Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Boise State on January 7, 2026 , Win , 75, to, 58
M Basketball
at Boise State
W 75-58
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Wednesday, January 21
Phoenix, Ariz.
9 p.m.
Grand Canyon
70
vs
69
San Diego State
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Clutch win tightens race with SDSU's 1st MW loss
1/22/2026 1:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
GCU's Williams caps 17 points by making tying, go-ahead FTs with 1.8 seconds to go
The Mountain West race is on.
In a five-day basketball bonanza, Grand Canyon delivered its greatest back-to-back regular-season wins by following up Saturday's upset of No. 23 Utah State by knocking off Mountain West leader San Diego State 70-69 on Wednesday night at standing-room-only Global Credit Union Area.
The Lopes (12-6, 5-2 Mountain West) pulled within a game in the loss column of the Aztecs (13-5, 7-1 MW) when junior guard Makaih Wiliams coolly swished a tying free throw and go-ahead free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining, becoming the only team besides No. 1 Arizona to beat San Diego State in December or January.
Six Mountain West teams are within a game in the loss column after GCU flashed the potential of its team and greatness of its home environment in its first-ever appearances on FS1 national broadcast.
After knocking off Utah State when it was the NET No. 15, the Lopes and the arena maintained the same intensity for NET No. 47 San Diego State to change its season's scope. The Aztecs, the pre-eminent MW program, are 0-3 at GCU and in front of a boisterous crowd that repeated Saturday's raucous Havocs scene.
"This is a great league," Williams said. "There are some great teams here, but we're built for this. We're a great team, just like everybody else."
GCU limited San Diego State to 40.3% shooting, making the Lopes 8-0 at that opponent clip or lower. Williams and senior guard Jaden Henley each scored a team-high 17 points.
That level of two-way play created a 17-3 run that thrust the Lopes into a 58-47 lead that became its largest lead, 61-49, on a 3-pointer by graduate guard Brian Moore Jr. with 9:10 to go. The Aztecs went 1 for 11 with four turnovers over that dominant stretch of nearly nine minutes.
"The defense was terrific in that stretch," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "Our guards were really locked in. Dennis (Evans) really helped us and had those key blocks in that stretch. It allowed us to get out in transition. And as we got out in transition, Brian got to the rim and Makaih and Jaden got some."
The Lopes clung to the lead for several minutes, helped by reducing their turnovers from 13 over the first half and the first two second-half possessions to just four over the final 19 minutes of the game. GCU kept San Diego State at bay with graduate power forward Nana Owusu-Anane inbounding a three-quarter court pass to Henley for a slam that kept the Lopes ahead 67-63 with 3:56 to go.
But after Williams made one of two free throws for a 68-63 edge with 3:36 remaining, the Lopes did not score again until Williams' game-winning free throws. GCU missed five driving shots and had a turnover driving in the lane to be in a situation where San Diego State took a 69-68 lead on a putback with a minute to go.
With about a four-second differential between game clock and shot clock, GCU intended to try to get a stop to get a shot trailing by one. But Moore fouled with 7.7 seconds remaining, resulting in the equivalent of a stop when San Diego State guard BJ Davis, an 88% free throw shooter, missed the front-end free throw in a bonus situation amid an overflow crowd's roar in Wednesday's final hour.
"Credit to my coach and teammates for trusting me," Williams said. "Nana got the rebound and got it right to me. I just went down the court and made a play. And with the free throws, honestly, from high school and throughout, I've had situations like that where I missed them. I remember one my senior year vividly, so it was great to hit those."
Wiliams took the outlet in the backcourt and used the speedy dribble that had just got him in the lane on two previous misses. As he gained a step on two defenders, San Diego State's Tae Simmons pulled his left shoulder as Wiliams went up for the shot. He made both to close his 9-of-10 free throw shooting game.
"I argued the call, but I didn't see it," San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher said on the San Diego Sports 760 postgame show. "That's basketball. It can be ecstasy or agony in a matter of seconds, and that's what it was."
With 1.8 seconds, the Aztecs did inbound past midcourt for Reese Dixon-Waters to miss a 35-foot shot at the buzzer. Dixon-Waters, Miles Byrd and Miles Heide were three San Diego State starters who also had lost at GCU in December 2023, when the Lopes recorded their first of three wins against top-25 teams.
The Lopes only shot 38% from the field but made up for it with one of their best 3-point shooting games (10 for 21, 48%) and free throw scoring (22 for 28, 79%). GCU had been shooting 30% from 3-point range this season.
"First half, I thought we played good basketball," Drew said. "I thought, in the second half, we played great basketball for about 16 of those 20 minutes. We had that four-minute stretch they really hurt us where they cut the lead and got the lead. But what a terrific atmosphere. The energy we had a few days, the energy we had tonight. It's just fun. Our guys have a great time playing in front of our crowd with the energy in the building like it has been the last couple of games.
"It feels like we're about 30 games in, for how these games go and the intensity of these games. It's an excellent league, and there are so many good teams. You literally have to be at your best every night. I'm really proud of our guys for playing much more physical. We have 13 more in the regular season that we're going to have to be ready for."
In GCU's first win this season after a halftime deficit, San Diego State had led 37-35 at halftime by getting 10 first-half points apiece from Dixon-Waters and Elize Harrington. The duo combined for eight second-half points while GCU held Byrd, the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year, to 2-of-10 shooting for six points. Byrd was tremendous defensively with four steals and three blocked shots
"We weren't at our best today," Dutcher said. "Give Grand Canyon a lot of credit. They were a big reason for that."
The Lopes head to Mountain West road games at Fresno State on Saturday and at Nevada on Tuesday with a renewed confidence and conference race. GCU, New Mexico and UNLV are 5-2 in MW play with Utah State and Nevada at 6-2, putting all of them one back in the loss column of San Diego State at 7-1 in the 20-game conference season.
"We have dawg mentality," Williams said. "It doesn't matter who's on our court or no matter where we're going. We know they're the best team that we can play at the moment, so we've got to come out with our 'A' game."
In a five-day basketball bonanza, Grand Canyon delivered its greatest back-to-back regular-season wins by following up Saturday's upset of No. 23 Utah State by knocking off Mountain West leader San Diego State 70-69 on Wednesday night at standing-room-only Global Credit Union Area.
The Lopes (12-6, 5-2 Mountain West) pulled within a game in the loss column of the Aztecs (13-5, 7-1 MW) when junior guard Makaih Wiliams coolly swished a tying free throw and go-ahead free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining, becoming the only team besides No. 1 Arizona to beat San Diego State in December or January.Six Mountain West teams are within a game in the loss column after GCU flashed the potential of its team and greatness of its home environment in its first-ever appearances on FS1 national broadcast.
After knocking off Utah State when it was the NET No. 15, the Lopes and the arena maintained the same intensity for NET No. 47 San Diego State to change its season's scope. The Aztecs, the pre-eminent MW program, are 0-3 at GCU and in front of a boisterous crowd that repeated Saturday's raucous Havocs scene.
"This is a great league," Williams said. "There are some great teams here, but we're built for this. We're a great team, just like everybody else."
GCU limited San Diego State to 40.3% shooting, making the Lopes 8-0 at that opponent clip or lower. Williams and senior guard Jaden Henley each scored a team-high 17 points.
That level of two-way play created a 17-3 run that thrust the Lopes into a 58-47 lead that became its largest lead, 61-49, on a 3-pointer by graduate guard Brian Moore Jr. with 9:10 to go. The Aztecs went 1 for 11 with four turnovers over that dominant stretch of nearly nine minutes.
"The defense was terrific in that stretch," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "Our guards were really locked in. Dennis (Evans) really helped us and had those key blocks in that stretch. It allowed us to get out in transition. And as we got out in transition, Brian got to the rim and Makaih and Jaden got some."
The Lopes clung to the lead for several minutes, helped by reducing their turnovers from 13 over the first half and the first two second-half possessions to just four over the final 19 minutes of the game. GCU kept San Diego State at bay with graduate power forward Nana Owusu-Anane inbounding a three-quarter court pass to Henley for a slam that kept the Lopes ahead 67-63 with 3:56 to go.But after Williams made one of two free throws for a 68-63 edge with 3:36 remaining, the Lopes did not score again until Williams' game-winning free throws. GCU missed five driving shots and had a turnover driving in the lane to be in a situation where San Diego State took a 69-68 lead on a putback with a minute to go.
With about a four-second differential between game clock and shot clock, GCU intended to try to get a stop to get a shot trailing by one. But Moore fouled with 7.7 seconds remaining, resulting in the equivalent of a stop when San Diego State guard BJ Davis, an 88% free throw shooter, missed the front-end free throw in a bonus situation amid an overflow crowd's roar in Wednesday's final hour.
"Credit to my coach and teammates for trusting me," Williams said. "Nana got the rebound and got it right to me. I just went down the court and made a play. And with the free throws, honestly, from high school and throughout, I've had situations like that where I missed them. I remember one my senior year vividly, so it was great to hit those."
Wiliams took the outlet in the backcourt and used the speedy dribble that had just got him in the lane on two previous misses. As he gained a step on two defenders, San Diego State's Tae Simmons pulled his left shoulder as Wiliams went up for the shot. He made both to close his 9-of-10 free throw shooting game.
"I argued the call, but I didn't see it," San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher said on the San Diego Sports 760 postgame show. "That's basketball. It can be ecstasy or agony in a matter of seconds, and that's what it was."
With 1.8 seconds, the Aztecs did inbound past midcourt for Reese Dixon-Waters to miss a 35-foot shot at the buzzer. Dixon-Waters, Miles Byrd and Miles Heide were three San Diego State starters who also had lost at GCU in December 2023, when the Lopes recorded their first of three wins against top-25 teams.The Lopes only shot 38% from the field but made up for it with one of their best 3-point shooting games (10 for 21, 48%) and free throw scoring (22 for 28, 79%). GCU had been shooting 30% from 3-point range this season.
"First half, I thought we played good basketball," Drew said. "I thought, in the second half, we played great basketball for about 16 of those 20 minutes. We had that four-minute stretch they really hurt us where they cut the lead and got the lead. But what a terrific atmosphere. The energy we had a few days, the energy we had tonight. It's just fun. Our guys have a great time playing in front of our crowd with the energy in the building like it has been the last couple of games.
"It feels like we're about 30 games in, for how these games go and the intensity of these games. It's an excellent league, and there are so many good teams. You literally have to be at your best every night. I'm really proud of our guys for playing much more physical. We have 13 more in the regular season that we're going to have to be ready for."
In GCU's first win this season after a halftime deficit, San Diego State had led 37-35 at halftime by getting 10 first-half points apiece from Dixon-Waters and Elize Harrington. The duo combined for eight second-half points while GCU held Byrd, the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year, to 2-of-10 shooting for six points. Byrd was tremendous defensively with four steals and three blocked shots
"We weren't at our best today," Dutcher said. "Give Grand Canyon a lot of credit. They were a big reason for that."
The Lopes head to Mountain West road games at Fresno State on Saturday and at Nevada on Tuesday with a renewed confidence and conference race. GCU, New Mexico and UNLV are 5-2 in MW play with Utah State and Nevada at 6-2, putting all of them one back in the loss column of San Diego State at 7-1 in the 20-game conference season.
"We have dawg mentality," Williams said. "It doesn't matter who's on our court or no matter where we're going. We know they're the best team that we can play at the moment, so we've got to come out with our 'A' game."
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballGCU Men's Basketball vs. #23 Utah State - Postgame with Brian Moore Jr.
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GCU Men's Basketball vs. #23 Utah State - Postgame with Bryce Drew
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GCU Men's Basketball vs. #23 Utah State - Postgame with Dennis Evans, Makaih Williams
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GCU Men's Basketball vs. #23 Utah State - Highlights
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