How to watch: Grand Canyon faces Alabama in NCAA Tournament 2nd round
Mar 23, 2024, 8:52 AM | Updated: 9:02 am
Derrick Michael Xzavierro #1 of the Grand Canyon Antelopes celebrates after defeating the St. Mary's Gaels in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 22, 2024 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Grand Canyon Antelopes will take on Alabama in the NCAA Tournament second round on Sunday as a No. 12 seed.
The ‘Lopes earned their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory on Friday, taking down No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s 75-66 in the first round.
No. 4 seeded Alabama defeated Charleston 109-96 on Friday behind 30 points from guard Mark Sears.
Grand Canyon tore through the Western Athletic Conference in the regular season at a record of 17-3 in conference play to earn the top seed in the WAC Tournament before defeating Seattle U in the semifinals and UT Arlington in the championship game.
Head coach Bryce Drew has now brought the ‘Lopes to the NCAA Tournament three out of the last four years since taking over for Dan Majerle in the 2020-21 season, when Drew during his debut season led GCU to its first-ever appearance in the Big Dance. The team held a record of 0-2 in previous outings, falling to Gonzaga 82-70 last year as a No. 14 seed and taking an 86-74 defeat versus second-seeded Iowa in 2021.
Time and TV channel for Grand Canyon vs. Alabama in NCAA Tournament 2nd round
Grand Canyon’s matchup against Alabama is set for Sunday at 4:10 p.m. MST on TBS.
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Grand Canyon is led by WAC Player of the Year Tyon Grant-Foster, one of the best stories in college basketball.
Grant-Foster originally played junior college basketball in Iowa before transferring to Kansas as a junior. He then spent one season there before going to DePaul, when at halftime of his debut, he collapsed in the locker room and would later require two heart surgeries. He went 16 months without playing basketball and was told he would never play again before he was cleared to come back.
Grant-Foster then committed to GCU after practically missing two seasons and has been tremendous, averaging a conference-high 19.8 points per game to go with 6.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.7 steals.
In addition to Grant-Foster, the ‘Lopes have two starters back from last year’s tourney team in senior guard Rayshon Harrison and senior forward Gabe McGlothan. Playing off the bench is fifth-year senior guard Jovan Blacksher, who like McGlothan was also on the 2021 NCAA Tournament squad.
