Newsletter: Lopes Sweep WAC Openers, Power Rankings
Conference favorites swept the week and our first power rankings of the 2023-24 season.
The first two games of WAC play were awesome. We had double overtime thrillers. Buzzer beaters. Surprise finishes. And some chippiness.
One thing we didn’t have were the preseason favorites on both the men’s and women’s sides suffering an early conference loss.
For the GCU women, the conference openers were, for lack of a better word, exactly what the Lopes needed.
On Wednesday, the Lopes held a 19-point lead after three quarters and called off the dogs in the fourth in a 13-point win over UTRGV. On Saturday, the Lopes never trailed, and led by 19 again at halftime in a 29-point win over UT Arlington at College Park Center.
If you are paying attention, that is four straight wins for the Lopes. All four of those wins have been by double figures. After a rough start that included home losses to Oregon and Montana, the Lopes seem to be getting their feet under them as they head into a challenging December
For the GCU men, it is was a little tougher sledding to open WAC play. The trip to South Texas is always challenging. And considering 71 free throws were taken at UTRGV Fieldhouse on Wednesday, you can see why. However, Tyon Grant-Foster and Ray Harrison were clutch down the stretch in a 10-point win over the Vaqueros.
On Saturday, it was another battle, this time with UT Arlington. However, this battle was at GCU Arena and we know how home losses can affect seeding at the WAC Tournament.
However, once again, Tyon Grant-Foster and the Lopes were 10-10 from the free throw line over the final 2:49 to earn the 76-69 win over the Mavericks. In fact, GCU did not make a field goal over that span. Fortunately, for the Lopes, the defense was efficient enough that it held UT Arlington to just two points in that span, as well
Both teams sit at 2-0 in WAC play. The GCU men are 6-1 and it is judgment week for the Lopes. GCU hosts what should be a ranked San Diego State squad at GCU Arena on Tuesday. And on Saturday, the Lopes head to Lynchburg, Virginia to take on Liberty in the WAC/Conference USA Scheduling Initiative. This week is an opportunity for the Lopes to get a pair of Quad I wins. San Diego State is at 24 in first NET rankings. Liberty comes in at 43.
For the GCU women, it is also a big week. The Lopes sit at 6-2 overall and head across town to take on Arizona State on Friday before taking a quick trip North to Moscow, Idaho to take on the Vandals on Sunday.
First Power Rankings of 2023-24
Men’s Power Rankings
Grand Canyon
Tarleton
California Baptist
UT Arlington
Stephen F. Austin
Utah Tech
Seattle U
Utah Valley
Abilene Christian
UTRGV
Southern Utah
Just for clarification, the editing situation won’t let me put Seattle U and Utah Valley in a tie at seven. I know, I know. Utah Valley beat Seattle U head to head but the Wolverines also went almost 10 minutes without a field goal in a double digit loss at Utah Tech on Saturday.
Women’s Power Rankings
California Baptist
Grand Canyon
Utah Tech
Stephen F. Austin
Abilene Christian
Tarleton
Southern Utah
UT Arlington
Utah Valley
Seattle U
UTRGV
It is a big week for GCU who faces Arizona State on Friday and Idaho on Sunday. SFA hosts Portland on Thursday before heading to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama on Saturday. California Baptist and Utah Tech face off in St. George on Wednesday in a WAC contest.
So, there is a lot of opportunity coming up for these teams.
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