Final shot falls short vs. UTSA in Frisco

Wednesday, November 26

Frisco, Texas

3 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

1-6,0-0Mountain West

UTSA

3-3,0-0American

UTSA

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Mario Terrana

11/26/2025 6:43:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

LaMendola scores career high 21

By: Nick Macdonald

FRISCO, Texas – Grand Canyon women's basketball fell to UTSA, 65-64, in its final game of the Hoopfest Women's Basketball Challenge at the Comerica Center.

News and Notes

Junior Julianna LaMendola scored a career high 21 points, eight of which came in the first quarter. The Texas native drained five 3-pointers added four rebounds and a block
Senior Anisa Jeffries had her second straight double-digit point game with 12 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Jeffries finished the Frisco week totaling 29 points.
The Lopes knocked down a season high 10 3's, including 4 of 8 in the fourth quarter. The squad also shot a season-low five three throws, the first game this season not attempting double-digit free throw numbers.
LaMendola paced GCU (1-6) early in the game, scoring eight of the team's 13 first quarter points. The Lopes trailed 16-13 at the end of one and 28-23 after the second.

Shooting a combined 31% from the floor in the first half, the Lopes recorded a 43% clip from the field in the third, seeing contributions from LaMendola (5), Jeffries (4), and sophomore Chloe Mann (4). The defense held UTSA (35%) to its lowest shot percentage of the four quarters and nearly went into the fourth quarter with a lead before a last second three pointer gave the Roadrunners a 40-38 advantage.

The first three quarters saw 68 points scored combined, whereas the fourth quarter saw both teams knock down shot after shot, combining for 51 points and 15 made field goals.

GCU kept its stride from the third to fourth quarter, scoring 14 of the quarter's first 19 points. Graduate Ale'jah Douglas stepped up with eight fourth quarter points, followed by another eight-point quarter showing from LaMendola.

Up 62-57 with less than a minute to play, the Roadrunners sank a three to get within two. After a pair of Douglas free throws, UTSA again made a three, making it 64-63 with 33 seconds to spare.

The ensuing possession turned into a turnover for the Lopes, and with seven seconds left, UTSA got to the line for a chance to take its first lead since making that three at the end of the third. Cheyenne Rowe made both, her seventh and eighth of the game, and GCU had one last attempt at the basket with time winding down.

Off the inbound, Mann took the ball up the court, who went toward the baseline before finding Jeffries in the paint. The shot at the buzzer was just short, hitting off the front of the rim.

UTSA went 16 of 17 from the free throw line, while GCU had a season-low 13 turnovers.

GCU heads back on the road Dec. 4 in Spokane, Washington, as it takes on Gonzaga at 7 p.m. MST.