Win streak reaches 20 as Lopes dominate home win

Saturday, February 8

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

22-2,9-0WAC

California Baptist

8-15,5-4WAC

California Baptist

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Jayden Todd

2/8/2025 6:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Lopes win program-record 15th home game of season

By: Nick Macdonald

The second-longest winning streak in the nation has been extended to 20 games.

Facing reigning WAC champion California Baptist on Saturday at Global Credit Union Arena, Grand Canyon dominated from the tip to win its program-record 15th home game of the season in an 84-55 showing that improved the Lopes' WAC record to 9-0.

News and notes

GCU improved its home record to 15-0, setting a single-season program record for home wins, surpassing 14 set in 2010-11.
Graduate forward Laura Erikstrup recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Erikstrup has now tallied double-digit scoring totals in 19 of her last 20 games.
Graduate forward Tiarra Brown led all scorers with a season-high 22 points. Brown added four steals and five assists and extended a streak of five games with four or more assists.
The Lopes knocked down 11 3-pointers for the third time in the last four games. Senior guard Alyssa Durazo-Frescas hit four 3s, putting her to 83 on the season for the second-most made 3s in the country.
GCU improved to 22-2 overall and 9-0 in WAC play. The Lopes lead UT Arlington by one game in the WAC standings, with the two teams set to meet next Saturday at home.

"I feel proud for these kids as they have worked so hard," GCU head coach Molly Miller said. "February can be a grind, where teams can either peak or go downhill, and that's been our message in each practice – what can we do day in and day out to get better?"

With four players averaging double figures and the Lopes ranking 29th in the country in scoring offense, Brown started the scoring by draining a 3-pointer from the left wing. An Erikstrup layup followed by a Durazo-Frescas 3 forced California Baptist (8-15, 5-4 WAC) to call timeout two minutes into the contest.

The Lopes fired away from 3-point range in the first quarter, scoring 12 of their 16 points from distance. GCU led 16-11 after 10 minutes, holding California Baptist to 0 of 8 on 3s and 3 of 14 from the field.

A CBU 3 from Nhug Bosch Duran pulled the Lancers within two points early in the second quarter, but within a blink of an eye, the Lopes lead reached 11 with Erikstrup scoring six during a 9-0, 68-second run.

GCU headed to the locker room leading by 12 points, holding CBU to 27 points and 2-of-12 shooting from 3-point range. The Lancers prevented an even larger lead with their free throw efficiency, going 7 of 8 from the line as the Lopes had one attempt in the first half.

The free throws came GCU's way in the third quarter, making 8 of 10 attempts while shooting 7 of 11 (63%) from the field. Brown again jumpstarted the offense from the get-go. The Lopes lead reached as much as 30, with 47 points in the second and third quarters combined.

"This team is locked in, and it all starts with Tiarra," Miller said. "She's been here for five years, and she knows exactly what we need to do when the time comes in getting our mindset focused each and every game."

GCU forced 21 turnovers with 16 steals, its eighth game of the season with 16 or more steals. Brown, senior guard Callie Cooper and senior guard Trinity San Antonio are top three in the WAC for steal and combined for 11 on Saturday.

"Our team kept the focus from the goals we set out from this week," Brown said. "We kept the high intensity and energy through all the players who played today. Winning 20 straight feels great, but we have bigger goals. As Coach Miller says, it's 0-0 going into each game. Don't look at the opposing team's record. Don't worry about our record. It's 0-0 and one game at a time."

The 22nd win is two shy of the program's Division I-era program record. The all-time single-season wins record is 29, set in 2010-11, and the Lopes have seven games remaining in the regular season.

GCU remains in Phoenix for the next two games – at 6 p.m. Thursday against Tarleton State and at 2 p.m. Sunday at UT Arlington.