GCU falls at No. 2 South Carolina in 1st road test

Monday, November 3

Columbia, S.C.

5 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

0-1,0-0Mountain West

South Carolina

1-0,0-0SEC

Grand Canyon

South Carolina

11/3/2025 8:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

GCU's Douglas scores career-high 16 points off bench

By: Nick Macdonald

COLUMBIA, S.C. – In the first game of the Winston Gandy era, Grand Canyon faced one of the toughest tests in college basketball Monday night in No. 2 South Carolina, his former stop of two seasons prior to being named Lopes head coach in April.

GCU fell 94-54 in front of more than 15,000 fans at Colonial Life Arena, where the crowded arrived early to see the Gamecocks, Gandy and GCU assistant coach Chloe Rice receive Final Four rings for the Gamecocks' national runner-up season in 2024-25.

GCU graduate guard Ale'jah Douglas, one of two returners from last year's GCU squad, scored a career-high 16 points with three rebounds off the bench. The Nebraska native made three of GCU's seven 3-pointers and went 5 of 6 from the free throw line.

The Lopes experienced foul trouble early in the contest, seeing sophomore guard Chloe Mann, junior guard Julianna LaMendola and junior center Holly Griffiths each pick up a foul in the first 30 seconds of play. The Gamecocks scored seven straight points to open the game and shot 62.5% from the field with four 3-pointers to lead 29-10 after the first quarter.

The foul trouble shifted toward the Gamecocks' side, seeing South Carolina pick up five fouls before the media timeout. GCU made the most of its opportunity at the free throw line, going 13 of 17 in total with 7-of-10 shooting at the charity stripe in the second quarter.

The Lopes looked and felt more comfortable as the half went on, seeing highlight plays from many of its newcomers. Senior forward Anisa Jeffries spun around Joyce Edwards for a layup, while Mann was tripped up in the corner behind the 3-point line on a shot attempt that went in, forcing the first of two four-point plays by the point guard.

GCU went into halftime trailing 60-31, attempting 20 of its 34 3-pointers through the first 20 minutes.

"One thing I told this team prior to the game was 'We won't play a team that's better,'' " Gandy said. "To see the way Ale'jah and Anisa step up and it felt like the game was not too fast for them was really cool to see. For us, it's going to be a bit of a learning curve, when you don't have proven players, it might take five to 10 games to get their bearings. We have to figure out who our go-to players are, and that's going to come by playing games and for us. It was a great stepping stone as we continue to learn about ourselves."

The South Carolina scoring margin was limited to plus-three in the third quarter. GCU shot 35% from the field and held the Gamecocks to three 3-point attempts after 16 were taken in the first half. But the fouls started to surmount even further for the Lopes, with LaMendola fouling out and graduate power forward Favor Ayodele getting her third.

With 14 newcomers on the team, 14 GCU players entered the game in Columbia, including freshmen Norah Moo, Diamond Wright and Ines Zounia making their collegiate debuts.

Mann finished with 15 points and three from the beyond the arc, while Jeffries had 11 points and a team-high five boards.

"Whether it's a timeout you see with runs, like in the first quarter, or later on down the game, i knew it was going to be an adjustment," Gandy said. "We played some teams in closed scrimmages to give a sense of what we have and give us a look, but I think for me is learning to be patient. On the other side of it, every year it's one thing to win, and that's something that separates Dawn (Staley) among the rest, but her expectations don't change. For me, sustaining excellence is the goal and the path."

The Lopes head back to Phoenix and host Idaho State on Saturday for their first home game at 6 p.m. Admission will be free with live coverage on Arizona's Family Sports and Mountain West Network.

"I think Winston's done a great job with only having two or three players left on that roster, him recruiting and getting the talent he got," Staley said. "For him to come here and play us, maybe he thought it was probably going to be closer. Maybe he thought he could win. That's the type of attitude you need to bring in a place like this. I liked our chances, but I didn't think it was a sure win just from him being able to coach and knowing some of our weaknesses."