GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY

Grand Canyon basketball survives scare vs. Stephen F. Austin

Jan 25, 2024, 10:08 PM | Updated: 10:09 pm

Bryce Drew...

Head coach Bryce Drew has led the 'Lopes to a 18-2 start on the season. (GCU_MBB/X photo)

(GCU_MBB/X photo)

Grand Canyon basketball survived a scare and beat Stephen F. Austin 53-51 on Thursday night to improve to 18-2 overall and 8-1 in conference play.

The Lopes’ 18-2 record matches the program’s best start since they became a Division I program.

In a tight game with eight ties, both teams struggled shooting the ball. Grand Canyon shot 30% from the field while Stephen F. Austin shot 33.9%.

The Lopes also struggled mightily from beyond the arc. Even though Gabe McGlothan finished with 11 points and went 3-for-3 from deep, the rest of the Lopes combined to shoot 2-for-21 from three, while Stephen F. Austin shot 3-for-19 from beyond the arc.

Junior guard Rayshon Harrison had 15 points on 4-for-9 shooting and added four assists, two steals and a block. Harrison shot 7-for-8 from the line but missed a foul shot with three seconds left with GCU up two. Stephen F. Austin were unable to capitalize on the opportunity as the Lopes survived a chaotic final sequence.

Duke Brennan’s 14 rebounds for the Lopes were a career high. The sophomore from Chandler also added a blocked shot early in the first half.

Grand Canyon continues its three-game road trip and will travel to UT Arlington on Saturday.

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