1st-place Lopes set for Saturday clash vs. California Baptist

Saturday, February 8

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

California Baptist

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Phoenix, AZ - January 25, 2025, GCU Women’s Basketball’s 78-43 win over Utah Tech University at Global Credit Union Arena. (Photo by: Jayden Todd/GCU).

1st-place Lopes set for Saturday clash vs. California Baptist

2/7/2025 12:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

GCU lies 1 home win away from setting program's single-season record

By: Nick Macdonald

Saturday, Feb. 8 \| 2 p.m. \| Global Credit Union Arena \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	CALIFORNIA BAPTIST LANCERS (8-14, 5-3 WAC)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (21-2, 8-0 WAC)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: LINK \| TICKETS: LINK

THIS GAME

GCU brings in a program-best 19-game winning streak Saturday versus reigning WAC champion California Baptist.
The Lopes are 14-0 at home and can set a new program record for home wins in a season on Saturday. GCU is 27-4 at home over the last two seasons.
GCU is allowing only 55.1 points per game in home games, with only two teams reaching 70 points among the 14 visitors to Global Credit Union Arena. In three WAC home games, the Lopes defense is limiting opponents to 51 points per game.

STORYLINES

The Lopes are 63-12 at Global Credit Union Arena since Molly Miller took the helm in 2020. Since 2022-23, GCU is 40-8 at home.
A trio of Lopes rank 1-2-3 in the WAC in steals this season, led by graduate forward Tiarra Brown with 62. Senior guard Callie Cooper is second with 57, followed by senior Trinity San Antonio with 56. Cooper has been stellar on the defensive end since WAC play started, leading the squad with 31 steals, eight more than Tahlia White of Utah Valley for the WAC lead in conference games.
GCU senior guard Alyssa Durazo-Frescas is one of the nation's top 3-point shooters, ranking first in 3-pointers per game (3.95), second in 3s made (79) and 11th in 3-point percentage (44.9%). Durazo=Frescas has knocked down four or more 3s in 10 games this season. With her 77th 3 of the season at Utah Valley, Durazo-Frescas broke the GCU Diivision I-era record for most 3s in a season and is seven shy of tying Samantha Murphy's all-time reocrd of 86 in 2010-11.
Lopes forward Laura Erikstrup, a graduate, is the team's leading scorer at 15.2 points per game and is 13th in the country in field goal percentage (60.8%). Erikstrup has 19 double-digit scoring games and has six double-doubles on the season. Erikstrup leads the WAC in points (350) and is averaging 15.5 points and 7.4 rebounds during WAC play. Her rebounding numbers are some of the best in the conference, ranking third with 161 on the season.
GCU is one of the most efficient teams from the floor in the nation, ranking sixth in field goal percentage (49.3%). Six players are averaging 45% or better from the floor (minimum 50 attempts), with two players over 50% on the season. The Lopes have shot 50% or better 14 times this season, with only four games under 40%.
The Lopes' 3-point shooting has been stellar over the last four games, shooting 40% or better in each game with 37 made 3s. With the return of Durazo-Frescas in the lineup, GCU is 10th in the nation in 3-point percentage (37.5%), shooting 46% over the last two contests.
San Antonio is 17th in the nation in assists (122) and 20th in assists per game (5.5). The guard has 27 assists over her last three games.
Head coach Molly Miller ranks fifth among active coaches with at least seasons in winning percentage (.841). She trails only Geno Auriemma (UConn), Kim Caldwell (Tennessee), Kim Mulkey (LSU) and Jeff Hans (Northern Kentucky).

LAST TIME THEY MET

GCU and CBU played to overtime for the first time in the series last March in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Brown tallied 19 points and three boards, while San Antonio scored 10 points with nine rebounds and six assists.
It was the third straight loss for the Lopes against the Lancers following four straight wins against them.

SCOUTING THE LANCERS

CBU enters 8-14 overall and 5-3 in WAC play. The Lancers have won two straight after dropping three straight.
The Lancers rank second in the league with 8.1 3-pointers per game, attempting 31.4 shots from 3-point range per contest.
CBU averages 26 defensive boards per game, a WAC best. Grace Schmidt is third in the league with 7.6 boards per game.
Schmidt is third in the conference with 49.7% shooting from the field, pitting two of the top three field goal percentage leaders on Saturday with Erikstrup leading the WAC.
Anaiyah Tu'ua is tied with San Antonio in assists per game (5.5). She is third in the WAC with 99 on the season.
CBU was won each of the past three meetings against the Lopes. San Antonio played her first two seasons for the Lancers. She totaled 22 points and 12 boards in two games last season against her former team.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU stays home and hosts two of the top three teams in the conference standings next Thursday and Saturday.
The Lopes will play Tarleton State on Thursday at 6 p.m., a rematch of GCU's lowest margin of victory in WAC play on Jan. 18.
Saturday matches GCU up with UT Arlington, which is second in the WAC standings at 8-1. The meeting against the Mavericks is the first this season.