Brown makes history; Miller earns 100th GCU win

Thursday, January 9

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

15-2,2-0WAC

Utah Valley

9-5,1-1WAC

Utah Valley

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Jack Gilday

1/9/2025 10:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Lopes extend win streak to 13 behind Erikstrup's double-double

By: Nick Macdonald

Tiarra Brown has played out her story on the court for Grand Canyon over the past five seasons, and she made history Thursday night in a 71-59 victory over Utah Valley.

Brown entered the night three points shy of breaking the GCU Division I-era program record for career points, and left on top of the list after scoring nine points and adding five rebounds to put her at 1,356 for her career. The Spanaway, Washington, native surpassed Jessica Gajewski, who played at GCU from 2014-18 and tallied 1,350 points for her career.

In Brown fashion, the 5-foot-9 drove the lane late in the first quarter and converted a layup while also being fouled, showcasing her strength and ability to finish around the rim that she has shown since coming to campus in the summer of 2020.

Molly Miller began her first season as head coach of GCU in the summer of 2020. Her first recruit? Tiarra Brown.

The points record, which also moved Brown into third in GCU all-time history, was special for both parties with a victory that gave Miller her 100th victory as head coach of the program. The Lopes are on a 13-game winning streak, the nation's fourth-longest active winning streak.

"I am blessed that God led me here," Miller said. "I am blessed to be a part of this program and represent this school, but more so blessed to have those kids get all those wins. I didn't shoot the layups or make the passes. They did it all. It's also Tiarra's 100th win too, and I am so proud of her and a huge congratulations to her."

Miller is 100-37 in five seasons at GCU, improving her career record to 280-54 over 11 seasons with six years at her Division II alma mater, Drury, prior to her position in Phoenix. Miller is the second coach in program history to reach 100 career wins at GCU and holds the program's best all-time winning percentage at .730. Miller's overall winning percentage of .838 ranks fifth among active coaches with 9 or more seasons of coaching. She trails only Geno Auriemma (UConn), Kim Caldwell (Tennessee), Kim Mulkey (LSU) and Jeff Hans (Northern Kentucky).

On a night filled with emotions from the start, including a pregame 1,000-point ball to celebrate Alyssa Durazo-Frescas' scoring feat achieved Dec. 29, GCU (15-2, 2-0 WAC) was hot out of the gates, beginning the game on an 8-1 run and ending the first quarter leading 25-10 over Utah Valley (9-5, 1-1).

The offense cooled down, however, with the Wolverines getting within six points (25-19) three minutes into the second quarter. Foul trouble lingered across the starting five, with the starting backcourt of seniors Trinity San Antonio and Callie Cooper and Brown each picking up two halfway through the quarter.

But GCU's high-powered offense, which ranks among the best in the nation in field goal percentage and assists, found its weapons across the remaining five minutes. That included a putback layup from graduate guard Anna Ostlie, playing in her first game since Nov. 30, and baskets from senior guard Ale'jah Douglas and graduate forward Laura Erikstrup that put the Lopes ahead by double digits at halftime.

The second-half scoring was back and forth with neither team allowing the other to go on long scoring runs. The post play from Erikstrup was the ultimate X factor for a Lopes team playing against the Wolverines' 1-3-1 zone defense. When a basket was needed, Erikstrup delivered some of her 22 points on her way to her fourth double-double of the season with 10 boards. She shot 69% from the field, increasing her top-20 field goal percentage ranking.

"What you see on the floor is a team that really cares about each other," Erikstrup said. "I can't do what I do without them. and it's fun to be out there on the court with all the different weapons we have on this team. It's the buy-in with this team. We have so many girls with a lot of different experiences, and it's taking every opportunity that we have and running with it and not taking any opportunity for granted."

San Antonio, while limited to 23 minutes, recorded 19 points (11 in the second half) with her marquee speed and pull-up jumper.

The Lopes forced 22 turnovers and tallied 11 steals while converting free throws when it needed, making 13 of 17 attempts. GCU shot 51% from the field, mostly down low after making a season-low two 3-pointers, both of which came from guard Alyssa Durazo-Frescas. The senior was held in check for the first half, but came up clutch from beyond the arc to increase GCU's lead to nine and 10 points, respectfully, following her makes. Durazo-Frescas enters the weekend as the nation's leader in made 3-pointers this season with 68.

"This was a team win for us tonight," Miller said. "It took a lot of different people when we were in foul trouble. I am proud of the way we defended and the way we handled the pressure. Utah Valley is a really good team defensively and we came out from the get-go, had a little lull, but finished strong and I couldn't be prouder of our team."

At 12-0 in Global Credit Union Arenea, GCU is one shy of tying the all-time program record for home wins in one campaign, a mark it tied last season.

The Lopes next play two road games over a three-day stretch, beginning Thursday, Jan. 16, at Abilene Christian and followed by an afternoon contest at Tarleton State. on Jan 18.