in their final season, the focus is sharp. The alarm sounded with a loss at Utah Valley, but it was the lone defeat in 10 games since that mid-December defensive flip.

"Our level of focus has increased," said Harrison, the only Lopes player in his third GCU year. "We just want it more now, honestly. We do. I can tell in practices. I can even tell off the court."

GCU head coach Bryce Drew sees the buy-in to his messaging of "The Program" since a Jan. 9 loss at Utah Valley, which can be avenged in Saturday's 6 p.m. home game. That game will not have the weight the Lopes want without a Thursday night win against Seattle U, which has gone 3-3 against GCU in the past two seasons.

"I think that we've played at a high level," Drew said of the four consecutive wins. "We've played with urgency on the court. We played really connected with each other. And we're excited to play back in front of our home crowd."

Shaw-some stuff

After a redshirt season at GCU, sophomore guard Caleb Shaw had quite a bit of recalibration to do. He needed to elevate his play back to game level, like his 2022-23 freshma Cedar City, UT Jan. 23, 2025 : The Lopes dominate against Southern Utah with a 74-59 win in Cedar City, Utah. David Kadlubowski/GCU

n season at Northern Colorado, and fit into a higher-level Lopes roster with a returning core from a 30-5 season.

Last week's play might have marked Shaw's arrival, playing more than 20 minutes in consecutive games for the first time since early November when GCU was shorthanded.

Shaw delivered 20 points and eight rebounds in the two road wins, including his most points (12) against a Division I opponent this season on Saturday night. GCU had only scored six points on its first eight possessions when Shaw came in hot at Utah Tech with a 3-pointer.

He kept making plays, getting a steal and fastbreak layup, blocking a shot and setting up Coles in the first half. He scored on consecutive second-half possessions with a baseline drive and another 3-pointer, putting his season 3-point percentage at 38.5%.

"Caleb shot the ball well on the trip," Drew said of his nephew. "We need more outside shooting. The more that he simplifies his game and attacks the rim or catches and shoots, it helps him and it helps our team."

Shaw credited a film session with Lopes assistant coach Jake Lindsey. After a pair of scoreless games, Shaw has averaged 8.3 points during GCU's four-game winning streak.

"I've been able to find a rhythm and consistency," Shaw said. "Coach Lindsey talked to me about making easy plays and doing what I do best – driving and catch-and-shoot 3s."

"It's been an adjustment and taken time, but now I'm at a place where I have a good role and I'm being consistent."

Lope tracks

Graduate swingman Tyon Grant-Foster needs 10 points to reach 1,000 career points.
GCU junior center Duke Brennan has recorded five double-doubles in the past seven games after not having one since December 2023. He ranks 25th nationally with 9.2 rebounds per game.
The Lopes have won 27 of their past 28 home games.
Harrison needs 22 points to pass Jovan Blacksher Jr. for seventh on the GCU all-time scoring leaderboard. His 2,224 career points, including two seasons at Presbyterian, ranks eighth among active Division I players.
GCU ranks third nationally for free throws made per game (19.8) and 11th for steals per game (9.9).
Seattle U (8-12, 3-3 WAC) rallied from a 14-point deficit to WAC leader Utah Valley 68-66 at home Saturday but had a layup blocked with nine seconds remaining and lost 70-66. The Redhawks also lost 65-56 last Thursday at UT Arlington.
Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, a 6-foot-8 transfer from Georgia, leads Seattle U with 15.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game (sixth nationally) and a WAC-leading 10 double-doubles on 56.7% shooting from the field. The fifth-year senior averaged 9.0 points and 5.3 rebounds as a freshman at Oklahoma State in 2020-21 but lost a starting role there a year later. He started in 2022-23 at Georgia but averaged 1.1 points and 2.1 rebounds last season.
Seattle U scores 17.2 points per game on free throws to rank 29th nationally.
The Redhawks rank second in the WAC for scoring defense (68.7 points allowed per game), least turnovers per game (11.9), bench points per game (24.1) and 3-pointers made per game (7.4).
The ESPNU broadcast crew will be play-by-play announcer Barry Buetel and three-time NBA champion Scott Williams.

Thursday, January 39 | 9 p.m. | Global Credit Union Arena | Phoenix, Ariz.

Shaw-some stuff

Lope tracks

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Players Mentioned

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Duke Brennan

JaKobe Coles

Tyon Grant-Foster

Ray Harrison

Caleb Shaw

Grand Canyon University Athletics