Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Western New Mexico (Exhibition) on October 27, 2026 , Win , 82, to, 59
M Basketball
vs Western New Mexico (Exhibition)
W 82-59
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Wednesday, November 11
Phoenix, Ariz.
7 p.m.
Grand Canyon
vs
Cal Poly
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
11/10/2026 6:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
Lopes look for defense to match offensive success when free-shooting Mustangs visit
Grand Canyon outscored its first two opponents by an average of 21 points, which means its defense has been plenty good enough to win games.
But the Lopes defense has not been good enough to meet the exacting standards of head coach Bryce Drew or the proficiency of a defense that ranked fifth nationally for opponent field goal percentage over Drew' first six GCU seasons.
At a time of needed correction, GCU's challenge will be intensified Wednesday night by facing Cal Poly, the nation's fastest-moving offense (per KenPom). With a five-out look of five players outside the 3-point arc, the Mustangs offense attempted the fourth-most 3-point shots per game (32.7) in the nation last season.
"We've got to play like we have a target on our back, which we do," GCU senior guard Makaih Williams said heading into a 6 p.m. Saturday game against Cal Poly at Global Credit Union Arena.
In the season's first week, the Lopes posted their highest opening two-game scoring average in 30 years, becoming the only team besides Alabama, Illinois and Texas A&M to score 99 or more points against two Division I opponents this season.
However, GCU allowed 47.3% shooting Saturday in beating Bethune-Cookman 99-81 to leave some work to do to get to Drew's six-year standard of allowing 40.2% field goal shooting over that time.
"There were some mental mistakes in there and some angles where we didn't take the correct angle," Drew said. "We just have to do a better job and be more aware. Hopefully, our defense will be better than it was last game."
The Lopes have 11 newcomers who are being trained on different defensive principles that can be detailed but important. When and where to help. Which way feet are directed as an off-ball defender. Keeping hands high and active.
GCU adheres to the "Guard Your Yard" philosophy of top defensive programs such as Houston. Defenders stay in their man's bubble and deny dribble penetration by sliding their feet without fouling on the perimeter.
It has been drilled since June in the GCU Basketball Practice Facilty, but game dynamics are like taking the course's next level.
"Practice is a controlled atmosphere," Drew said. "When you get into a game, it's not. A lot of times, when you get the adrenaline flowing during moments of the game, you go back to what you're used to doing or what you're done in those moments of your career. We saw this a lot at the beginning of last year. It just takes time for it be natural or instinctive."
GCU regularly gets there, not allowing opponents to shoot higher than 41.3% in any of Drew's six previous seasons leading the Lopes.
It also has been a deeper GCU rotation than normal with as many as 12 players in it when they all became available Saturday after various health issues.
The deeper rotation has not presented many issues offensively. The Lopes are willingly sharing the ball and show tremendous versatility with seven players ranging from 7.5 points per game to fifth-year guard Jaden Henley's team-leading 21.5 points per game.
"Everybody's just jelling really well, from the double days to the late-night practices to the hangouts," Henley said. "You see it on the court and off the court. It's great to just be a part of it."
The defensive task Saturday night will have a primary focus with Mustangs 6-foot-8 wing Hamad Mousa, a Qatar native who has become a pro prospect after winning the Big West scoring title last season at 20.4 points per game. Mousa, one of four Cal Poly returning starters, scored 30 points in last Wednesday's 104-84 loss at No. 12 Arizona by making 8 of 10 from 3-point range.
"He can really score the ball," Drew said of Mousa. "He handles the ball well. He can create his own shot. He can catch and shoot off the ball. He can finish around the time. He's a really complete basketball player who does a really good job getting to the free throw line and shoots it well from there. It's hard to average the amount of points he's averaged. It takes a really good player to do that."
But the Lopes defense has not been good enough to meet the exacting standards of head coach Bryce Drew or the proficiency of a defense that ranked fifth nationally for opponent field goal percentage over Drew' first six GCU seasons.
At a time of needed correction, GCU's challenge will be intensified Wednesday night by facing Cal Poly, the nation's fastest-moving offense (per KenPom). With a five-out look of five players outside the 3-point arc, the Mustangs offense attempted the fourth-most 3-point shots per game (32.7) in the nation last season."We've got to play like we have a target on our back, which we do," GCU senior guard Makaih Williams said heading into a 6 p.m. Saturday game against Cal Poly at Global Credit Union Arena.
In the season's first week, the Lopes posted their highest opening two-game scoring average in 30 years, becoming the only team besides Alabama, Illinois and Texas A&M to score 99 or more points against two Division I opponents this season.
However, GCU allowed 47.3% shooting Saturday in beating Bethune-Cookman 99-81 to leave some work to do to get to Drew's six-year standard of allowing 40.2% field goal shooting over that time.
"There were some mental mistakes in there and some angles where we didn't take the correct angle," Drew said. "We just have to do a better job and be more aware. Hopefully, our defense will be better than it was last game."
The Lopes have 11 newcomers who are being trained on different defensive principles that can be detailed but important. When and where to help. Which way feet are directed as an off-ball defender. Keeping hands high and active.
GCU adheres to the "Guard Your Yard" philosophy of top defensive programs such as Houston. Defenders stay in their man's bubble and deny dribble penetration by sliding their feet without fouling on the perimeter.It has been drilled since June in the GCU Basketball Practice Facilty, but game dynamics are like taking the course's next level.
"Practice is a controlled atmosphere," Drew said. "When you get into a game, it's not. A lot of times, when you get the adrenaline flowing during moments of the game, you go back to what you're used to doing or what you're done in those moments of your career. We saw this a lot at the beginning of last year. It just takes time for it be natural or instinctive."
GCU regularly gets there, not allowing opponents to shoot higher than 41.3% in any of Drew's six previous seasons leading the Lopes.
It also has been a deeper GCU rotation than normal with as many as 12 players in it when they all became available Saturday after various health issues.
The deeper rotation has not presented many issues offensively. The Lopes are willingly sharing the ball and show tremendous versatility with seven players ranging from 7.5 points per game to fifth-year guard Jaden Henley's team-leading 21.5 points per game.
"Everybody's just jelling really well, from the double days to the late-night practices to the hangouts," Henley said. "You see it on the court and off the court. It's great to just be a part of it."
The defensive task Saturday night will have a primary focus with Mustangs 6-foot-8 wing Hamad Mousa, a Qatar native who has become a pro prospect after winning the Big West scoring title last season at 20.4 points per game. Mousa, one of four Cal Poly returning starters, scored 30 points in last Wednesday's 104-84 loss at No. 12 Arizona by making 8 of 10 from 3-point range.
"He can really score the ball," Drew said of Mousa. "He handles the ball well. He can create his own shot. He can catch and shoot off the ball. He can finish around the time. He's a really complete basketball player who does a really good job getting to the free throw line and shoots it well from there. It's hard to average the amount of points he's averaged. It takes a really good player to do that."
Lope tracks
- Henley has scored 35 of his 43 points in the second halves of the Lopes' two wins this season.
- GCU and Cal Poly are meeting on Veterans Day with a former Navy sailor playing for the Lopes. Tyler Behrend, the 6-foot-10 center, graduated from Valley Lutheran High School in Phoenix and enrolled in the Navy, where he underwent a growth spurt and joined a Washington junior college team while his USS Theodore Roosevelt ship was undergoing retrofitting. He transferred to Tulsa, where he played the past two seasons.
- Lopes fifth-year guard Tre Holloman has 11 assists to two turnovers over 39 minutes this season.
- GCU senior forward Amarion Dickerson has been the team's defensive star with six blocked shots and four steals in two games, but he also has been the team's most efficient scorer. The 6-foot-7 USC transfer is 11 for 14 from the field, including 3 for 5 on 3-pointers, in his first two games since fracturing his hip on Dec. 2.
- Cal Poly returned 13 players who accounted for 83.4% of last season's scoring. That also features 6-foot-6 forward Cayden Ward, who averaged 14.5 points last season for the Mustangs and is averaging 12.0 points and 7.5 rebounds through two games.
- Third-year head coach Mike DeGeorge inherited a Cal Poly team that went 0-20 in Big West play the season before he arrived. The Mustangs have 18 conference wins in their first two seasons under the former Colorado Mesa head coach.
Players Mentioned
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