WBB: Lopes rally from third quarter deficit and win first title in program history
Lopes trail by 10 in the third quarter but rally and keep the country's longest winning streak intact, earning their first tournament title in program history...
LAS VEGAS—For a second straight year the regular season champion and tournament favorite found themselves staring at a second-half deficit.
And just like 12 months ago that favorite rallied for a win to earn the WAC’s automatic bid to NCAA tournament play next week as GCU defeated UT Arlington 65-62 at Orleans Arena on Saturday afternoon.
“Today was about staying true to our identity and brand,” Lopes head coach Molly Miller said. “When things didn’t go our way early on we could’ve crumbled but I’ve got senior leadership that just doesn’t give up and has found different ways to win during this streak.”
Trinity San Antonio finished with 19 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds to earn Most Outstanding Player honors. Laura Erkistrup finished with 17 points, 16 of which came after the half, and seven rebounds while Tiarra Brown chipped in 12 points with eight rebounds.
San Antonio appeared in her second tournament title game, having reached the last game with CBU in 2023. Meanwhile, Brown was appearing in her third, all with GCU as the Lopes started Miller’s tenure off with back-to-back championship game appearances in 2021 and 2022.
Brittingham also was appearing in her second WAC championship game, beating GCU in 2022 while at Stephen F. Austin, who departed last offseason and on Friday won a Southland Conference tournament title.
The win gives GCU a WAC record 30 game winning streak, eclipsing the previous mark of 29 set by Louisiana Tech in 2002-2003.
GCU jumped out to an early 5-0 start as Tiarra Brown scored on a layup and Callie Cooper connected on her eighth 3-pointer of the year. Koi Love scored ten straight UT Arlington points, hitting a pair of early 3-pointers herself, as the Lady Mavs stormed back to take a 13-12 lead on an Aspen Thornton layup. Zoe Nelson’s layup gave UT Arlington the 16-13 lead after a quarter.
UT Arlington led 26-23 with 85 seconds left in the second quarter after an Avery Brittingham jumper. But San Antonio cut that deficit to one with a mid-range jumper of her own with three seconds left in the half.
The Lady Mavs defense held GCU to 26.7 percent field goal shooting with 12 turnovers.
With 5:06 left in the third quarter UT Arlington pushed the lead to 41-31 after a Love free throw. GCU then went on an 8-0 run, sparked by an Anna Ostlie 3-pointer, to cut the deficit to two points with 3:01 left. Alyssa Durazo-Frescas tied it with her first 3-pointer of the day but UT Arlington took a four point lead to the final frame.
Laura Erikstrup scored six of GCU’s first eight points in that fourth quarter to give the Lopes a 54-50 lead with 4:40 left.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to be surrounded by these girls and the opportunity that Miller gave me,” Erikstrup said. “It brings me to tears just thinking about it and to cut down nets at home (for the regular season title) and here…It’s about gratitude for me.”
The Lopes had three different five point leads in that quarter but UT Arlington answered with a jumper from Aspen Thornton, Brittingham’s layup with 45 seconds left, and a jumper from Love to stay in contact.
With 38 seconds left Taliyah Clark hit a deep 3-pointer to cut GCU’s lead to a point. That was as close as the Lady Mavs got. With seven seconds left Cooper missed a layup and Brittingham got the defensive rebound. However, Cooper poked the ball loose for her 83rd steal of the year…eventually saving the win after a Nya Threatt 3-pointer as time expired missed.
Love finished with 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists for UT Arlington. Brittingham added 12 points with eight assists while Clark chipped in 11 points and another four assists.
“We had GCU on the ropes today but it just wasn’t our time,” UT Arlington head coach Shereka Wright said. “It came down to which team was going to execute down the stretch and we didn’t. This group has been so much fun to be around and it’s unfortunate we’re a one bid league but I hope that we get to play more basketball.”
UT Arlington will find out if they are selected for the WNIT tomorrow evening.
Meanwhile, GCU waits for tomorrow’s Selection Show to find out their NCAA tournament destination.
As of last night, when ESPN’s Charlie Creme did his bracketology, he had the Lopes as a No. 12 seed and playing Tennessee at Baylor. Megan Gauer of Her Hoop Stats also has the GCU as a 12, but playing Alabama in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
The All-Tournament team for 2025 is
Alyssa Durazo-Frescas, Laura Erikstrup, and Trinity San Antonio (GCU)
Koi Love and Avery Brittingham (UT Arlington)
Most Outstanding Player: Trinity San Antonio (GCU)