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: Bryce Wheeler
Drew downloads defense with Dickerson
5/7/2026 9:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro, Lopes Insider Blog
Former Horizon League DPOY joins Lopes after injury-shortened season at USC
Their surnames both start with "D," and a penchant for defense is a large part of how Amarion Dickerson chose to play next season for Grand Canyon head coach Bryce Drew.
Defense has been the bedrock of Drew's success at GCU, holding opponents to the fifth-lowest shooting percentage over the six years of Drew's tenure. Dickerson is a match for that, as a lockdown defenders who won 2024-25 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and stands 6 feet 7 with a 7-foot wingspan.
"I believe you can guard the best player," Dickerson said Drew told him.
Dickerson missed the remainder of last season at USC when he fractured his right hip in the eighth game, leaving the versatile senior forward to prioritize winning in his Lopes choice after going without basketball for months.
"Amarion is a great addition to our program," Drew said. "He is an excellent defender and brings a lot winning experience."
Dickerson already was showing how he would impact USC success, serving as a sixth man for the Trojans' 8-0 start with him. After his injury, USC went 10-14 without him with Trojans head coach Eric Musselman referring to how the team would miss his "versatility, toughness and athleticism."
The Cleveland native posted a pair of nine-point games and had a seven-point, nine-rebound, two-block game against Seton Hall, averaging 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game. Early in a Dec. 2 game against Oregon, Dickerson was going for a blocked shot when a teammate clipped his foot and caused him to fall on and fracture his right hip.
In 2024-25, Dickerson helped Robert Morris to the NCAA Tournament and posted a 25-point, nine-rebound game there with the Colonials taking a lead on Alabama with seven minutes remaining before losing.
"I'm a win-at-all-costs type of guy," Dickerson said. "I predicate my playing style off winning. I feel like I'm the best defender in the country. If I'm guarding the best player on the team, I've got the ability to make it a tough night for him. I can also affect the offensive side of the ball in numerous ways, from shooting the ball to putting pressure on the rim and getting to the free throw line."
Dickerson credits USC for rehabilitating him to where he has no limitations entering GCU's informal workouts next month. This has been Dickerson's second prolonged basketball absence. He also tore his ACL before playing at Mineral Area, a junior college in eastern Missouri. That time, Dickerson bounced back to lead junior college players nationally in blocked shots while ranking third in rebounds and fourth in steals.
That drew the interest of Robert Morris, where he averaged 13.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.0 steals in 29.1 minutes per game. That 25-point NCAA Tournament game was his second best scoring total to a 27-point, 15-rebound, five-block game against Northern Kentucky. He also had games with seven and eight blocked shots.
"You can shut the game down with some real great defense in any sport," said Dickerson, who first loved defense as a football defensive end before starting basketball at age 13. "You can change the whole trajectory of a game with three stops in a row or a crazy block or a steal when I go dunk the ball. It's that stuff that I thrive off. It's all about getting stops. I want to stop whoever's in front of me. I want them to have a long night."
Dickerson plays with a Cleveland grit, but he also has a soft side for his community. Last year, he staged the first ADIII Annual Bookbag Giveway, an event in which nearly 300 supply-stuffed backpacks were given to Cleveland Metro School District students in an event that also offered them haircuts and hairstyles, food and games.
"If you're a kid, you shouldn't have to work about having a book bag to go to school or not having a pencil, notebook and the right resources to be able to lock in for an educational environment," Dickerson said. "To open that lane up for that kids in need of that was a blessing just to be able to give back for the community."
The community aspect struck him about GCU too, although some of that reputation preceded his campus visit.
Dickerson knows about the Havocs, and it came well before his firsthand experience of helping USC defeat GCU in an exhibition game at sold-out Global Credit Union Arena last season.
"That was crazy," Dickerson said. "If you're a college basketball fan, you always see GCU's arena going crazy and the Havocs fans are going crazy no matter who they are playing. It could be a Division III school or the No. 1 school. They always show up and show out. Being part of that atmosphere and to put on that uniform with that type of support and fan base behind you, it's going to be unbelievable."
After shooting 53% from the field and 28% on 3-pointers at Robert Morris, Dickerson said he had improved his shooting in the 2025 offseason. It began to show with his 4-for-9 start on 3-pointers until the season-ending injury.
This offseason, Dickerson said his focus has been more on playing offense on screens and playmaking. He is cleared to be a full participant in next month's summer informal workouts.
"I'm ready to take it to a whole another level," Dickerson said. "I'm trying to win at a high level at GCU. Being a part of GCU, the staff and the fan base, it's the right group around you to take things to the next level."
Defense has been the bedrock of Drew's success at GCU, holding opponents to the fifth-lowest shooting percentage over the six years of Drew's tenure. Dickerson is a match for that, as a lockdown defenders who won 2024-25 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and stands 6 feet 7 with a 7-foot wingspan.
"I believe you can guard the best player," Dickerson said Drew told him.
Dickerson missed the remainder of last season at USC when he fractured his right hip in the eighth game, leaving the versatile senior forward to prioritize winning in his Lopes choice after going without basketball for months.
"Amarion is a great addition to our program," Drew said. "He is an excellent defender and brings a lot winning experience."
Dickerson already was showing how he would impact USC success, serving as a sixth man for the Trojans' 8-0 start with him. After his injury, USC went 10-14 without him with Trojans head coach Eric Musselman referring to how the team would miss his "versatility, toughness and athleticism."
The Cleveland native posted a pair of nine-point games and had a seven-point, nine-rebound, two-block game against Seton Hall, averaging 4.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game. Early in a Dec. 2 game against Oregon, Dickerson was going for a blocked shot when a teammate clipped his foot and caused him to fall on and fracture his right hip.
In 2024-25, Dickerson helped Robert Morris to the NCAA Tournament and posted a 25-point, nine-rebound game there with the Colonials taking a lead on Alabama with seven minutes remaining before losing.
"I'm a win-at-all-costs type of guy," Dickerson said. "I predicate my playing style off winning. I feel like I'm the best defender in the country. If I'm guarding the best player on the team, I've got the ability to make it a tough night for him. I can also affect the offensive side of the ball in numerous ways, from shooting the ball to putting pressure on the rim and getting to the free throw line."
Dickerson credits USC for rehabilitating him to where he has no limitations entering GCU's informal workouts next month. This has been Dickerson's second prolonged basketball absence. He also tore his ACL before playing at Mineral Area, a junior college in eastern Missouri. That time, Dickerson bounced back to lead junior college players nationally in blocked shots while ranking third in rebounds and fourth in steals.
That drew the interest of Robert Morris, where he averaged 13.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.0 steals in 29.1 minutes per game. That 25-point NCAA Tournament game was his second best scoring total to a 27-point, 15-rebound, five-block game against Northern Kentucky. He also had games with seven and eight blocked shots.
"You can shut the game down with some real great defense in any sport," said Dickerson, who first loved defense as a football defensive end before starting basketball at age 13. "You can change the whole trajectory of a game with three stops in a row or a crazy block or a steal when I go dunk the ball. It's that stuff that I thrive off. It's all about getting stops. I want to stop whoever's in front of me. I want them to have a long night."
Dickerson plays with a Cleveland grit, but he also has a soft side for his community. Last year, he staged the first ADIII Annual Bookbag Giveway, an event in which nearly 300 supply-stuffed backpacks were given to Cleveland Metro School District students in an event that also offered them haircuts and hairstyles, food and games.
"If you're a kid, you shouldn't have to work about having a book bag to go to school or not having a pencil, notebook and the right resources to be able to lock in for an educational environment," Dickerson said. "To open that lane up for that kids in need of that was a blessing just to be able to give back for the community."
The community aspect struck him about GCU too, although some of that reputation preceded his campus visit.
Dickerson knows about the Havocs, and it came well before his firsthand experience of helping USC defeat GCU in an exhibition game at sold-out Global Credit Union Arena last season.
"That was crazy," Dickerson said. "If you're a college basketball fan, you always see GCU's arena going crazy and the Havocs fans are going crazy no matter who they are playing. It could be a Division III school or the No. 1 school. They always show up and show out. Being part of that atmosphere and to put on that uniform with that type of support and fan base behind you, it's going to be unbelievable."
After shooting 53% from the field and 28% on 3-pointers at Robert Morris, Dickerson said he had improved his shooting in the 2025 offseason. It began to show with his 4-for-9 start on 3-pointers until the season-ending injury.
This offseason, Dickerson said his focus has been more on playing offense on screens and playmaking. He is cleared to be a full participant in next month's summer informal workouts.
"I'm ready to take it to a whole another level," Dickerson said. "I'm trying to win at a high level at GCU. Being a part of GCU, the staff and the fan base, it's the right group around you to take things to the next level."
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