Completed Event: Men's Basketball at UNLV on February 7, 2026 , Loss , 78, to, 80
M Basketball
at UNLV
L 78-80
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Shaw's return boosts Lopes for March
3/10/2026 11:39:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
GCU missed guard's passionate play for 6 weeks following ankle injury
LAS VEGAS – Six weeks after Grand Canyon junior Caleb Shaw suffered a scary ankle injury, the guard checked into Saturday's Lopes win against Fresno State looking like a player who had not spent the gap between appearances immobilized in a boot for three weeks, walking on crutches for two weeks and rigorously rehabilitating through the entirety.
With the Lopes' Mountain West Tournament starting Thursday in Las Vegas, Shaw's regimen had to stay on schedule like a train for a March Madness arrival. With the dedication of Shaw and the GCU medical team, Shaw went through two limited practices and a workout last week before playing 16 minutes Saturday night. His return restored much-needed depth to a Lopes roster that had just lost graduate power forward Wilhelm Breidenbach to a season-ending Achilles injury a week earlier.
"With the timeframe we had, there was no room for error," Shaw said. "Fortunately, nothing happened and it was smooth. If I'd had a setback and had to get off of it for a week, there's no way I'm back for the tournament. Everything went smoothly, and I have to give credit to those guys."
On a hustle play, Shaw suffered a partial fracture and ligament damage in his right ankle Jan. 24 to make for ominous prospects of his return. His chance of playing again this season was put at 50-50 until he progressed into his first practice since the injury on Thursday.
When he came off the bench Saturday night, he entered with a two-minute trial burst of seamless play. En route to matching his career high of four assists, Shaw delivered passes for scores by Dennis Evans in the post and Dusty Stormer on the wing in that two-minute span while chasing Fresno State scoring leader Jake Heidbreder over screens.
"It felt great," Shaw said. "Obviously, I felt a little slow in the first game back after six weeks, but it's just such a praise to be out there with the guys. It was so much fun. I missed it. Being out for six weeks was horrible. The conditioning definitely needs a little work and we're working on it this week before the tournament, but the adrenaline kicked in and I felt good."
Shaw, who had started his last 11 games before the injury, wound up logging 16 minutes while grabbing four rebounds, making two free throws and sinking a 3-pointer. His long-distance touch was a much-missed element to the GCU offense, along with his team-energizing intensity.
"Our guys naturally play harder because they see how hard he's playing and how hard he's going," Lopes head coach Bryce Drew said.
In 20 appearances this season, Shaw is shooting a career-high 48.8% from the floor and averaging career highs for points (8.1), rebounds (3.9), assists (1.5) and steals (0.6) in 21.4 minutes per game. He has been a 40% 3-point shooter over his two GCU seasons after redshirting the 2023-24 season.
Adding Shaw to the rotation comes at a key time with the Lopes facing the prospect of needing three tournament wins in three days to punch its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament ticket. His time rolls over to rest for teammates, whose stamina is better for late-game defense and shooting.
"I thought Caleb played really well for being so out for so long," Drew said. "It'll be nice to have him going into the tournament."
Shaw did the work, but so did the GCU medical team members who helped him and earned his appreciation – physical therapist Itamar Stern, athletic trainer Frank Adams, team physician Dr. Kareem Shaarawy and associate director of sports performance Jordan Jackson. That crew is also working with his brother, Luke, the freshman guard who already was redshirting this season before undergoing recent knee surgery.
Since Saturday's game, Shaw's practice time increased Monday and Tuesday before the team headed for Las Vegas, where it will play a 2:30 p.m. Mountain West Championship quarterfinal against the Wednesday winner of No. 5 seed Nevada vs. No. 12 seed Air Force.
"I think I'm a step slow and finding my rhythm," Shaw said. "Having this week of practice and being able to get in there and play with the guys has been good. It's getting back into that game mode. I only had two practices that were limited and one workout before that game, so only three days of live stuff was a pretty quick turnaround.
"Praise to God. He's the ultimate physician."
With the Lopes' Mountain West Tournament starting Thursday in Las Vegas, Shaw's regimen had to stay on schedule like a train for a March Madness arrival. With the dedication of Shaw and the GCU medical team, Shaw went through two limited practices and a workout last week before playing 16 minutes Saturday night. His return restored much-needed depth to a Lopes roster that had just lost graduate power forward Wilhelm Breidenbach to a season-ending Achilles injury a week earlier."With the timeframe we had, there was no room for error," Shaw said. "Fortunately, nothing happened and it was smooth. If I'd had a setback and had to get off of it for a week, there's no way I'm back for the tournament. Everything went smoothly, and I have to give credit to those guys."
On a hustle play, Shaw suffered a partial fracture and ligament damage in his right ankle Jan. 24 to make for ominous prospects of his return. His chance of playing again this season was put at 50-50 until he progressed into his first practice since the injury on Thursday.
When he came off the bench Saturday night, he entered with a two-minute trial burst of seamless play. En route to matching his career high of four assists, Shaw delivered passes for scores by Dennis Evans in the post and Dusty Stormer on the wing in that two-minute span while chasing Fresno State scoring leader Jake Heidbreder over screens.
"It felt great," Shaw said. "Obviously, I felt a little slow in the first game back after six weeks, but it's just such a praise to be out there with the guys. It was so much fun. I missed it. Being out for six weeks was horrible. The conditioning definitely needs a little work and we're working on it this week before the tournament, but the adrenaline kicked in and I felt good."
Shaw, who had started his last 11 games before the injury, wound up logging 16 minutes while grabbing four rebounds, making two free throws and sinking a 3-pointer. His long-distance touch was a much-missed element to the GCU offense, along with his team-energizing intensity.
"Our guys naturally play harder because they see how hard he's playing and how hard he's going," Lopes head coach Bryce Drew said.
In 20 appearances this season, Shaw is shooting a career-high 48.8% from the floor and averaging career highs for points (8.1), rebounds (3.9), assists (1.5) and steals (0.6) in 21.4 minutes per game. He has been a 40% 3-point shooter over his two GCU seasons after redshirting the 2023-24 season.Adding Shaw to the rotation comes at a key time with the Lopes facing the prospect of needing three tournament wins in three days to punch its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament ticket. His time rolls over to rest for teammates, whose stamina is better for late-game defense and shooting.
"I thought Caleb played really well for being so out for so long," Drew said. "It'll be nice to have him going into the tournament."
Shaw did the work, but so did the GCU medical team members who helped him and earned his appreciation – physical therapist Itamar Stern, athletic trainer Frank Adams, team physician Dr. Kareem Shaarawy and associate director of sports performance Jordan Jackson. That crew is also working with his brother, Luke, the freshman guard who already was redshirting this season before undergoing recent knee surgery.
Since Saturday's game, Shaw's practice time increased Monday and Tuesday before the team headed for Las Vegas, where it will play a 2:30 p.m. Mountain West Championship quarterfinal against the Wednesday winner of No. 5 seed Nevada vs. No. 12 seed Air Force.
"I think I'm a step slow and finding my rhythm," Shaw said. "Having this week of practice and being able to get in there and play with the guys has been good. It's getting back into that game mode. I only had two practices that were limited and one workout before that game, so only three days of live stuff was a pretty quick turnaround.
"Praise to God. He's the ultimate physician."
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballWhat's Ahead for the Mountain West Tournament?
Monday, March 09
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Fresno State - Postgame with Dusty Stromer, Brian Moore Jr.
Sunday, March 08
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Fresno State - Postgame with Bryce Drew
Sunday, March 08
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Fresno State - Highlights
Sunday, March 08