GCU Gets It Done, SFA Struggles, David Almost Slays Goliath
GCU Gets It Done, SFA Struggles, David Almost Slays Goliath
Super Tuesday brought some interesting results including a first-ever win over a ranked opponent.
As GCU Insider Paul Coro said in one of his tweets from Monday, “Twas the Night Before…”.
Okay, so it is the day after. The day after a huge event took place at what is now going to be called Global Credit Union Arena.
A ranked San Diego State squad was returning a game from 2019. No. 25 in the country was coming to Phoenix to take on a Lopes squad looking to make a statement.
Statement made.
Tyon Grant-Foster and Ray Harrison combined for 41 points.
Gabe McGlothan had arguably his best game of the season with a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double.
Collin Moore had a highlight-reel dunk as part of a 15-point night.
And the Lopes pulled off the 79-73 win over 25th-ranked San Diego State on Tuesday night.
In an electric atmosphere, Harrison and Grant-Foster put the Lopes on their backs down the stretch so secure the program’s first-ever win over a ranked opponent.
Biggest win in program history? Check. Unreal atmosphere? Check. Big time performances by big time players? Check.
Tuesday’s win was one that had all the makings of a thriller between the national runner-up and a mid-major wanting to make its presence known.
Two of the past three years, GCU has won the WAC Tournament and went to the NCAA Tournament only to lose in the first round. With New Mexico State out of its way, the Lopes are the team to beat…at least in every preseason poll out there.
With the additions of a healthy Tyon Grant-Foster and Georgia Southern transfer Collin Moore, the Lopes have length, size and another scoring option alongside Ray Harrison.
With NBA scouts in attendance, a national television audience on ESPNU watching, and the White Out inside GCU Arena, the Lopes jumped out to an early lead, gave it away late in the first half, took it back early in the second half, nearly gave it away midway through the second half, and then took control late after back-to-back 3-pointers from Tyon Grant-Foster.
And the court storming was on.
With the win, GCU jumped from 56 to 45 in Wednesday’s updated NET rankings. The Lopes also moved up to 73 in the updated KenPom rankings.
GCU has another shot on Saturday to make a statement. The Lopes travel to Lynchburg, Virginia to take on Liberty in the WAC/Conference USA Scheduling Initiative. A win over the Flames and perhaps some help from other teams could vault the Lopes into the Top-25 polls.
GCU is now 7-1 overall and 2-0 in WAC play. And, as someone text me on Tuesday night, it appears that other teams in the WAC are playing for second place.
SFA Offense Struggles…AGAIN
Two weeks ago, the SFA men’s basketball team hit 14 3-pointers and blew out Missouri Valley Conference foe Drake at the Cayman Islands Classic.
One night later, the Jacks fell flat on offense. A week after that, the offense struggled the majority of the ball game in the WAC opener and even gave up a 9-point lead in the second half in a two-point loss to Tarleton at The Sawmill.
Against, ACU on Saturday, the offense was somewhat better, shooting just over 40 percent from the field in an overtime win at Moody Coliseum.
Well, on Tuesday night, in a return game from Louisiana Tech, the Jacks were, for lack of a better word, abysmal offensively. At least in terms of making shots.
You might be asking, “How Bad?”. Well, for starters, the Jacks scored just 49 points. Yes, just 49 points in 40 minutes. 1-18 from 3-point range. 21.9 percent from the field. 14 made field goals. The Jacks made more free throws (20) than they did field goals.
And yet, the Jacks were still in the game late in the 56-49 loss.
34 percent. 38 percent. 45 percent. And 22 percent.
Those are the shooting percentages over the past four games. SFA is 1-3 in those four games with two of the losses coming at The Sawmill.
Prior to these four games, SFA did not have a game where it shot less than 46 percent from the field.
With players like AJ Cajuste, LaTrell Jossell, Day Hall, Frank Staine and Matt Hayman among others, the offense should not be this much of a struggle.
The Jacks are better than this. SFA travels to Laramie to take on Wyoming on Saturday. Then the Jacks have 10 days off before hosting Jason Hooten and New Mexico State in the WAC/Conference USA Scheduling Initiative home game.
That 10-day break might be a good thing for a team struggling to find its offensive rhythm.
David Very Nearly Slays Goliath on The Hill
In a true David vs. Goliath matchup on Tuesday night in Salt Lake City, David very nearly slayed Goliath.
Southern Utah slung the stone, time and time again, but Goliath held on for dear life as Utah held off the T-Birds, 88-86, in a high scoring affair at the Huntsman Center.
Two 7-footer, 6’7, 6’6 and 6’4 against a team with no players over 6’9.
True David vs. Goliath.
But Braden Housley and the T-Birds kept coming. Housley had 23 points as did Dominique Ford as the T-Birds knocked down 12 3-pointers to nearly pull off the massive upset.
SUU also held its own on the glass despite the size disadvantage and it also helps the T-Birds shot 54 percent against the Utes.
It was a much different tune on Tuesday night in a non-conference game compared to two WAC games last week.
The big question for the T-Birds is: which team will T-Bird fans get on a regular basis?