Colangelo duels pair GCU-Oklahoma State, ASU-OU

Just as Jerry Colangelo is synonymous with quality basketball and downtown Phoenix, Grand Canyon is a staple for a high-profile nonconference event in the heart of Phoenix.

In the Lopes' eighth trip to downtown PHX Arena over nine seasons, the Jerry Colangelo Classic is creating an Arizona-Oklahoma interstate doubleheader with GCU facing Oklahoma State and Arizona State playing Oklahoma on Dec. 6 at the Phoenix Suns and Mercury venue.

The power-packed event features three qualifiers in this year's NCAA Tournament, including GCU reaching its fourth Big Dance in head coach Bryce Drew's five seasons at the Lopes helm.

"One of our highlights on the calendar every season is the opportunity to play in downtown Phoenix, and we're excited to return this season," Drew said. "The experience of playing in an NBA venue is incredible. We are excited to play against a program we respect like Oklahoma State and bring our students and fans downtown for the day. Tying it all together and playing in an event with Mr. Colangelo's namesake and involvement adds an extra layer of importance for our program and university. We can't wait for December."

With an 8-mile trip from campus, GCU's downtown games have transferred the electric home atmosphere of Global Credit Union Arena to a different stage since 2017 for previous games against Arizona State, Portland, North Texas, San Francisco, Liberty, Nevada and St. John's.

GCU's imprint on college basketball also has deepened since Drew took over for 2020-21, tying the program for the fifth-most wins (120) in the nation since then.

The Lopes take on another tradition-rich program in Oklahoma State, which has 20 NCAA Tournament appearances since the 1990s. Cowboys second-year head coach Steve Lutz, who won conference titles at Western Kentucky and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, is coming off a 17-win debut season in Stillwater and has assembled an incoming transfer portal class ranked in the top 10 nationally.

Five of Oklahoma State's seven Division I transfers averaged double-digit scoring at their previous programs, including Green Bay fifth-year senior guard Anthony Roy who was the nation's leading scorer at 25.7 points per game before a foot injury. The Cowboys are also adding a former familiar WAC foe in 6-foot-9 center Parsa Fallah, who starred at Southern Utah before averaging 13.2 points on 60% shooting last season for Oregon State.

Lutz also landed senior guard Kanye Clary (Mississippi State), fifth-year forward Christian Coleman (UAB), junior guard Kaiah Coleman (Seton Hall) and sophomore guard Vyctorious Miller (LSU).

"The Jerry Colangelo Classic continues to be a signature event in the Valley's basketball calendar, and we're honored to carry on that tradition," said Position Sports president Melissa Meacham-Grossman, who partners with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to stage the event. "Bringing together Arizona State, Grand Canyon, and two strong programs in Oklahoma and Oklahoma State creates a dynamic doubleheader that celebrates Jerry Colangelo's lasting impact on the game and the city."

The Jerry Colangelo Classic doubleheader honors the Phoenix sports pioneer who is now a GCU Board of Trustees member, GCU Athletics senior advisor and namesa

ke of the GCU Colangelo College of Business. That event's announcement came with the revelation of two Dec. 26 Hall of Fame Series games, Arizona-San Diego State and Colorado-Stanford.

GCU's additions through the transfer portal also have been highly rated as the only mid-major in College Basketball Report's top 40. The group's highest-rated players are Jaden Henley (UNLV), Brian Moore Jr. (Norfolk State), Nana Owusu-Anane (Brown), Kaleb Smith (UC Riverside) and Dusty Stromer (Gonzaga).The Lopes return guards Caleb Shaw and Makaih Williams, along with center Dennis Evans after his redshirt season.

"It's always special to see Hall of Fame events hosted in Phoenix, a city that has meant so much to me personally and professionally," said Colangelo, who is also chairman of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. "Having both the Jerry Colangelo Classic and the Hall of Fame Series in the Valley this December highlights the strength of our local basketball community and gives fans a chance to see premier matchups in a building where I've shared many great memories. These events carry deep meaning for me, and I'm proud to see them continue to grow here in Phoenix."

Arizona State is entering its 11th year under head coach Bobby Hurley (210-171, .551), who has led the Sun Devils to three NCAA Tournament appearances and is coming off a 13-20 season that opened with a 10-3 record. ASU will play its Dec. 6 Jerry Colangelo Classic game against Oklahoma, where head coach Porter Moser is in his fifth year there and took the Sooners to the NCAA Tournament last season with a 20-14 mark.

Details for ticket sales, game times and broadcast coverage will be revealed later. A presale information sign-up is at HOFSeries.com

"Jerry Colangelo has made a lasting impact on the game at every level, and it's an honor to take part in an event that bears his name," Lutz said. "This is a great opportunity for our guys to compete in an NBA arena and challenge themselves against a strong non-conference opponent. We're looking forward to a high-level game in front of a great crowd."

Guard Makaih Williams and GCU played against Arizona State last season in the Phoenix Suns' and Mercury's downtown arena.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Dennis Evans

Jaden Henley

Brian Moore Jr.

Nana Owusu-Anane

Caleb Shaw

Kaleb Smith

Dusty Stromer

Makaih Williams

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