Seeding implications highlight GCU game at Fresno State

Wednesday, February 25

Fresno, Calif.

7:30 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

Fresno State

Phoenix, AZ Feb.121 2026: Then Lopes to Utah State 63-43 at Global Credit Union Arena. David Kadlubowski/GCU

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

Seeding implications highlight GCU game at Fresno State

2/24/2026 10:23:00 AM | Women's Basketball

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With wins, Lopes would be positioned no lower than No. 6 at MW Championship

By: Nick Macdonald

Gran d Canyon heads on the road for its second-to-last road contest of the regular season Wednesday, facing Fresno State in a game with large seeding implications for the Mountain West Championship, which begins March 7 in Las Vegas at Thomas & Mack Center.

AT A GLANCE

The Lopes are coming off a 20-point victory Saturday over Utah State, a game in which it held the Aggies to an opponent-low 43 points, the fewest GCU has allowed since March 6, 2025, vs. Utah Tech (42).
GCU junior Julianna LaMendola is averaging 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in Mountain West play. LaMendola has recorded six consecutive double-figure scoring games and is second in the conference in shooting percentage against MW teams (47.8%).
The Lopes dished out 19 assists vs. the Aggies, second most this season. GCU is 4-1 this season when recording 18 or more assists in a game.
Sophomore guard Chloe Mann is the league leader in free throw percentage, shooting 84.7% for the season and 82.4% in MW play. Mann is averaging 11.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest in league action.
GCU holds a plus-65 rebounding advantage in Mountain West action, outrebounding opponents 630-565. The Lopes have 30 more offensive rebounds, led by senior Anisa Jeffries with 33 of her 95 on the offensive end.
Jeffries leads the team with 25 steals in conference play, tied for sixth most in the conference at 1.6 steals per game.
GCU forced 25 turnovers against Utah State for its second most this season. The Lopes have forced 51 turnovers over their last three games, 17 per game in that span.

THIS GAME

The Lopes hit the road for a midweek matchup against Fresno State, a team they defeated 71-64 on Jan. 10.
Wednesday's game has big implications on MW Championship seeding. A win for GCU would clinch no lower than a No. 6 seed in Las Vegas, due to its head-to-head advantage over Fresno State and enough space between Air Force and Wyoming despite if each team won out.
This is the first time GCU will face Fresno State on the road, winning both matchups in the series history at home.

SCOUTING FRESNO STATE

Fresno State enters Wednesday 14-14 overall and 8-9 in MW play, one game back of GCU for the sixth spot in the MW regular-season standings.
The Bulldogs were riding a four-game winning streak before it was snapped last Saturday at first-place San Diego State. They recently defeated GCU's last opponent, Utah State, 73-59 on the road.
Fresno State is 10-4 at home this season with its last loss coming Jan. 31 vs. Air Force.
The Bulldogs are one of the best rebounding teams in the conference, averaging 37 rebounds and 13 offensive rebounds per game, third and second in the league, respectively.
Emilia Long is the team's leading scorer at 13.4 ppg and leads the conference in steals (68) and steals per game (2.4).
Long has also dished out 105 steals and has a 1.36 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio, second and fourth in the MW, respectively.
Fresno State is holding opponents to just less than 40% from the floor (39.1%), third lowest in the conference.
It also is the best 3-point defense in the league (27.9%). GCU knocked down 10 3s in the teams' first meeting.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes will finish the 2025-26 regular-season home slate on Saturday against San José State at 1 p.m.
GCU will honor its senior players and managers prior to tipoff. The celebration will begin at approximately 12:55 p.m.