Marquee matchup awaits as Lopes welcome 1st place SDSU

Wednesday, February 4

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

San Diego State

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Phoenix, AZ - January 31, 2026. GCU Women's Basketball wins 57-47 against Wyoming at Global Credit Union Arena. Brayden Stenner/GCU.

Photo by: Brayden Stenner/GCU

Marquee matchup awaits as Lopes welcome 1st place SDSU

2/3/2026 10:50:00 AM | Women's Basketball

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Aztecs winners of 13 straight, 11-0 in MW play

By: Nick Macdonald

Grand Canyon women's basketball hosts the number one team in the Mountain West Wednesday evening in San Diego State, who have won 13 straight contests and are a perfect 11-0 in MW play. The Lopes, who have won two straight and five of their last seven, look to avenge a loss at Viejas Arena earlier this calendar year.

AT A GLANCE

Coming off two wins that saw the Lopes score the second most points in a game this season (86 at Utah State) and allow the fewest points (47 vs. Wyoming), GCU faces its toughest test this Mountain West season as it faces 17-3 San Diego State, who enters Wednesday on a 13 game winning streak.
The Lopes have made 20 three pointers in its past two victories, the most of any two game stretch this season. Twelve of those 20 threes have been made by Julianna LaMendola and Casey Valenti-Paea, who have combined to shoot 64%.
Sophomore Chloe Mann moved back into first place in the Mountain West in free throw shooting, owning an 86.8% clip from the line. She is a perfect 11 of 11 over her past two games and is 33rd in the nation in free throw percentage.
The Lopes have tallied 5+ blocks in five of its last six games. GCU had four games with 5+ blocks prior to Jan. 14 and are averaging 4.7 per game since that date.
Junior Julianna LaMendola finished one rebound shy of a double-double last time out vs. Wyoming, notching 19 points and nine rebounds with five made 3's. LaMendola leads the squad with 11.9 ppg and 7.0 rpg in conference play.
GCU is 44th nationally and second in the league with 25 bench points per game.
The Lopes have forced 93 turnovers over its past five games, averaging 18.6 forced TO's per game in that span. They rank fourth in the Mountain West with 17.2 forced TO's per contest this season.
GCU holds a +39 margin in the second quarter against MW teams this season, outscoring them 232-193.

THIS GAME

With back to back wins under their belt, the Lopes face first place San Diego State Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at Global Credit Union Arena.
Since its loss against SDSU Jan. 7, GCU is 6-2 with a 3-1 showing at home.
Eight regular season games remain from now until March 2. GCU is currently sixth in the MW standings, a half game out of New Mexico for fifth and a game back of Colorado State for fourth.

SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE

Winners of 13 straight and undefeated in Mountain West play, San Diego State enters Phoenix in first place in the Mountain West at 17-3 overall and 11-0 in league play.
The 13 wins is tied for sixth in most games won in a row in the nation. Its last loss came Nov. 24 vs. Penn State in the Bahamas.
The Aztecs are a perfect 6-0 on the road this season, five of which have come in MW play.
SDSU is top in the conference in multiple categories, including assist/turnover ratio (1.10), field goal percentage (43.5), scoring margin (+11.4) and three pointers per game (8.7).
Nala Williams leads the league and is 18th in the nation with a 2.35 assist/turnover ratio. Her 80 assists are third most in the conference.
Nat Martinez enters with an 85.7 free throw percentage, 1.1 percent lower than GCU's Chloe Mann for the top spot in the MW.
Three different players are in double figures for the year, led by Naomi Panganiban at 13.3 ppg.
SDSU is 35% from beyond the arc this season with six players shooting 30% or above with at least 25 attempts.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU finishes out the week Saturday at 1 p.m. as it takes on Air Force at the United States Air Force Academy in nearby Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The Lopes have a bye during the following week and are back in action Feb. 14 in Las Vegas, Nevada, to take on UNLV.