Completed Event: Men's Basketball at New Mexico on January 13, 2026 , Loss , 64, to, 87
M Basketball
at New Mexico
L 64-87
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, January 30
Phoenix, Ariz.
7 p.m.
Grand Canyon
vs
Boise State
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Home game offers challenge, chance to heal
1/29/2026 6:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
GCU returns home to face Boise State in 1st MW rematch
Grand Canyon fans reside in the same head space as GCU players and staffers – how to heal a broken heart.
The Lopes are already on their way.
They relived Tuesday's devastating overtime loss at Nevada by watching and learning from it Wednesday. They moved on by having a productive practice Thursday with preparation for how they can help GCU fans with a Friday night home win against Boise State at Global Credit Union Arena.
Like any broken heart, the Lopes will get it over it with even emotions, self-care, forward thinking and an appreciate for what it did well. They have to rebound, emotionally and on the boards, against the Mountain West's hottest team for the 7 p.m. tipoff on FS1. They can't recalibrate four missed free throws in the last two minutes at Nevada or take back a foul on a long 3-point shot in the final minute of regulation.
"I don't think you can just sweep it under the rug and pretend it didn't happen," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "It hurts. You put so much into it, and we were in such a great position to win the game. In the standings, it would've put us in such a great position.
"It's devastating for everybody. That sting is still there, and it's still going to be there. A week from now, two weeks from now, three weeks from now, it's still going to be there. But we can't let that game affect us in our next game with how we play. We're going to get better from it."
The Lopes (13-7, 6-3 MW) could have remained one of three teams that were one loss behind MW leader San Diego State, but they are now in fifth place holding off UNLV at one game back and Boise State at 1 1/2 games back.
The Broncos (13-8, 5-5 MW) have a four-game winning streak and are now 4-1 against teams with losing conference records and 1-4 against teams with winning conference records. It has been an erratic season for Boise State, starting with a home loss to Division II Hawaii Pacific before the improved for a close loss to USC, a win at Butler and a win against Saint Mary's.
The Lopes toppled the Broncos 75-58 on Jan. 7 in Idaho, but Boise State enters GCU after a pair of wins by 40-plus points over San José State and Air Force.
"They're playing their best basketball," Drew said of Boise State, GCU's first repeat conference opponent of the season. "They've been really, really good. It's the best I've seen them on film. The last four games, they're playing really physical, aggressive defense. They're playing like that team that beat Saint Mary's and beat Butler on the road. Nothing is easy on either side of the court.
"This game is going to be super physical. There's going to be a lot of banging in the paint."
Boise State is the Mountain West rebounding leader with a per-game margin of 6.7 despite GCU outrebounding it by 10 in the first meeting. It was the only game of the season that the Broncos did not start 6-foot-10 Drew Fielder, the Mountain West field goal percentage leader (55.3%) who averages 13.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 23.0 minutes per game. They shot 34.7% against the Lopes.
"We said in the locker room (at Nevada), 'Keep the pain,' " Demirel said. "We're keeping the pain, but we're still going. We still have 11 games, so we have to keep going. It's just basketball. You can lose, or you can win. It's just a normal thing."
Drew said graduate guard Brian Moore Jr. had his most practice activity Thursday since suffering a hamstring injury Jan. 21 to miss the past two games. Junior guard Caleb Shaw is expected to be out longer after an ankle injury Jan. 24 at Fresno State.
Down two starters, Drew played five starters for 37 minutes or more with senior guard Jaden Henley and junior guard Dusty Stromer each logging 44 minutes. Henley recorded his second consecutive double-double after not having one in 109 previous games with 86 previous starts.
The Lopes bench logged one minute (by redshirt freshman center Dennis Evans) in the second half and overtime Tuesday. But the MW schedule keeps coming with GCU's fourth game in 10 days.
"The inability to keep fresh guys on the court last game really hurt us," Drew said. "We had guys play way too minutes, but it was out of necessity. (Before the injuries,) we had a really good five-player perimeter rotation that was keeping guys fresh for defense and offense. We fatigued down the stretch because guys played 40 minutes.
"We didn't realize it when the schedule comes out, but that bye week to start conference was brutal because a lot of teams are getting a chance to get fresh or get healthy or get practice days to regroup. We're playing four games in 10 days, so you can't get healthy or have good practices. We don't have that luxury."
The Lopes are already on their way.
They relived Tuesday's devastating overtime loss at Nevada by watching and learning from it Wednesday. They moved on by having a productive practice Thursday with preparation for how they can help GCU fans with a Friday night home win against Boise State at Global Credit Union Arena.
Like any broken heart, the Lopes will get it over it with even emotions, self-care, forward thinking and an appreciate for what it did well. They have to rebound, emotionally and on the boards, against the Mountain West's hottest team for the 7 p.m. tipoff on FS1. They can't recalibrate four missed free throws in the last two minutes at Nevada or take back a foul on a long 3-point shot in the final minute of regulation."I don't think you can just sweep it under the rug and pretend it didn't happen," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "It hurts. You put so much into it, and we were in such a great position to win the game. In the standings, it would've put us in such a great position.
"It's devastating for everybody. That sting is still there, and it's still going to be there. A week from now, two weeks from now, three weeks from now, it's still going to be there. But we can't let that game affect us in our next game with how we play. We're going to get better from it."
The Lopes (13-7, 6-3 MW) could have remained one of three teams that were one loss behind MW leader San Diego State, but they are now in fifth place holding off UNLV at one game back and Boise State at 1 1/2 games back.
The Broncos (13-8, 5-5 MW) have a four-game winning streak and are now 4-1 against teams with losing conference records and 1-4 against teams with winning conference records. It has been an erratic season for Boise State, starting with a home loss to Division II Hawaii Pacific before the improved for a close loss to USC, a win at Butler and a win against Saint Mary's.
The Lopes toppled the Broncos 75-58 on Jan. 7 in Idaho, but Boise State enters GCU after a pair of wins by 40-plus points over San José State and Air Force."They're playing their best basketball," Drew said of Boise State, GCU's first repeat conference opponent of the season. "They've been really, really good. It's the best I've seen them on film. The last four games, they're playing really physical, aggressive defense. They're playing like that team that beat Saint Mary's and beat Butler on the road. Nothing is easy on either side of the court.
"This game is going to be super physical. There's going to be a lot of banging in the paint."
Boise State is the Mountain West rebounding leader with a per-game margin of 6.7 despite GCU outrebounding it by 10 in the first meeting. It was the only game of the season that the Broncos did not start 6-foot-10 Drew Fielder, the Mountain West field goal percentage leader (55.3%) who averages 13.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 23.0 minutes per game. They shot 34.7% against the Lopes.
"We owe them payback," Boise State sophomore Pearson Carmichael told Bronco Nation News. "We have to get our get-back. We know we're coming into a really rowdy environment, but that's what we like to play for. It's going to be a super-fun one, and I'm excited."
GCU's big man, 7-foot-1 Efe Demirel, played a season-high 37 minutes Tuesday night and posted his first career double-double (14 points and 10 rebounds) with 7-of-8 shooting and two blocked shots. The Lopes are 11-2 when he scores five or more points."We said in the locker room (at Nevada), 'Keep the pain,' " Demirel said. "We're keeping the pain, but we're still going. We still have 11 games, so we have to keep going. It's just basketball. You can lose, or you can win. It's just a normal thing."Drew said graduate guard Brian Moore Jr. had his most practice activity Thursday since suffering a hamstring injury Jan. 21 to miss the past two games. Junior guard Caleb Shaw is expected to be out longer after an ankle injury Jan. 24 at Fresno State.
Down two starters, Drew played five starters for 37 minutes or more with senior guard Jaden Henley and junior guard Dusty Stromer each logging 44 minutes. Henley recorded his second consecutive double-double after not having one in 109 previous games with 86 previous starts.
The Lopes bench logged one minute (by redshirt freshman center Dennis Evans) in the second half and overtime Tuesday. But the MW schedule keeps coming with GCU's fourth game in 10 days.
"The inability to keep fresh guys on the court last game really hurt us," Drew said. "We had guys play way too minutes, but it was out of necessity. (Before the injuries,) we had a really good five-player perimeter rotation that was keeping guys fresh for defense and offense. We fatigued down the stretch because guys played 40 minutes.
"We didn't realize it when the schedule comes out, but that bye week to start conference was brutal because a lot of teams are getting a chance to get fresh or get healthy or get practice days to regroup. We're playing four games in 10 days, so you can't get healthy or have good practices. We don't have that luxury."
Lope tracks
- GCU is 80-12 (.870) at home during Drew's six-year tenure.
- The Lopes could record their 200th win at Global Credit Union Arena on Friday.
- GCU opponents are shooting 37.6% over the past seven games with the lowest two clips (30.2% by Fresno State and 32.8% by Nevada) coming in the past two games.
- The Lopes rank 43rd nationally with 40.9% opponent shooting on the season.
- GCU has shot less than 40% from the field in each of the past three games.
- The Lopes are 12-0 in games they led at halftime.
- GCU is 9-1 when it makes at least 30% of its 3-point shots.
- Henley's career-high games for points (29 vs. IU Indy), rebounds (13 at Nevada) and steals (six vs. Stetson) have all come this season.
- Henley ranks fourth in the MW for scoring at 17.2 points per game.
- Owusu-Anane has shot 47% from the field in GCU wins and 32% in losses.
- Williams has averaged 14.2 points with 46% shooting from the field and 38% shooting on 3s as a reserve. He averages 11.2 points with 34% shooting from the field and 22% shooting on 3s as a starter.
- Boise State boasts the Mountain West's top two frontcourt scorers in Fielder (288 points) and 6-7 junior Andrew Meadow (273).
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