Big lead turns into tight win in home return

Saturday, February 22

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

20-6,10-2WAC

California Baptist

13-13,6-6WAC

California Baptist

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Jack Gilday

2/22/2025 10:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro

Box Score Photo Gallery

Coles' 18, Harrison's 16 pace Lopes without Grant-Foster vs. CBU

By: Paul Coro

Grand Canyon was inhaling confidence for most of Saturday night's game to build a 20-point lead, but everyone in purple at Global Credit Union Arena let out the exhale of a whale in the end.

The Lopes'' relief came from watching a potential tying California Baptist shot come off the rim without a clean tipback chance before the buzzer to secure the Lopes' 66-64 win in front of their first home crowd in three weeks.

GCU (20-6, 10-2 WAC) recorded its fourth consecutive 20-win season and now has avenged each of its conference losses while staying within one game in the loss column of WAC leader Utah Valley (20-7, 12-1 WAC). GCU has four conference games remaining while Utah Valley has three.

The Lopes and Lancers played without their leading scorers Saturday night, when GCU's Tyon Grant-Foster and California Baptist's Dominique Daniels Jr. did not suit up for injuries. Lopes head coach Bryce Drew said Grant-Foster is day to day.

Without Grant-Foster, the Lopes turned to senior power forward JaKobe Coles for a 15-point first half in which GCU took command. The Lopes built the lead to 61-41 with 10 minutes remaining in the game before surviving the Lancers' 23-5 finish.

Phoenix, AZ - February 22, 2025, GCU Men's Basketball holds off a late game comeback to defeat CBU 66-64 on Homecoming night at Global Credit Union Arena. (Photo by: Jack Gilday/GCU).

Phoenix, AZ - February 22, 2025, GCU Men's Basketball holds off a late game comeback to defeat CBU 66-64 on Homecoming night at Global Credit Union Arena. (Photo by: Jack Gilday/GCU).

GCU did just enough with the last of senior guard Ray Harrison's 16 points and the Lopes' points for the game coming on his left-side drive with 3:50 to go.

The Lopes' lead dwindled to 66-64 when California Baptist did not call timeout for its last possession with 14 seconds to go. GCU senior guard Collin Moore defended California Baptist guard Tylen Riley into a reset, but then he knocked Moore to the ground as he shot a pull-up that was short.

Lancers power forward Kendal Coleman, who scored a game-high 24 points with seven rebounds, could not get to the tip with Lopes junior center Duke Brennan coming off his man to disrupt the potential tying try.

GCU is 4-0 in games decided by four points or fewer – all coming at home.

"A win is a win, especially when you get late into February," Drew said of the Lopes' third consecutive victory. "We are thankful and we will take it, but obviously free throw shooting, turnovers and execution down the stretch has to get better."

The turnover issues that caused the loss at California Baptist had been eradicated for the win at UT Arlington on Saturday, when GCU did not make any turnovers in the final nine minutes.

Phoenix, AZ - February 22, 2025, GCU Men's Basketball holds off a late game comeback to defeat CBU 66-64 on Homecoming night at Global Credit Union Arena.

That game's finish of 12 consecutive scoring possessions seemed to carry over when the Lopes scored on six consecutive early possessions and only made five first-half turnovers for a 41-30 halftime lead.

But after taking the 61-41 lead midway through the second half, GCU had more turnovers (nine) than field goal attempts (seven) in Saturday's final 10 minutes

"We've just got to be smarter with the ball when it comes to the end of the halves," said Coles, who finisihed with 18 points and three steals. "When we go up, teams are going to pressure us more so we have to be ready for it."

GCU lost its dribble three times, traveled twice, threw away passes twice and was stripped twice.

"Tyon's been closing games out for us, so I think it was a little bit different," Drew said. "We really rode Ray and JaKobe for 30 minutes, and I think they ran out of a little gas in the last five minutes to close. It puts a lot of pressure on them with Tyon out.

"But as a coaching staff, we've got to figure a way to get some other guys to step up and make some more plays throughout the game because we need Ray and JaKobe fresh to close out the game."

The Lancers (13-13, 6-6 WAC) average a conference-low 11.6 turnovers per game, but GCU's defense caused 10 California Baptist turnovers in the first half. The Lopes blitzed the Lancers big men, pushing them to the perimeter with double teams that forced errors.

During California Baptist's 23-5 closing run, it committed one turnover on an offensive foul.

Phoenix, AZ - February 22, 2025, GCU Men's Basketball holds off a late game comeback to defeat CBU 66-64 on Homecoming night at Global Credit Union Arena. (Photo by: Jack Gilday/GCU).

The Lancers missed four of their final six shots with strong closeouts by Coles, Harrison and sophomore guard Makaih Williams.

"This time of year, it's all about momentum so we're just trying to create as much as we can," Harrison said.

GCU did not cure the turnover and free throw shooting issues of the loss at California Baptist, but the Lopes did turn around the battle on the glass.

After yielding 14 Lancers offensive rebounds two weeks ago, GCU only allowed California Baptist to get five Saturday and held a 14-4 advantage in second-chance points.

Brennan grabbed six of his 12 rebounds on offense and also finished with eight points.

"Our guys really came out and set a tone from the very beginning," Drew said. "We had multiple guys going for balls and getting their hands on them. That was a great start and great throughout the game because that's a physical team that rebounds well."

Phoenix, AZ - February 22, 2025, GCU Men's Basketball holds off a late game comeback to defeat CBU 66-64 on Homecoming night at Global Credit Union Arena. (Photo by: Jack Gilday/GCU).

With Grant-Foster out, it was helpful for GCU to have sophomore guard Caleb Shaw back after he missed last week's Texas trip to rehabilitate a hip injury. He gave GCU five points, six rebounds and a steal in 22 minutes, which included a ferocious poster slam for a 3-point play off a Moore steal when GCU was pulling away early in the second half.

Coles also took on a larger offensive role with the ball playing through him more often on his 7-for-14 shooting game. He finished with a team-high 18 points and three steals. He and Williams also each made five turnovers.

"We like playing games where we can figure out how to win because that's what most of the games are going to be like at tournament time," Coles said.

"I play the game. If my team needs me to do more, I'll do more. If my team needs me to be in more of a selective role and do little things, I'm going to do that."

GCU will run it back with UT Arlington (13-14, 6-7 WAC) just 12 days after beating the Mavericks 82-75 in Texas. That game will be at 7 p.m. Thursday in Global Credit Union Arena before the Lopes finish the week Saturday at Seattle U.