MEN’S 2017-18 GAME NOTES

Charles Hampton, Associate AD, Strategic Communications and PR · Office: (602) 639-7738 · Cell: (480) 628-1754· E-mail: [email protected]

GRAND CANYON LOUISVILLE SCHEDULE / RESULTS LOPES V CARDINALS OVERALL RECORD: 9-3 (9-3, 0-0 WAC) S (9-2, 0-0 ACC) WAC: 0-0 | Non-Conference: 9-3 Home: 9-1 | Away: 0-1 | Neutral: 0-1 SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 2017 | KFC YUM! CENTER (22,000) | LOUISVILLE, KY. NOVEMBER Result/Time (AZ) 10 Florida A&M W, 67-51 SERIES HISTORY GAME 13 3 1 Robert Morris W, 75-61 18 LittleRock W, 76-51 Grand Canyon vs. Louisville • Grand Canyon takes on Louisville for the third time in school • Third all-time meeting between the two schools history and the second time in three years at the Yum! Center, 20 Norfolk State W, 85-60 having dropped the previous 111-63 on Dec. 5, 2015. • Overall: 0-2 (Home: 0-1, Away: 0-1, Neutral: 0-0) 25 San Diego L, 72-62 • Last time: Louisville 79, GCU 70 (12/3/16 - Phoenix, Ariz.) • In last year’s matchup, the Lopes played without Preseason WAC DECEMBER Player of the Year, Josh Braun. DeWayne Russell set the GCU • Streak: Louisville, Won 2 Division I scoring record with 42 points in the 79-70 loss. 2 UC Riverside W, 68-56 • GCU ranks tied for 5th in the country in scoring defense (59.2 5 St. John’s# (@Talking Stick Arena) L, 68-60 points per game). In the last three seasons, GCU is 28-2 when 9 Grambling State W, 87-53 9-3 W/L 9-2 allowing 61 points or less. 11 North Carolina Central W, 64-59 • The Lopes rank 3rd in 3-point defense, holding opponents to just 3 1 at Boise State L, 85-80 26.2 percent from beyond the arc. They have also given up the 73.4 PTS 79.2 fewest 3-pointers of any team in the country, with just 45 allowed. 18 Mississippi Valley State W, 71-38 PER GAME 21 Longwood W, 86-56 • Additionally, GCU ranks 8th in the country in effective opponent SCORING field goal percentage at 42.6 percent. Effective field goal 23 at Louisville 11:00 a.m. +14.2 MARGIN +13.8 percentage factors in weighted figures for 3-point field goals. 27 Morgan State# (@Orleans Arena) 7:00 p.m. .420 FG% .458 • Keonta Vernon recorded the Lopes’ first double-double of the 30 at Illinois 2:00 p.m. season with 15 points and 12 rebounds at Boise State. It was the 12th double-double of Vernon’s career at GCU, most on the team. JANUARY .321 3FG% .370 • The Lopes rank 21st in the country in turnovers forced averaging 6 at Seattle U* 6:00 p.m. 17.5 turnovers from opponents each game. 11 NMSU* 7:00 p.m. .684 FT% .766 • Dating back to last season, the Lopes have won 23 of their last 25 13 UTRGV* 7:00 p.m. home games at GCU Arena. 18 at State* 6:05 p.m. REB • Casey Benson is posting career-high averages for points (10.7), 20 at UMKC* 6:00 p.m. 39.5 PER GAME 40.5 assists (5.2), rebounds (4.7), and steals (1.2) on the season. 23 William Jessup 7:00 p.m. AST • The Lopes had 13 different players score in Thursdays 86-56 win 27 at Utah Valley* 3:00 p.m. 16.7 PER GAME 13.5 over Longwood, led by Fiifi Aidoo’s 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. FEBRUARY TO • GCU leads the WAC in scoring defense (59.2), scoring margin 13.8 PER GAME 11.8 (+14.2), field goal percentage defense (.391), three-point field C*1 UMK 7:00 p.m. goal percentage defense (.262), blocked shots (4.4) turnover 3 Chicago State* 7:00 p.m. STL margin (+3.67), assists (16.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). 7.0 PER GAME 7.4 8 at UTRGV* 6:00 p.m. • GCU held Mississippi Valley State to only 38 points on Monday 10 at NMSU* 7:00 p.m. BLK night, the second lowest total in GCU Division I history. The lowest 4.4 PER GAME 8.6 scoring total was 37 points vs. Coppin State on Nov. 25, 2016. 17 at CSU Bakersfield* 8:00 p.m. 22 Seattle U* 7:00 p.m. LAST GAME’S STARTERS 24 Utah Valley* 7:00 p.m. NO. PLAYER POS. G PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% MARCH 11 Casey Benson G 12 10.8 4.7 5.2 1.2 0.2 37.1 75.5 30.4 3 CSU Bakersfield* 7:00 p.m. 2 Joshua Braun G 12 14.3 4.1 1.5 0.6 0.6 39.7 71.1 36.9 8-10 WAC Tournament# (Las Vegas, Nev.) TBD 4 Oscar Frayer F 12 8.3 4.5 1.2 1.3 0.4 42.9 55.2 28.2 * Denotes WAC games 5 2 Alessandro Lever F 12 5.1 3.1 0.8 0.2 0.3 35.6 72.7 17.6 # Neutral Site 4 2 Keonta Vernon F 12 7.8 7.2 1.2 0.8 1.6 54.4 55.6 0.0 GAME INFORMATION WATCH LISTEN LIVE STATS ACC Network Extra 1580 AM The Fanatic StatBroadcast Kent Taylor (play-by-play) Michael Potter (play-by-play) http://sidearmstats.com/louisville/mbball Jody Demling (analyst) Tom Kuyper (analyst) TWITTER FTP INFORMATION Online Stream 1580 AM The Fanatic Stream (Stream) @GCU_MBB URL: https://swft.exavault.com ESPN3 / Watch ESPN App The Fanatic App (Download the App) @GCU_Lopes Username: GCUMedia Password Lopes

‹ 1 › MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES

2017-18 GRAND CANYON NUMERIC ROSTER TABLE OF CONTENTS No. Name Pos. HT WT YR Hometown (Previous School) 2017-18 Quick Facts / Rosters ...... 2 0. . . .Shaq Carr ...... G. .. . . 6-2...... 172 . . . Sr . . . . . North Las Vegas, Nev . (College of Southern Idaho) Media Contact Information...... 2 1. . . .Fiifi Aidoo ...... G. .. . . 6-2. . . . . 200 . . . So ...... Helsinki, . . Finland (HBA - Marksy) TV / Radio Roster...... 3 2. . . .Joshua Braun...... G. . . 6-4. . . . . 220 . . . R-Sr ...... Anthem, . Ariz . (Westwind Prep Academy) Game Notes (Team / Player)...... 4 3. . . .Parker Dale ...... G . . . . 6-4. . . . . 205 . . . Fr ...... Sydney, Australia (Scots College) Arena ...... 9 4. . . .Oscar Frayer . . . . . G. . . . . 6-7...... 191 . . . So ...... Oakland,. . Calif . (Moreau Catholic HS) Schedule Notes...... 10 5. . . .Matt Jackson . . . . . F. . . . . 6-8 . . . . . 230 . . . R-Jr ...... Melbourne, . Australia (Diamond Valley) Broadcast Schedule / Mid-Major Rankings...... 11 10. . . .Damari Milstead . . . . G . . . . 6-2. . . . . 160 . . . Fr ...... Hayward, Calif . (Moreau Catholic HS) Head Coach ...... 12 11. . . .Casey Benson...... G. . . 6-3. . . . . 185 . . . Sr ...... Tempe, Ariz . (Oregon) Grand Canyon Record When...... 12 12. . . .Roberts Blumbergs . . . . F . . 6-10. . . . . 220 . . . Fr ...... Ventspils, Latvia (GBA - Prague) Grand Canyon Season Stats...... 13 13. . . .Ibrahima Sankare ...... G. . . 6-7. . . . . 200 . . . R-Fr ...... Thiès, . Senegal (SEED Academy) The Last Time...... 24 15. . . .Cheick Sy-Savane . . . G. . . . . 6-3. . . . . 180 . . . Sr ...... New York, N Y. . (Suffolk County CC) 2017-18 Game Recaps...... 26 21. . . .Kerwin Smith ...... F. . . 6-9. . . . . 222 . . . R-Jr ...... Dallas, . Texas (Woodow Wilson HS) Grand Canyon Broadcast Bios...... 38 22. . . .Nehemiah Allen. . . . G/F . . . . 6-5...... 170 . . . So ...... Lake . . Oswego, Ore . (Lake Oswego HS) 24. . . .Keonta Vernon . . . . . F . . . . 6-6 . . . . . 242. . . . Sr ...... Tulare, Calif . (College of Southern Idaho) MBB COMMUNICATIONS CONTACTS 25. . . .Alessandro Lever . . . .F . . . 6-10. . . . . 230 . . . Fr ...... Bolzano, Italy (Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia) 42. . . .Gerard Martin . . . . .G . . . . 6-7. . . . . 223 . . . R-Jr . . . . . Manly, . Australia (Australian Institute of Sport) Charles Hampton Associate AD, Strategic Communications / PR 2017-18 GRAND CANYON ALPHABETICAL ROSTER Office Phone ...... 602-639-7738 . No. Name Pos. HT WT YR Hometown (Previous School) Cell Phone...... 480-628-1754 1. . . .Aidoo, Fiifi ...... G. .. . . 6-2. . . . . 200 . . . So ...... Helsinki, . . Finland (HBA - Marksy) Email...... charles . . .hampton@gcu e. du 22. . . .Allen, Nehemiah. . . . G/F . . . . 6-5...... 170 . . . So ...... Lake . . Oswego, Ore . (Lake Oswego HS) 11. . . .Benson, Casey . . . . .G . . . . 6-3. . . . . 185 . . . Sr ...... Tempe, Ariz . (Oregon) Josh Hauser 12. . . .Blumbergs, Roberts. . . . F . . 6-10. . . . . 220 . . . Fr ...... Ventspils, Latvia (GBA (Prague)) Assistant Director, Athletic Communications 2. . . .Braun, Joshua . . . . .G . . . . 6-4. . . . . 220 . . . R-Sr ...... Anthem, . Ariz . (Westwind Prep Academy) Office Phone ...... 602-639-6126 . 0. . . .Carr, Shaq ...... G. .. . . 6-2...... 172 . . . Sr . . . . . North Las Vegas, Nev . (College of Southern Idaho) Cell Phone...... 503-734-8587 3. . . .Dale, Parker...... G. . . 6-4. . . . . 205 . . . Fr ...... Sydney, Australia (Scots College) Email ...... josh . .hauser@gcu e. du 4. . . .Frayer, Oscar . . . . . G. . . . . 6-7...... 191 . . . So ...... Oakland,. . Calif . (Moreau Catholic HS) 5. . . .Jackson, Matt...... F. . . 6-8 . . . . . 230 . . . R-Jr ...... Melbourne, . Australia (Diamond Valley) GCU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS 25. . . .Lever, Alessandro . . . .F . . . 6-10. . . . . 230 . . . Fr ...... Bolzano, Italy (Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia) The Grand Canyon Athletics Department is served by a 42. . . .Martin, Gerard . . . . .G . . . . 6-7. . . . . 223 . . . R-Jr . . . . . Manly, . Australia (Australian Institute of Sport) communications office staff that works diligently to promote 10. . . .Milstead, Damari...... G. . . 6-2. . . . . 160 . . . Fr ...... Hayward, Calif . (Moreau Catholic HS) the individual and team accomplishments of student-athletes, 13. . . .Sankare, Ibrahima...... G. . . 6-7. . . . . 200 . . . R-Fr ...... Thiès, . Senegal (SEED Academy) coaches and staff . Our staff will fulfill all reasonable requests . 21. . . .Smith, Kerwin...... F. . . 6-9. . . . . 222 . . . R-Jr ...... Dallas, . Texas (Woodow Wilson HS) CREDENTIALS 15. . . .Sy-Savane, Cheick ...... G. . . 6-3. . . . . 180 . . . Sr ...... New York, N Y. . (Suffolk County CC) 24. . . .Vernon, Keonta...... F. . . 6-6 . . . . . 242. . . . Sr ...... Tulare, Calif . (College of Southern Idaho) All members of the office follow the guidelines set forth by the NCAA and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in governing INJURY INFORMATION PROGRAM HISTORY the issuance of credentials . All credential requests should be Grand Canyon University athletics will abide by HIPAA - a First Year of Basketball at GCU...... 1949-50 submitted to the sport contacts . federal privacy act with regard to the release of injury All-Time Record ...... 1,150-717 ( .616) INTERVIEW REQUESTS information . GCU athletes will be required to sign a waiver All-Time Division I Record...... 90-49( .647) When making interview requests through the communications before their injury information is released to the media . All-Time WAC Record...... 40-18 ( 690). office, please allow at least 24 hours notice . If the time requested If the athlete chooses to withhold that information, GCU COACHING STAFF with a student-athlete or coach is longer than normal (for officials will be restricted to informing the media members of their playing status only . Head Coach...... Dan Majerle (5th season) photography or videography purposes), more advance notice will Alma Mater ...... Central Michigan help ensure that your request will be handled efficiently . Home GRAND CANYON INFORMATION Grand Canyon Record...... 90-49 ( .647). and cell phone numbers for players will not be provided . Please School...... Grand Canyon University WAC Record...... 40-18 ( 690). do not contact a player or coach without scheduling the interview Location ...... Phoenix, Ariz . Overall Record...... 90-49 ( .647). through the communications office . Founded ...... 1949 Assistant Coach...... Todd Lee (South Dakota) E-MAIL Enrollment...... 19,500 Assistant Coach...... Chris Crevelone (Adams State) President...... Brian Mueller Assistant Coach...... T J. . Benson (Weber State) Releases, game notes and advisories are e-mailed to media that Vice President of Athletics ...... Mike Vaught Director of Basketball Operations. . .Luke DallaRiva (San Diego) cover GCU on a regular basis . Media wishing to be added to the Faculty Representative...... Claude Pensis e-mail list for a particular sport should contact the sport contact . Affiliation ...... NCAA Division I Special Assistant ...... Brendan Sabean (Gonzaga) Graduate Assistant ...... Johnny Hill (UT-Arlington) ONLINE Nickname...... Lopes Mascot...... Thunder Director of Sports Performance...... Gabe Bourland Updated bios, notes, rosters, schedules, statistics and more will Colors ...... Purple, Black & White Director of Sports Medicine...... Geordie Hackett be available throughout the season for every sport on GCULopes . Conference ...... Western Athletic Conference (WAC) MAILING ADDRESS: com . Specific information not readily available on the website may GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY ARENA be available through the communications office . Please contact Grand Canyon University Department of Athletics the sport representative with your request . Opened...... Sept . 1, 2011 Capacity ...... 7,000 3300 West Camelback Road Grand Canyon Record at GCU Arena...... 93-19 ( .830) Phoenix, Ariz . 85017

‹ 2 › MEN’S2017-18 BASKETBALL TV / RADIO ROSTER GAME NOTES

SHAQ FIIFI JOSHUA PARKER OSCAR MATT 0 CARR 1 AIDOO 2 BRAUN 3 DALE 4 FRAYER 5 JACKSON G • 6-2 • 170 G • 6-2 • 200 G • 6-4 • 205 G • 6-4 • 205 F • 6-6 • 1910 F • 6-8 • 230 Senior Sophomore RS Senior Freshman Sophomore RS Junior North Las Vegas, Nev. Helsinki, Finland Anthem, Ariz. Sydney, Australia Oakland, Calif. Melbourne, Australia

DAMARI CASEY ROBERTS IBRAHIMA CHEICK KERWIN 10 MILSTEAD 11 BENSON 12 BLUMBERGS 13 SANKARE 15 SY-SAVANE 21 SMITH G • 6-2 • 160 G • 6-3 • 185 F • 6-10 • 220 G • 6-7 • 200 G • 6-3 • 180 F • 6-9 • 222 Freshman Senior Freshman Freshman Senior RS Junior Hayward, Calif. Tempe, Ariz. Ventspils, Latvia Thiès, Senegal Harlem , N.Y. Dallas, Texas

PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Fiifi Aidoo...... FEE-fee ay-DUE Nehemiah Allen ...... NEE-uh-my-uh. . Robert Blumbergs...... BLUM-bergs . Joshua Braun...... brawn . . Alessandro Lever...... LAY-ver Gerard Martin...... jared NEHEMIAH KEONTA ALESSANDRO GERARD Dan Majerle ...... mar-LEE . . 22 ALLEN 24 VERNON 25 LEVER 42 MARTIN Ibrahima Sankare. . . . E-bruh-he-muh sawn-CAR-ay F • 6-5 • 170 F • 6-6 • 242 F • 6-10 • 230 G • 6-6 • 223 Sophomore Senior Freshman RS Junior Keonta Vernon...... KEY-on-tay . Lake Oswego, Ore. Tulare, Calif. Bolzano, Italy Manly, Australia

HEAD COACH ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH ASSISTANT COACH ASSISTANT COACH DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS SPECIAL ASSISTANT DAN MAJERLE TODD LEE CHRIS CREVELONE T.J. BENSON LUKE DALLARIVA BRENDAN SABEAN 5th Season at GCU 5th Season at GCU 5th Season at GCU 6th Season at GCU 4th Season at GCU 3rd Season at GCU (90-49, 40-18)

‹ 3 › 2017-18 GAME NOTES

HOME SWEET HOME BRAUN EARNS TOP PRESEASON ALL-WAC HONORS The Lopes have enjoyed playing their home Following a 2016-17 season that saw him average 17.5 points per game, Joshua Braun was named games at Grand Canyon University Arena. Since the WAC Preseason Player of the Year by both the coaches and the media for the second consecutive the arena opened prior to the 2011-12 season, GCU season. Braun, a two-time All-WAC First Team selection, led the WAC last season in three-pointers has recorded a 91-19 (.827) record, proving to be made, was top-10 in free-throw percentage, three-point percentage and minutes played. quite the home-court advantage. 2017-18 PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM (COACHES POLL) GCU continued their dominance at home last season, where they compiled a 15-3 record First Team (Player, School) Second Team (Player, School) at GCU Arena for the 2016-17 season, including wins over San Diego State and New Mexico JOSHUA BRAUN, GRAND CANYON Shon Briggs, CSU Bakersfield State. Including the 2015-16 season where GCU went 18-2 at home, the Lopes have won 42 Eli Chuha, NM State Matej Kavas, Seattle U home games over the last two-plus seasons, tied for the third best total in the country. Nick Dixon, UTRGV Sidy N’Dir, NM State An intimidating factor for opponents, the large Havocs student section has proven to be one Damiyne Durham, CSU Bakersfield Isaac Neilson, Utah Valley of the best in the Western Athletic Conference. The Havocs create an imposing backdrop for Fred Sims, Jr., Chicago State Brent Wrapp, CSU Bakersfield visiting teams as they fill the arena with energy and enthusiasm. Player of the Year: JOSHUA BRAUN, GRAND CANYON

“It’s unbelievable,” head coach Dan Majerle said. “We love our crowd, our student section, 2017-18 PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM (MEDIA POLL) our overall crowd, our atmosphere here. We have a true home-court advantage and it’s a pleasure to play here every night and our guys don’t take it for granted.” First Team (Player, School) Second Team (Player, School) JOSHUA BRAUN, GRAND CANYON CASEY BENSON, GRAND CANYON MOST HOME WINS IN NCAA DIVISION I (SINCE 2015-16) Eli Chuha, NM State Damiyne Durham, CSU Bakersfield Rk. Institution Conference Wins Nick Dixon, UTRGV Jemerrio Jones, NM State 1t Southern Medthodist American Athletic 43 Isaac Neilson, Utah Valley Matej Kavas, Seattle U 1t Oregon Pac-12 42 Fred Sims, Jr., Chicago State Brent Wrapp, CSU Bakersfield 3T GRAND CANYON WESTERN ATHLETIC 42 3t Louisville Atlantic Coast 42 Player of the Year: JOSHUA BRAUN, GRAND CANYON 3t Saint Mary’s (CA) West Coast 42 6t Kentucky Southeastern 40 MAGS FAVORS LOPES, BRAUN 6t Purdue Big Ten 40 8t Cincinnati American Athletic 39 The Lopes have set the bar high for themselves as they enter their first 8t Pac-12 39 season of Division I postseason eligibility and national 10t New Mexico State Western Athletic 38 observers are right there with them.

LOPES PICKED FIRST IN BOTH PRESEASON POLLS Two of the three major preseason college basketball publications picked GCU to win the WAC this season and all three tabbed Lopes senior guard Following their third consecutive second place finish in the Joshua Braun as their preseason pick for 2017-18 WAC Player of the Year. WAC standings a year ago, Dan Majerle and the Grand Canyon Lindy’s Sports College Basketball and Street & Smith’s predicted GCU to was men’s basketball team were picked to finish first in both Braun win the WAC while Athlon Sports College Basketball projected that Cal State the coaches’ and media WAC Preseason Polls for the 2017-18 season, their first being eligible Bakersfield and New Mexico State would finish ahead of the Lopes this season. for both the conference and any NCAA postseason tournaments.. “Grand Canyon is the model for any program making the transition to Division I, with its The Lopes received 46 points and six first-place votes to earn the top spot. NM State captured high-profile coach (former NBA star Dan Majerle), high-energy student section (the ‘Havocs’) second place with 40 points and one first-place vote, followed by CSU Bakersfield in third with and enough good players to be the league favorite in the Antelopes’ first season of eligibility in 38 points and Utah Valley in fourth place with 36 points and the final first-place vote. Seattle U the WAC Tournament,” Street & Smith’s wrote. was picked to finish fifth with 25 points, while UT Rio Grande Valley was selected sixth with 16 points, just ahead of Kansas City in seventh place with 14 points. Chicago State rounded out the Each magazine picked Braun, GCU’s top returning scorer at 17.5 points per game last poll with nine points. season, to be WAC Player of the Year. Lindy’s also tabbed senior guard Casey Benson, a transfer from Oregon, as WAC Newcomer of the Year and a first team all-conference player. 2016-17 PRESEASON MEN’S BASKETBALL COACHES POLL Rank Team (First-place votes) Points The national attention falls in line with how midmajormadness.com created a system this year 1. GRAND CANYON (6) 46 to pick a favorite mid-major team, based on various “fandom” categories. The result put GCU 2. New Mexico State (1) 40 ahead of Gonzaga, Valparaiso, Brigham Young, Virginia Commonwealth and Western Kentucky. 3. CSU Bakersfield 38 SEASON TICKETS GO POOF! 4. Utah Valley (1) 36 5. Seattle U 25 Six weeks before the Grand Canyon men’s basketball season started, they had already sold 6. UTRGV 16 out its season tickets for the 2017-18 season, displaying the anticipation for the program’s first 7. UMKC 14 season of Division I postseason eligibility after two consecutive 20-win seasons. 8. Chicago State 9 Well before the Lopes’ season begins in early November, 7,205 GCU Arena seats were claimed by the general public’s season tickets and the student body’s season tickets. Last 2016-17 PRESEASON MEN’S BASKETBALL MEDIA POLL season, GCU ranked 23rd nationally among Division I programs for home attendance capacity Rank Team (First-place votes) Points (97.3 percent) and averaged 6,817 fans per home game. 1. GRAND CANYON (14) 189 “One thing I don’t worry about is our crowd, but it’s obviously great to have a season-ticket 2. New Mexico State (7) 181 sellout,” head coach Dan Majerle said. “The students always come out in force, but to get that 3. Utah Valley (3) 153 backing from the season-ticket holders is awesome.” 4. Seattle U (1) 148 5. Utah Valley (2) 91 GCU Arena will play host to 19 games for the 2017-18 men’s basketball season. Given the 6. UMKC (2) 72 sold-out season tickets, a GCU home game will be the Valley’s toughest sports ticket. 7. UTRGV 71 “We’ve always had crowds and we continue to build them,” Majerle said. “It’s just going 8. Chicago State 31 to add to one of the best atmospheres in all of college basketball. The interest is great, and hopefully we’ll keep it going and have a terrific year.” ‹ 4 › 2017-18 GAME NOTES

J.B. FOR THREE HIGHLY RATED Joshua Braun has steadily climbed up the ranks in the GCU record books. After draining 56 Part of what makes Joshua Braun so difficult to guard is his ability to shoot from the outside 3-pointers his freshman season, Braun followed that up with 73 treys as a sophomore and 64 more as well as play in the paint, after a year of playing the power forward position for the Lopes in an injury-plagued junior season last year. in 2014-15. Mix that in with his career 82.4 free throw percentage, and its evident Braun can score any way head coach Dan Majerle needs him to. With his third 3-pointer against Robert Morris on Nov. 13, Braun passed Richard Davis as the school’s all-time leading outside shooter across all divisions of play with 198 career 3-pointers. According to College Basketball Reference, Braun ranked no. 5 in the country with an offensive Davis hit 197 career 3-pointers for the Lopes from 2005-07, including a school-record 107 rating of 132.79 in 2015-16. Braun’s total was the 24th best total in the NCAA since the 2009-10 3-pointers during the 2005-06 season. With 31 3-pointers so far this season, Braun’s record total season. Offensive rating is calculated by the number of points produced per 100 possessions. is up to 224 for his illustrious GCU career. HIGHEST OFFENSIVE RATING (2015-16) GETTING DEFENSIVE Rk. Player School Points 1 Thomas Walkup Stephen F. Austin 137.9 Majerle’s emphasis on defense has been constant during his five-year tenure leading the 2 Bryn Forbes Michigan State 134.5 program. Through 12 games this season, Majerle’s message has successfully translated to on- 3 James Thompson IV Eastern Michigan 134.3 court results. 4 John Konchar IPFW 133.4 5 JOSHUA BRAUN GRAND CANYON 132.8 As of Dec. 21, Grand Canyon’s scoring defense ranks tied for fifth nationally at just 59.2 6 Jameel Warney Stony Brook 132.7 points allowed per game. GCU is limiting its opponents to 39.1 percent shooting, a top-40 7 Isaiah Miles St. Joseph’s 132.3 mark nationally. From distance, opponents are connecting on just 26.2 percent of their 3-point 8 Derrick Griffin Texas Southern 132.2 attempts, a mark that ranks third in Division I. WATCH PARTY (PART III) “We’re going to hang our hats on the defensive end,” senior forward Keonta Vernon said. “The plays that Coach Majerle has are unbelievable. We’re going to get a shot if we run them Following a 2015-16 season that saw him named to the Lou Henson All-America Team, the right way. It comes down to getting stops. Coach Majerle told us we need to worry about Joshua Braun was again named to the Lou Henson Preseason Watch List last season, an award being one of the best defenses in the country. That’s a lot of our mindsets and Coach Majerle is given to the nation’s top Division I mid-major player. The third time might be the charm as getting other guys to worry about defense first and the offense will come.” Braun has been once again, named to the Preseason Watch List. GCU’s gaudy defensive numbers comfortably lead the WAC as it currently stands including Lou Henson coached for 41 years. When he left the game in 2005, he was sixth all-time in an advantage of 6.0 fewer points per game allowed than the conference’s second-best career Division I wins with 779. He is the winningest coach at both Illinois and NM State and is defense in New Mexico State. The Lopes’ defensive prowess has led to a +14.2 scoring margin one of only 12 coaches in the history of the game to take two schools to the Final Four. which also leads the WAC. The recipient of the 2018 Lou Henson Award will be announced at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet on March 31 , 2018 at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Event in San Antonio, THE LIGHTER SIDE OF BRAUN Texas, site of the men’s NCAA Division I Basketball Championship. No other WAC players made There is only one case in which less of Josh Braun can lead to good things for Grand Canyon it on to the list. men’s basketball: his weight. CASEY CAME HOME Braun dropped 25 pounds since the start of last season, going from 230 pounds to 205 pounds Casey Benson already lived a basketball through a revised weightlifting program and a change in eating habits. With less Braun brawn, the dream with a hometown Final Four appearance 6-foot-4 guard is feeling healthier and more athletic as the Lopes start the 2017-18 season. last year, but his storybook finish is still to come. “I was really heavy up top,” Braun said. “A lot of muscle I didn’t need. I looked like a football player. Early in the 2017-18 season, Benson’s role at I slimmed down. I look more like a basketball player. I feel more like a basketball player. I’m quicker GCU has taken on a new look compared to his and my body feels good.” duties at Oregon. Tasked with looking for his shot Braun changed how he lifted weights, went to spin classes twice a week (“Those things will kick more often, Benson has already set career highs your butt,” Braun said), stopped eating after 8 p.m., cut back on carbohydrates and added more in points (18 vs. St. John’s on Dec. 5), rebounds lean meats, vegetables and smoothies. It also meant asking his mother to stop giving him sweets. (10 vs. San Diego on Nov. 25) and minutes (38 at Boise State on Dec. 13). He also had the first BRAINS AND BRAUN three-game stretch of double-figure scoring in his career in mid-November. Joshua Braun was named to the 2016-17 CoSIDA first-team Academic All-America Division I men’s After the Tempe, Ariz., product helped basketball team by the College Sports Information Oregon to the NCAA semifinals at University of Directors of American (CoSIDA). Phoenix Stadium, Benson’s thoughts quickly turned 9 miles east to the Grand Canyon campus Braun joined Florida’s Canyon Barry as the only where he now resides and plays. repeat first-team selection from 2016-16. He has a 4.0 GPA in his masters of business administration Benson graduated in three years, enabling program after completing his undergraduate a transfer with immediate eligibility. His older degree in business management last spring. In 2015-16, Braun became GCU’s first-ever first brother, T.J., is a GCU assistant coach. team selection in men’s basketball and the first since Kevin Warren earned second team honors in 1986. “It’s amazing how all the stars aligned,” Casey said. The redshirt junior from Anthem, Ariz., was joined on the first team by Barry, junior A.J. The stars are lining up in the Lopes’ backcourt, where Benson takes over the point alongside Jacobson of North Dakota State, graduate student Alec Peters of Valparaiso and junior Nigel his former youth recreation league teammate, GCU shooting guard Josh Braun. Benson won Williams-Goss of Gonzaga. The five members of the first team have an average GPA of 3.83. three consecutive Arizona state championships at Corona del Sol High School and tallied the second-most wins in Ducks history (90). Grand Canyon now has 29 Academic All-Americans® in school history, including eight in the Division I era, and Braun is the 11th student-athlete to be named to the first team. Additionally, The addition of Benson continues a tradition of impact graduate transfers under Majerle, he becomes just the eighth two-time first team Academic All-American® in WAC history and following Grandy Glaze in 2015-16 and Darion Clark in 2016-17. Glaze won the Riley Wallace the first since UTEP’s Brandon Wolfram in 2001. award, given to the top transfer in Division I college basketball.

‹ 5 › MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES

HANDLE WITH CARE NEUTRAL-SITE NOTABLES Casey Benson has always had a solid assist-to-turnover ratio in his career, With one neutral-site game in the books against St. John’s on Dec. 5, the Lopes will have one but that was taken to extremes in 2015-16 when the senior was a sophomore more regular-season matchup at a neutral site this season when GCU and Morgan State meet at Oregon. He had just 24 turnovers in 1,091 minutes played, compared to 117 up in Las Vegas on Dec. 27 at Orleans Arena. assists, to lead the nation with a 4.9-to-1 assist to turnover ratio. At one point during the season, Benson’s ATO was 15.5-to-1. As GCU Arena has developed a staunch reputation for the homecourt advantage it provides, neutral-site games may be, for now, the way GCU lines up quality competition on its schedule. Benson left Oregon as the school’s all-time leader in assist-to-turnover ratio and his career mark of 3.30-to-1 ranks him second all-time in Pac-12 St. John’s head coach Chris Mullin said as much following his team’s narrow win at Talking history, trailing only UCLA’s Darren Collison, who recorded a mark of 3.56 Benson Stick Resort Arena in the Valley of the Sun Showcase: “I’ve seen some of their games on from 2005-09. campus, and I was just glad that we didn’t play there. I have a lot of respect for Dan [Majerle] and Jerry [Colangelo] ... they’ve done a great job. Everything that touches turns NCAA LEADERS, ASSIST-TO-TURNOVER RATIO (2015-16) to gold, so it was just a matter of time.” Rk. Player School G Ast TO Ratio The Lopes have made some noise during Majerle’s tenure in neutral-site competition. A 1 CASEY BENSON OREGON 38 117 24 4.88 2 Trey Pinkney SFA 34 125 28 4.46 Division I unknown at the time, the Lopes took part in the Global Sports Classic on Dec. 21 and 22, 3 Monté Morris Iowa St. 35 241 57 4.23 2015 in Las Vegas. .In the semifinals, the Lopes erased a nine-point second-half deficit to defeat 4 James Robinson Pittsburgh 33 166 42 3.95 the Houston Cougars 78-69 behind DeWayne Russell’s 20 points and 6 assists. The following 5 Jabril Durham Arkansas 32 204 57 3.58 day, the Lopes once again came from behind to win their fourth game in a row. Braun was 6 Tyler Ulis Kentucky 35 246 69 3.57 named the tournament MVP after scoring 20 points in the championship game. 7 Lourawls Nairn Jr. Michigan St. 29 92 26 3.54 8 Josh Brown Temple 33 161 46 3.50 The Lopes participated in another tournament, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off 8 Haiishen McIntyre High Point 32 105 30 3.50 Tournament in Uncasville, Ct., to start the 2016-17 season. After two tough campus games at 10 Eric Garcia Wofford 32 153 47 3.26 Duke and Penn State, the Lopes turned things around vs. Albany and Marist in the neutral site games on Nov. 19 and 20 to win the Springfield Bracket championship. Russell and Braun were MAJERLE ENTERS AZ SPORTS HALL OF FAME both named to the All-Tournament team. In an event honoring Arizona sports legends, Over the past two seasons, the Lopes are now 4-1 in games played at a neutral site. Since Grand Canyon men’s basketball coach Dan Majerle took the reigns of the program in 2013-14, the Lopes are 6-3 on neutral courts. Majerle still stood out on Nov. 1. The 47th Arizona Sports Hall of Fame class included iconic and FEELING AT HOME ON THE ROAD pioneering sports figures but no inductee Already recognized as college basketball’s biggest party, the GCU Havocs frequently extend approached the popularity of Majerle, from the their antics far beyond the walls of GCU Arena. The Havocs take their show on the road when red carpet to his induction’s cheers and standing possible and transform opposing and neutral-site venues into a decidedly pro-purple party. ovation to the post-ceremony photo requests. Things were no different on Dec. 5 when GCU played in Arena against St. Majerle joined Arizona Cardinals owner John’s. An excess of 1,500 GCU students made their collective voice heard in front of a national Bill Bidwill, Arizona State professor and former sports columnist Paola Boivin, TV audience in the BBVA Compass Valley of the Sun Showcase. great Shane Doan and ASU wrestling great Anthony Robles as this year’s inductees. Majerle’s playing career earned the nod and his successful five-year run as GCU coach While the Havocs were certainly there for GCU’s matchup with St. John’s, they were in their cemented the honor, putting him in the Hall of Fame with Lopes baseball luminary Tim Salmon. seats early enough to cheer in-state ally, Arizona, to a big win over No. 7 Texas A&M. Arizona players took to Twitter following their win to compliment the Havocs on their antics to force key “The marriage between Dan Majerle and Grand Canyon has been incredible,” former Suns owner missed free throws down the stretch. and GCU key figure Jerry Colangelo said in Majerle’s induction video. “He is gaining more and more respect around the country for the job he’s done at Grand Canyon and I couldn’t be happier for him.” In a 2016 road contest against No. 19 Arizona in Tucson, Wildcats head coach Sean Miller noted he witnessed a McKale Center first. Of Colangelo, Majerle said in his speech, “What a great man. He took me in. He got me the job at Grand Canyon, which was a savior.” “In my eight years, I’ve never seen a student section in McKale filled with the visitors. They had a whole section. You could hear them cheering. You could just tell they’ve got a great spirit HAPPY TO BE BACK HOME about what they’re doing, and that’s to Grand Canyon’s credit.” GCU’s wild homecourt advantage has been well documented. The team’s on-court success “I always hear the Havocs, they’re my guys, they’re the best.” Majerle said after the narrow has proven it by the way the Lopes play when they return home from games away from GCU. loss. “They travel well. We’re lucky to have them.” In the first home game following a road or neutral-site contest, GCU is 24-3 since making A yearly road trip tradition has quickly developed with bus loads of Havocs making the 12- the transition to D-I. They are 20-0 in such games since the 2014-15 season. hour round trip journey to Las Cruces, N.M. for the program’s budding rivalry with WAC foe New Mexico State. .And with a conference tournament finally in play for the Lopes, the Havocs have 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 D1 Era already begun making preparations for a March trip to Las Vegas for the WAC Tournament. 4-3 6-0 6-0 6-0 2-0 24-3 GCU VISITS NEVADA FOR RELIEF EXHIBITION MIDNIGHT MADNESS: TAKE WHAT’S YOURS GCU added a last-minute road exhibition to its 2017-18 schedule, traveling to Reno, Nev. to .Grand Canyon basketball players got their first win without needing to do much more than take on Nevada, who is now ranked in the AP Top-25, in a game that raised money for North Bay wave on Friday, Oct. 6. Midnight Madness was a team victory earned by the GCU campus. The Fire Relief. The NCAA allows teams to play a third exhibition game for charitable purposes. sweat came from students, who started forming a line over 48 hours prior, stretched it more than a half-mile by Friday night and dashed for GCU Arena seats. “GCU is all about outreach and helping doing as much as they can,” Majerle said. “That’s something we really thrive on as a university. Anything that we can do to help people that need “Congratulations, because you’re not just one of the best sections in all of college basketball; help is a great opportunity. We’re very happy to do that, and this is an awesome event for us.” you are the best,” said Majerle. “Here’s what I say: I promise you every night when we come to this arena, our guys and the gals will give everything they have to make you guys proud. Despite missing Joshua Braun, the Lopes led 40-39 until Nevada ended the first-half scoring “With the reputation you guys have made for yourselves, let’s do this. And then let’s win the with two free throws and continued a 16-0 stretch with the second half’s first 14 points. The WAC. And then let’s win the WAC Tournament. And then President (Brian) Mueller will fly you Pack would hold the lead until the end, coming away with a 81-72 win. all to wherever we’re playing in the NCAA Tournament.” Sophomore Oscar Frayer led the Lopes in scoring with 15 points on 7-of-18 shooting. ‹ 6 › MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES

AIDOO REPRESENTS HOMELAND INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR Grand Canyon men’s basketball players carry more than a GCU flag when Head coach Dan Majerle and his staff have covered the country looking for the best talent to they play. recruit to play for the Lopes. For the 2017-18 season, they’ve extended into international borders as well. Seven of the 16 players on the roster hail from countries outside of the . In August, Lopes sophomore guard Fiifi Aidoo helped his Finnish national team to a seventh-place finish Tuesday at the World University Games. The

GCU sophomore tallied nine points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot in 21 minutes of Finland’s 79-70 win against Argentina in ALESSANDRO LEVER FIIFI AIDOO Bolzano, Italy Taipei. Helsinki, Finland Aidoo Finland reached the World University Games quarterfinals before losing ROBERTS BLUMBERGS PARKER DALE 85-84 in double overtime to Serbia. Over eight games, Aidoo, a Ghana native who was raised Ventspils, Latvia Sydney, Australia in Finland from age 5, shot 50.9 percent from the field and averaged 9.0 points, 2.5 rebounds,

2.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 19.6 minutes per game. He scored 17 points in 16 minutes of play in a win against Hong Kong. Last year, Aidoo also played for Finland’s entry in the FIBA U20 European IBRAHIMA SANKARE GERARD MARTIN Championship. As a freshman, he averaged 4.6 points for the Lopes last season. Thiès, Senegal Manly, Australia

LOPES SIGN THREE FOR 2017-18 MATT JACKSON Grand Canyon men’s basketball Melbourne, Australia announced the addition of Roberts Blumbergs, Alessandro Lever, and LOPES EN ESPAÑA Damari Milstead to their 2017 signing class, head coach Dan Majerle GCU coaches and players were able to get an early jump on the 2017-18 season with the announced late last April. NCAA allowance for 10 practices on campus before an international trip, which a program can schedule once per four years. The 2017 edition took the Lopes to Barcelona, Spain, where Blumbergs, regarded as the top the team was scheduled to play three exhibition games as well as partaking in cultural events available center prospect in the 2017 Blumbergs Lever Milstead throughout the city. recruiting class by Scout.com, is a 6-10 forward from Ventspils, Latvia, and played under Julian Betko at Get Better Academy (GBA) in Prague, Czech Republic. Blumbergs had a strong As it ended up, the Lopes practiced twice and played only one exhibition game, a 96-58 showing in the FIBA U18 European Championships in Samsun, Turkey, where he averaged 16.5 victory, on the trip (which included two cultural tours of Barcelona) prior to a terrorist attack, points and 9.8 rebounds, while also converting 10-for-22 from behind the three-point line and which killed 13 people and injured dozens at a crowded Las Ramblas pedestrian boulevard. was rated as the top performer in terms of player efficiency in the tournament. GCU was one of five NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams touring Barcelona for practices Lever, a 6-10 big man from Bolzano, Italy, also drew attention at the U18 European and exhibition games at the time of the attack. GCU, Arizona, Clemson, Oregon State and Tulane Championships. In six games with the Italian team, Lever averaged 13.2 points and 5.8 rebounds all returned to the U.S. immediately following the attack. in the tournament, including 25 points against eventual champion France in the semifinals. “The safety and well-being of our student-athletes and staff are our top priorities,” GCU Vice Lever will also represent Italy in July at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Cairo, Egypt. President of Athletics Mike Vaught said. “With that in mind, the university decided to make the During the fall signing period, the Lopes signed decorated point guard Damari Milstead out safest decision possible following the attack on Barcelona.” of Moreau Catholic HS in Hayward, Calif. Milstead, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Metro Player VIVA #WACVEGAS of the Year, led the Mariners to a 100-21 record in four seasons. He amassed 2,353 points, 577 assists, 434 rebounds and 375 steals, winning two Northern California championships. During The 2018 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the his senior campaign, Milstead averaged 25.8 points, 5.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 steals Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the eighth year in a row. The per game. Milstead will reunite with high school teammate, Oscar Frayer, who is a sophomore tournament will be held March 8-10, and will include all eight forward for the Lopes. men’s and women’s teams. RUSSELL’S STOCK RISING This will be the first season that the Lopes will be able to participate in the conference tournament, following a four-year Following his 2016-17 season that saw him lead the WAC transition from Division II play prior to the 2013-14 season. in scoring and assists, GCU Alumnus DeWayne Russell was initially signed as an injury replacement with SLUC Nancy ESPN will once again broadcast the WAC men’s tournament Basket, a professional club in France. His stay became championship game on March 10. The men’s championship game will be broadcast by ESPNU at 7 p.m. (PT). much more than temporary last week as his contract was extended through the end of the season. COLANGELO MUSEUM OPENS ON CAMPUS Through 10 games played on the regular season slate, About 2,200 square feet of GCU contains the life work of a Phoenix icon, who emerged from Russell comfortably leads the Ligue Nationale de Basket humble Chicago roots to change the sports and civic landscape for Arizona and beyond. The Pro B League with 8.1 assists per game to go along with 13.9 Jerry Colangelo Museum is a tribute and a treasury. It is a celebration and a destination. points and 2.8 rebounds. For no admission cost, the public can visit a collection of Colangelo’s championship rings, “He has already erased a number of his mistakes and is gold medals, awards and trophies amid a display of his life through rare and memorable progressing quickly and well,” head coach Grego Beugnot photographs and a personal video. said during a press conference. “He will have more pressure on his shoulders, but we will be there to help and support “I am humbled by what they chose to do and how they did it,” Colangelo said. “This is world him. He already has the characteristics of a leader. DeWayne wanted to keep growing with us... class. Everything (GCU President) Brian (Mueller) has done here is first class.” it’s done now.” The Jerry Colangelo Museum, located between GCU Arena and the main campus entrance, “That’s exactly what you want to do overseas – be able to perform, show how you play and was a two-year project to honor a leader known for the rise of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona then other teams get to look at you,” GCU head coach Dan Majerle said. “That’s how you build Diamondbacks and the restoration of USA Basketball before becoming affiliated with GCU in 2009. your resume. I’m real happy for him. I have no doubt that Dewayne will be extremely successful over there. With how much he loves playing basketball, how good he is and how hard he works, The finished project is a dazzling display of mementos extracted from Colangelo’s mind, office he’ll become an instant favorite over there.” and storage facility.

‹ 7 › MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES

FINKE INKS NLI TO JOIN LOPES 2017-18 GCU SUPERLATIVES GCU’s recruiting efforts took a step into the STATISTICAL CATEGORY GRAND CANYON HIGH national spotlight on Nov. 16, 2017, when four- Points 87 Grambling State (12/09/17) star Illinois shooting guard Tim Finke signed Field Goals Made 32 Grambling State (12/09/17) his letter of intent with the Lopes. ESPN.com Field Goal Attempts 79 at Boise State, 2OT (12/13/17) regarded Finke as Illinois’ No. 2 high school Field Goal Percentage .552 (32-58) Grambling State (12/09/17) player and No. 27 shooting guard in the nation. 3 PT Field Goals Made 14 Norfolk State (11/20/17) 3 PT Field Goals Attempted 36 UC Riverside (12/02/17) “I always wanted to be a part of something 3 PT Field Goal Percentage .538 (14-26) Norfolk State (11/20/17) special,” Finke wrote in a Nov. 14 Instagram Free Throws Made 26 Robert Morris (11/13/17) post announcing his commitment. “I found it here. To God be the glory. I’m home.” Free Throws Attempts 36 Robert Morris (11/13/17) Free Throw Percentage .813 (13-16) North Carolina Central (12/11/17) According to 247Sports.com, Finke received offers from 22 programs including the likes of Rebounds 49 Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) Oregon, Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Indiana. Assists 23 Grambling State (12/09/17) Steals 12 UC Riverside (12/02/17) Lopes assistant TJ Benson made five trips to visit Finke in Illinois. Feeling good about where Blocked Shots 8 2x, last Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) he was leaving things on the final visit, Benson told Finke, “I have a feeling you know what you Turnovers 21 Robert Morris (11/13/17) want to do. You just need to make sure everybody is on board with it.” Fouls 29 at Boise State, 2OT (12/13/17) Benson had barely traveled a mile before he got word that Majerle had received a phone call from Finke with a commitment. “You just made my night,” Majerle quipped. STATISTICAL CATEGORY GRAND CANYON LOW Points 60 vs St. John’s (12/05/17) As a junior in 2016-17, Finke averaged 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists for Champaign Field Goals Made 20 vs St. John’s (12/05/17) Central High School. His older brother, Michael, is a junior starting power forward for the Field Goal Attempts 43 Robert Morris (11/13/17) University of Illinois. Field Goal Percentage .303 (20-66) vs St. John’s (12/05/17) 3 PT Field Goals Made 4 2x, last UC Riverside (12/02/17) Finke didn’t mince his words when he communicated his excitement to Lopes Insider Paul 3 PT Field Goals Attempted 16 Robert Morris (11/13/17) Coro in an interview on GCULopes.com: “I felt like if any school in the country walked in and said, 3 PT Field Goal Percentage .111 (4-36) UC Riverside (12/02/17) ‘I want you,’ I wouldn’t even care. I want to go to Grand Canyon. I don’t even care if anybody else Free Throws Made 8 Florida A&M (11/10/17) walked in here.” Free Throws Attempts 16 2x, last North Carolina Central (12/11/17) Free Throw Percentage .500 (8-16) Florida A&M (11/10/17) LOPES DEFINING DEPTH Rebounds 33 3x, last North Carolina Central (12/11/17) Increased depth for GCU in 2017-18 has given Majerle the option to develop a deeper rotation. Assists 9 vs St. John’s (12/05/17) At times this season, Majerle has gone five or six players deep on the bench, something which Steals 2 North Carolina Central (12/11/17) Blocked Shots 1 North Carolina Central (12/11/17) he rarely had the ability to do in previous seasons. In GCU’s win over Grambling State on Dec. 9, Turnovers 6 North Carolina Central (12/11/17) the Lopes used 16 players which was the most used in a single game in the Division I era. Fouls 15 Florida A&M (11/10/17) Entering the year, Majerle had planned on tightening up the rotation to seven or eight players. Instead, he’s chosen to take advantage of depth on the bench with players like Gerard STATISTICAL CATEGORY OPPONENT HIGH Martin, Matt Jackson, Alessandro Lever and Shaq Carr. Points 85 at Boise State, 2OT (12/13/17) Field Goals Made 29 San Diego (11/25/17) Despite the new potential of looking deeper down the bench, Majerle’s philosophy on playing Field Goal Attempts 62 Robert Morris (11/13/17) time has stayed the same. Field Goal Percentage .492 (29-59) San Diego (11/25/17) 3 PT Field Goals Made 6 vs St. John’s (12/05/17) “If they’re not going to give an effort then they’re not going to play,” Majerle said. “I’ll play five 3 PT Field Goals Attempted 24 at Boise State, 2OT (12/13/17) guys if I have to. I told them, ‘You guys are digging for your own playing time.’ I’ll go with a six-, 3 PT Field Goal Percentage .500 (2-4) Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) seven-man rotation, whoever is playing hard.” Free Throws Made 24 at Boise State, 2OT (12/13/17) His sentiments have proven true thus far. Depending on the flow of the game, he’ll stick with Free Throws Attempts 37 at Boise State, 2OT (12/13/17) Free Throw Percentage .750 (12-16) North Carolina Central (12/11/17) the unit that’s giving him the effort and producing the results. Rebounds 45 2x, last at Boise State, 2OT (12/13/17) SCHEDULE TOUGHENS Assists 14 2x, last San Diego (11/25/17) Steals 13 Robert Morris (11/13/17) Grand Canyon’s schedule is set to ramp up as the end of the calendar year nears. The Lopes Blocked Shots 5 2x, last San Diego (11/25/17) made their first venture out of Phoenix on Dec. 13 for a matchup with Boise State. GCU also has Turnovers 24 UC Riverside (12/02/17) road dates with Illinois and Louisville, as well as a neutral-site game against Morgan State who Fouls 29 Robert Morris (11/13/17) has faced a tough schedule to date. STATISTICAL CATEGORY OPPONENT LOW NOTABLE RPIs (2017-18 OPPONENTS, TOP 150) Points 38 Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) GAMES THROUGH DEC. 18 Field Goals Made 14 Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) Opponent RPI Record Game Date Field Goal Attempts 46 North Carolina Central (12/11/17) Nevada 18 9-2 (Exhib). Oct. 22, L 81-72 Field Goal Percentage .273 (15-55) Little ockR (11/18/17) St. John’s (NY) 19 9-2 Dec. 5, L 68-60 3 PT Field Goals Made 2 Grambling State (12/09/17) Boise St. 35 10-2 Dec. 13, L 85-80 (2OT) 3 PT Field Goals Attempted 4 Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) CSU Bakersfield 70 7-6 Feb. 17, away; March 3, home 3 PT Field Goal Percentage 0.167 2x, last Grambling State (12/09/17) Louisville 73 8-2 Dec. 23, away Utah Valley 84 7-5 Jan. 27, away; Feb. 24, home Free Throws Made 8 Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) New Mexico State 87 9-2 Jan. 11, home; Feb. 10, away Free Throws Attempts 14 2x, last San Diego (11/25/17) San Diego 116 8-3 Nov. 25, L 72-62 Free Throw Percentage .533 (8-15) Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) Robert Morris 137 6-5 Nov. 13, W 75-61 Rebounds 30 2x, last Mississippi Valley State (12/18/17) Morgan St. 150 4-6 Dec. 27, neutral Assists 4 Little ockR (11/18/17) Steals 2 UC Riverside (12/02/17) Blocked Shots 0 North Carolina Central (12/11/17) Turnovers 12 San Diego (11/25/17) Fouls 19 3x, last Grambling State (12/09/17) ‹ 8 › GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY ARENA

Grand Canyon University Arena has provided the Lopes a definitive home-court advantage THE HAVOCS since opening its doors before the 2011-12 basketball season. With a seating capacity of 7,200 and a prime location on campus, the venue is regularly packed to the rafters with students and The Havocs are some of the most dedicated and fans, providing an electric atmosphere ripe for success. rowdy fans in all of collegiate sports. Over 3,000 stu- dents strong, they turn GCU athletic venues into some During the past seven seasons, the GCU men’s team has been dominant in the arena, post- of the rowdiest and hostile environments in all of college ing an overall record of 93-19, including a pair of 15-1 seasons before starting the transition sports. They use their unified group to help the com- to Division I. The Lopes’ record playing a regular complement of Division I guests has been munity and volunteer with various non-profits and charitable organizations.Havocs strive to impressive as well, as GCU owns a 63-17 mark since 2013-14. The success on the court helped create a spirited community and sense of camaraderie for all students. GCU to a pair of postseason tournament appearances in its first two years transitioning to the NCAA’s highest level. Known for their constant energy, support and pride, the Havocs support and encourage all GCU athletic teams, promote school spirit and build Lope pride and tradition – while upholding An intimidating factor for opponents, the large Havocs student section has proven to be one of the best in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Havocs create an imposing back- the four pillars and values of GCU. With positive sportsmanship and respect in mind, Havocs drop for visiting teams as they fill the bleachers with energy and enthusiasm. create an energetic environment for our fans and an intimidating atmosphere for opponents. With a push from the Havocs, a packed house is becoming a regular occurrence and has led to an incredible rise in attendance for the men’s team in the first four years since the GCU Are- WHAT THEY’RE SAYING na opened. Home attendance has more than doubled since the arrival of the arena, with a per- game average of nearly 5,500 fans coming through the doors last year. Among that mark were “In college basketball, in my 40-plus years, three contests with raucous crowds of more than 7,000 fans while another upstart crowd of more than 6,500 witnessed the top highlight reel moment in the arena to date: a 68-65 upset this was the toughest crowd I’ve ever faced. of New Mexico on Dec. 23, 2014. Awesome... You’ve got something special ” Student-athletes love the atmosphere while also enjoying first-class amenities. The facil- here. Really special.” Rick Pitino ities on the GCU campus are among the best in the conference and feature everything stu- dent-athletes need to be successful right at their fingertips. From an on-site medical facility to the strength and conditioning area and locker room with a players’ lounge and study area, the “GCU Arena has become one of college Lopes have all the comforts of home just a short walk from student housing. basketball’s rowdiest environments.” The facility originally broke ground in the summer of 2010 and was completed before the New York Times start of the following basketball season. It is owned and operated by the university. “ “The Havocs are the biggest party in college 7,502 Feb. 25, 2017 vs. Missouri-Kansas City basketball.” SB Nation 7,493 Dec. 3, 2016 vs. Louisville 7,479 Feb. 11, 2017 vs. New Mexico State ” “Thunder Dan has that place rocking.” 7,413 Jan. 9, 2016 vs. New Mexico State Jeff Goodman, ESPN.com 7,412 Dec. 30, 2014 vs. Harvard 7,397 Nov. 25, 2017 vs. San Diego “ “The best basketball environment in the 7,394 Nov. 18, 2017 vs. Little Rock valley is at GCU. Cameron Cox, KPNX-TV 7,376 Feb. 24, 2017 vs. Chicago State 7,320 Jan. 21, 2017 vs. Seattle U

AT GCU ARENA AT ” “I can’t remember a more electric pregame

TOP 10 CROWDS 10 TOP 7,315 March 14, 2016 vs. South Carolina State “atmosphere.” Vince Marotta, AZ Sports 98.7 FM ‹ 9 › GRAND CANYON SCHEDULE NOTES

WHERE ARE THE LOPES?

SEATTLE U Seattle, Wash.

BOISE STATE Boise, Idaho

CHICAGO STATE

Chicago, Ill. UTAH VALLEY Orem, Utah I ILLINOIS Champaign, Ill.

WAC TOURNAMENT LOUISVILLE

Las Vegas, Nev. MORGAN STATE Louisville, Ky. Las Vegas, Nev.

KANSAS CITY

HOME GAMES Kansas City, Mo. CSU BAKERSFIELD Phoenix, Ariz. Bakersfield, Calif.

NM STATE

ST. JOHN’S Las Cruces, N.M. Talking Stick Resort Arena This sign denotes an official Lopes on the Road game For more information, visit GCULopes.com/LopesOnTheRoad UTRGV Edinburg, Texas

OVERALL BY MONTH BY STATE 2017-18 SCHEDULE: BY THE NUMBERS Total Games 30 November 5 Arizona 19 Non-Conference 16 December 10 California 1 Conference 14 January 7 New Mexico 1 Approximate number of miles set to be traveled this season 17,055 Exhibition 2 February 7 Idaho 1 March 1 Illinois 2 Percentage of schedule played at home at GCU Arena BY CONFERENCE 60.0 Western Athletic 14 BY LOCATION Kentucky 1 Missouri 1 Games available via television broadcast* Atlantic Coast 1 Home 18 30 Big East 1 Away 10 Nevada `1 Neutral 2 Texas 1 NCAA Division I Final Fours appeared in by 2017-18 opponents Big Ten 1 19 Mid-Eastern Athletic 4 Utah 1 BY DAY Washington 1 Mountain West 1 Opponents that participated in NCAA Tournament in 2017 Friday 1 3 Northeast 1 Saturday 15 Sun Belt 1 Sunday 0 2016-17 winning percentage of 2017-18 opponents .477 Southwestern Athletic 2 Tuesday 2 *tentatively (broadcast schedule subject to change) Big South 1 Wednesday 2 Big West 1 Thursday 6 LOPES ON THE ROAD RETURNS West Coast 1 Monday 4 Introduced to Grand Canyon fans two years ago, Lopes on the Road is back with more events in more cities than ever before. 2016-17 LOPES ON THE ROAD SCHEDULE: As part of a successful first two years, many GCU alumni, students, faculty and fans had the chance to cheer on the Lopes at Date Sport Opponent Location multiple men’s basketball games. The events featured pregame tailgates and reception, allowing opportunities for attendees to Oct. 8, 2017 Soccer (M) San Jose State San Jose, Calif. meet and mingle with fellow Lopes. Oct. 22, 2017 Soccer (M) Air Force Colorado Springs, Colo. This year, Lopes on the Road will showcase four sports, with the addition of women’s basketball and men’s soccer, in 11 cities Dec. 10, 2017 Basketball (W) Washington Seattle, Wash. across the nation. This extraordinary opportunity features two games in California and multiple trips to the Orleans Arena in Las Dec. 13, 2017 Basketball (M) Boise State Boise, Idaho Vegas, where the Lopes will be competing in their first-ever WAC conference tournament this season in quest of an NCAA birth in Dec. 14, 2017 Basketball (W) Northern Arizona Flagstaff, Ariz. their first year of elgibility. Dec. 27, 2017 Basketball (M) Morgan State Las Vegas, Nev. With one of the best home-court advantages in the nation and a 49-16 overall record over the past two seasons. head coach Dan Jan. 6, 2018 Basketball (M) Seattle U Seattle, Wash. Majerle and the men’s basketball team hope to have a sea of purple support on the road when the Lopes travel to play four WAC Jan. 18, 2018 Basketball (M) Chicago State Chicago, Ill. opponents. Attendees will have the chance to catch games against Boise State (Dec.13), Morgan State (Dec. 27) and conference Jan. 20, 2018 Basketball (M) UMKC Kansas City, Mo. rivals Seattle U (Jan. 6), Chicago State (Jan. 18), UMKC (Jan. 20) and New Mexico State (Feb. 10). Feb. 10, 2018 Basketball (M) New Mexico State Las Cruces, N.M. Each registered attendee receives a complimentary ticket, concessions stand voucher and free GCU swag at check-in. To regis- Mar. 15-18, 2018 Baseball Cal State Fullerton Fullerton, Calif. ter, visit GCULopes.com/LopesOnTheRoad. ‹ 10 › BROADCAST SCHEDULE / MID-MAJOR RANKINGS

BROADCAST NOTES COLLEGE INSIDER MID-MAJOR TOP 25 Lopes fans will have the opportunity to follow their team every game of the 2017-18 season as The CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll is made up of GCU men’s basketball game will be able to listen to all 30 games on 1580 AM The Fanatic or teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlan- the Fanatic App and watch all 30 games on a variety of networks including all home games on tic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Inde- YurView (Ch. 4 Phoenix, Ch. 7 Tucson). pendents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Date Opponent Time Radio TV Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast, Western Athletic. Nov. 10 vs. Florida A&M 7:00 p.m. The CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 is now in its 19th season of existence. Nov. 13 vs. Robert Morris 7:00 p.m. Rk. Team Record Pts. Prev. Conference 1. Gonzaga (31) 9-2 775 1 West Coast Nov. 18 vs. Little Rock 7:00 p.m. 2. Saint Mary’s 9-2 742 2 West Coast 3.YU B 9-2 662 5 West Coast Nov. 20 vs. Norfolk State 7:00 p.m. 4. Towson 10-1 590 8 Colonial 5. Albany 11-2 567 4 America East Nov. 25 vs. San Diego 7:00 p.m. 6. Loyola Chicago 10-2 564 3 Missouri Valley 7. Northern Iowa 8-3 544 6 Missouri Valley Dec. 2 vs. UC Riverside 7:00 p.m. 8. UT Arlington 8-3 542 9 Sun Belt 9. Louisiana 9-2 473 10 Sun Belt Dec. 5 vs. St. John's 9:30 p.m. 10. Charleston 7-3 446 7 Colonial 11. Stephen F. Austin 10-1 384 19 Southland 12. Furman 9-3 308 18 Southern Dec. 9 vs. Grambling 7:00 p.m. 13. Evansville 10-2 303 23 Missouri Valley 14. Valparaiso 8-3 287 11 Missouri Valley Dec. 11 vs. North Carolina Central 7:00 p.m. 15. Georgia Southern 8-3 286 15 Sun Belt 16. Missouri State 0-3 281 17 Missouri Valley Dec. 13 at Boise State 7:00 p.m. 17. UNC Greensboro 8-3 271 NR Southern 18. South Dakota 11-3 252 25 Summit Dec. 18 vs. Mississippi Valley State 7:00 p.m. 19. New Mexico State 9-2 241 NR Western Athletic 20. Northern Kentucky 7-4 212 14 Horizon 21. Central Michigan 8-2 192 16 Mid-American Dec. 21 vs. Longwood 6:00 p.m. 22. UC Santa Barbara 8-3 159 21 Big West 23. FGCU 7-5 124 12 Atlantic Sun Dec. 23 at Louisville 11:00 a.m. 24. UC Davis 7-3 99 20 Big West 25. Portland State 9-3 77 24 Big Sky Dec. 27 vs. Morgan State 7:00 p.m. UPDATED: December 18, 2017 Dec. 30 at Illinois 3:00 p.m. OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Vermont 76, San Diego 62, South Dakota State 61, Oakland 49, Jan. 6 at Seattle 8:00 p.m. Jacksonville State 48, Ball State 38, Murray State 35, Eastern Michigan 32, Grand Canyon 29, Lipscomb 27, Mercer 26, Belmont 24, Bucknell 23, Bradley 21, Idaho 17, Akron 14, ETSU 13, UNC Jan. 11 vs. New Mexico State 7:00 p.m. Asheville 13, Buffalo 12, Liberty 12, Lamar 10, Seatle 10, Penn 9, Georgia State 7, Wofford 6, West- ern Michigan 5, Hawaii 2, Illinois State 1, San Francisco 1, Southern Utah 1 Jan. 13 vs. UT Rio Grande Valley 7:00 p.m. Casey Alexander (Lipscomb), Roman Banks (Southern), Randy Bennett (St. Jan. 18 at Chicago State 6:05 p.m. VOTING PANEL: Mary’s), Will Brown (Albany), Jamion Christian (Mount St. Mary’s), Jon Coffman (Fort Wayne), Jan. 20 at UMKC 6:00 p.m. Jim Engles (Columbia), James Fox (Appalachian State), Derrin Hansen (Omaha), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Jason Hooten (Sam Houston State), Brian Jones (North Dakota), James Jan. 23 vs. William Jessup 7:00 p.m. Jones (Yale), Mike Jones (Radford), Robert Jones (Norfolk State), Greg Kampe (Oakland), Danny Kaspar (Texas State), Tod Kowalczyk (Toledo), Greg Lansing (Indiana State), Jim Les Jan. 27 at Utah Valley 7:00 p.m. (UC Davis), Dan Majerle (Grand Canyon), Bob Marlin (Louisiana), Ritchie McKay (Liberty), Rob O’Driscoll (Drexel), Jimmy Patsos (Siena), Kyle Perry (USC Upstate), G.G. Smith (Loyola), Damon Feb. 1 vs. UMKC 7:00 p.m. Stoudamire (Pacific), Jay Spoonhour (Eastern Illinois), Willis Wilson (Texas A&M Corpus Chris- ti), Mike Young (Wofford). Feb. 3 vs. Chicago State 7:00 p.m. * Liberty University head coach Ritchie McKay is the chairman of the Top 25 voting panel for the Feb. 8 at UT Rio Grande Valley 7:00 p.m. 2017-18 season. Feb. 10 at New Mexico State 7:00 p.m.

Feb. 17 at CSU Bakersfield 8:00 p.m.

Feb. 22 vs. Seattle 7:00 p.m.

Feb. 24 vs. Utah Valley 7:00 p.m.

Mar. 3 vs. CSU Bakersfield 7:00 p.m.

Mar. 8-10 WAC Tournament TBD

‹ 11 › HEAD COACH / GCU RECORD WHEN...

HEAD COACH DAN MAJERLE GCU RECORD WHEN...

Former NBA All-Star, Olympian and World Team member Dan Majerle 2017- Majerle enters his fifth season in 2017-18 after he took over the Grand Canyon 2018 Era Grand Canyon University Arena 9-1 63-17 men’s basketball program on March 18, 2013 when he was named the 13th Home 9-1 63-18 head coach in school history. Road 0-1 21-26 It’s been quite an impressive run in the Valley for the former Phoenix Neutral Site 0-1 6-3 Overtime games 0-0 0-1 Suns star. In four short years, he has amassed 81 wins and three postseason berths on the sideline. Leading at the half 9-2 73-18 Majerle has certainly made his mark, guiding the Lopes back-to-back Behind at the half 0-1 12-31 20+ win seasons over the last two years and four top three finishes in the Tied at the half 0-0 6-0

Western Athletic Conference since 2013-14. Three of the last four years Scoring 0-59 points 0-0 2-15 under Majerle, the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament picked Scoring 60-69 points 3-1 18-21 the Lopes to play in the postseason. Majerle has also attracted many high Scoring 70-79 points 3-0 33-9 profile opponents during his tenure including, Kentucky, Duke, Arizona Scoring 80-89 points 3-1 28-3 and a home-and-home series with Louisville. Scoring 90-99 points 0-0 9-0 Scoring 100-plus points 0-0 0-1 Behind Majerle’s presence and a rising team, GCU averaged 6,817 fans over 18 home games in 2016-17. The average attendance has increased Game decided by 1-5 points 1-1 22-5 every season as a Division I program with the peak coming last season. Game decided by 6-9 points 0-1 18-7 Game decided by 10-15 points 2-1 22-9 The increase was noticeable right away as the average in 2013-14 was Game decided by 16 points or more 6-0 28-14 4,373; an increase in average attendance from the previous season of THE MAJERLE FILE 1,030 fans per game, the 24th-highest increase in the NCAA that year. In GCU out-rebounds the opponent 5-3 60-12 2016-17 GCU ranked in the Top-10 in attendance among schools with less GCU is out-rebounded by the opponent 3-0 24-32 HEAD COACH than 10,000 arena capacity. In addition to ranking 23rd in the NCAA for Same number of rebounds 1-0 7-4

Fifth Season at Grand Canyon average attendance capacity with 97.39%. Alma Mater: Central Michigan, ‘88 Recording 50-plus rebounds 0-0 3-0 Majerle completed his first year at GCU in 2013-14 by being named a Recording 40-plus rebounds 3-2 20-3 Coaching Overall Conference finalist for the Joe B. Hall award, which is given to the most outstanding Recording 35-39 rebounds 3-1 26-9 Record W L W L Recording 30-34 rebounds 3-0 25-13 first-year Division I head coach. Being nominated for such an honor Recording 25-29 rebounds 0-0 13-12 2017-18 - GCU 9 3 0 0 came after guiding the team to a 15-15 overall record in its first year of 2016-17 - GCU 22 9 11 3 Recording 20-24 rebounds 0-0 1-10 2015-16 - GCU 27 7 11 3 reclassification to Division I. The Lopes, originally tabbed to finish eighth Recording less than 20 rebounds 0-0 2-2 2014-15 - GCU 17 15 8 6 in the Western Athletic Conference, used a 10-6 conference mark to claim third place among the nine teams. GCU also received a bid to the GCU with better shooting percentage 7-0 73-7 2013-14 - GCU 15 15 10 6 GCU with worse shooting percentage 2-3 17-42 Career Totals 90 49 40 18 CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament, its first at the Division I level. Same shooting percentage 0-0 0-0 Before starting his tenure at Grand Canyon, Majerle spent five years as GCU shooting .500-plus FG pct. 2-0 28-4 COACHING LEDGER GCU shooting .450-.499 FG pct. 3-0 28-5 2013-18...... Grand Canyon (Head Coach) an assistant coach with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns from 2008-13. He is one of the most popular figures in Suns history, having also played eight seasons GCU shooting .400-.449 FG pct. 2-0 22-14 2008-13...... Phoenix Suns (Assistant Coach) GCU shooting less than .400 FG pct. 2-3 12-26 with the team from 1988 to 1995 and 2001-02. In all, Majerle played 14 seasons in the NBA and averaged 11.4 points over 955 career games. He made three All-Star appearances GCU with fewer TOs than opponent 6-1 56-15 and also was named to the 1990-91 and 1992-93 NBA All-Defensive second team. He led the league in 3-pointers made (192) in GCU with more TOs than opponent 2-2 26-31 GCU with same number of TOs 0-0 7-3 1993-94. Majerle, the 14th overall selection in the 1988 NBA Draft by the Suns, was runner-up by one vote to the Indiana Pacers’ Detlef GCU with fewer fouls than opponent 5-1 66-14 Schrempf for the league’s Sixth Man Award in 1990-91 with averages of 13.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He averaged a GCU with more fouls than opponent 1-1 16-30 Same number of fouls 3-1 8-4 career-best 17.3 points during the 1991-92 season, the same year that he was selected for his first NBA All-Star Game. Majerle made his second consecutive trip to the All-Star Game in 1992-93 and finished tied for the league lead in 3-point field Record coming off a win 5-3 58-30 goals with 167. He set a Suns record with eight 3-pointers made on Jan. 30, 1993, and did it once more in Game 5 of the Western Record coming after a loss 3-0 29-17 Conference finals against the Seattle SuperSonics. In November 4-1 18-11 Following the 1993-94 season, Majerle was named one of the members of Dream Team II, the U.S. basketball squad that won gold In December 5-2 25-16 at the 1994 World Championship of Basketball in Ontario, Canada. This was Majerle’s second time representing his country, the first In January 0-0 22-8 coming with the U.S. Olympic basketball team that won the bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, where he In February 0-0 18-9 In March 0-0 7-5 played under iconic basketball coach John Thompson. That same year, he was named the Olympic Athlete of the Year. He was chosen as a starter for his third All-Star Game in 1994-95 as he averaged 17.4 points in the first half of the season, becoming vs. AP Poll ranked teams 0-0 0-5 the first reserve to be voted an All-Star starter since fan balloting began in 1975. Majerle, originally from Traverse City, Mich., played college basketball at Central Michigan, where he averaged more than 20 points in three of his four seasons and was an All-Mid-American Conference selection each year of his career. During his senior season, he averaged 23.7 points and 10.8 rebounds while hitting 52.2 percent from the field. He completed his career at CMU ranked second all-time in scoring, steals and field-goal percentage. In 2003, Majerle’s outstanding playing career was recognized by the Phoenix Sun when they placed him in the prestigious Ring of Honor. Each year since then, the Suns organization has handed out the Dan Majerle Hustle Award, given to the player who most personifies the same hustle and determination displayed by Majerle in his playing career.

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‹ 23 › THE LAST TIME...

INDIVIDUAL Scored 25 Points...... Joshua Braun, 29, 11/18/17, vs . Little Rock Attempted 10 3-pointers in a game ...... Joshua Braun (10) 12/5/17, vs . St . John’s Scored 30 Points...... DeWayne Russell, 31, 2/11/17, vs . New Mexico St . Attempted 12 3-pointers in a game...... Joshua Braun (19) 2/23/17, vs . Chicago St . Scored 35 Points...... DeWayne Russell, 42, 12/3/16, vs . Louisville Made a 3-pointer in 10 straight games ...... Josh Braun (21), 1/7/17 – 11/25/17 Scored 40 Points...... DeWayne Russell, 42, 12/3/16, vs . Louisville Made a 3-pointer in 15 straight games...... Josh Braun (21), 1/7/17 – 11/25/17 Made a 3-pointer in 20 straight games...... Josh Braun (21), 1/7/17 – 11/25/17 Two players had 20 points. . . .Keonta Vernon (24) and DeWayne Russell (25), 1/28/17, at Chicago State Two players had 25 points ...... Grandy Glaze (29) and Dominic Magee (29), 12/13/15 vs . Omaha Made 10 free throws in a game...... DeWayne Russell (11), 2/11/17, vs . New Mexico St . Three players had 20 points ...... Never happened Made 15 free throws in a game...... Josh Braun (17), 1/16/16 vs . Utah Valley Made 16 free throws in a game...... Josh Braun (17), 1/16/16 vs . Utah Valley Scored 20 points in two straight games...... Joshua Braun (2), 11/13/17 - 11/18/17 Made 17 free throws in a game...... Josh Braun (17), 1/16/16 vs . Utah Valley Scored 20 points in three straight games ...... DeWayne Russell (4), 12/17/16 - 12/28/16 Attempted 15 free throws in a game...... DeWayne Russell (17), 12/28/16, vs . Cal Poly Scored 20 points in four straight games...... DeWayne Russell (4), 12/17/16 - 12/28/16 Attempted 18 free throws in a game...... Josh Braun (19), 1/16/16 vs . Utah Valley Scored 20 points in five straight games...... Never happened Attempted 19 free throws in a game...... Josh Braun (19), 1/16/16 vs . Utah Valley Scored 30 points in two straight games...... Never happened Attempted 20 free throws in a game...... Jerome Garrison (20), 1/23/14 vs . Idaho

Scored double figures in 10 straight games...... DeWayne Russell (33), 3/1/16 - 3/4/17 12 rebounds...... Keonta Vernon (12), 12/13/17 vs Boise State Scored double figures in 15 straight games...... DeWayne Russell (33), 3/1/16 - 3/4/17 13 rebounds ...... Keonta Vernon (15), 12/5/17 vs St . John’s Scored double figures in 20 straight games ...... DeWayne Russell (33), 3/1/16 - 3/4/17 14 rebounds ...... Keonta Vernon (15), 12/5/17 vs St . John’s 15 rebounds ...... Keonta Vernon (15), 12/5/17 vs St . John’s Five players scored in double figures...... at Boise State, 12/13/17 16 rebounds ...... Killian Larson (20), 2/22/14 at Idaho Six players scored in double figures...... Never happened 20 rebounds...... Killian Larson (20), 2/22/14 at Idaho Four players scored 15 or more points...... Never happened 10+ rebounds in two straight games...... Keonta Vernon (2), 1/26/17 – 1/28/17 Double-double...... Keonta Vernon, 12/13/17, 15 pts, 12rebs, at Boise State 10+ rebounds in three straight games...... Grandy Glaze (3), 3/14/16 – 3/23/16 Double-double with points / assists ...... DeWayne Russell, 1/7/17, 21pts, 11 ast, vs . Utah Valley 10+ rebounds in four straight games...... Grandy Glaze (4), 2/6/16 – 2/18/16 Double-double in two straight games ...... Keonta Vernon, 1/26/17 - 1/28/17 Two players had 10 rebounds...... Vernon (15) & Frayer (12), 1/28/17 at Chicago St . Double-double in three straight games...... Grandy Glaze (4), 2/6/16 – 2/18/16 Three players had 10 rebounds ...... Never happened Double-double in four straight games...... Grandy Glaze (4), 2/6/16 – 2/18/16 Two players with double-double. . . Vernon (24p/15r) & Frayer (12p/12r), 1/28/17 at Chicago State 6 assists...... Casey Benson (6), 12/18/17, vs . Mississippi Valley State Triple-double ...... Never happened 7 assists ...... Casey Benson (7), 12/11/17, vs . North Carolina Central 8 assists...... Casey Benson (8), 12/9/17, vs . Grambling St . 20 points, 10 rebounds...... Keonta Vernon, 1/28/17, 24pts, 15rebs, at Chicago State 9 assists...... DeWayne Russell (9), 12/25/17, vs . UMKC 20 points, 10 assists...... DeWayne Russell, 21pts, 11 ast, 1/7/17 vs . Utah Valley 10 assists...... DeWayne Russell (11), 1/7/17, vs . Utah Valley 11 assists...... DeWayne Russell (11), 1/7/17, vs . Utah Valley Made 10 FG in a game...... Joshua Braun (10), 2/25/17, vs . UMKC 12 assists ...... DeWayne Russell (12), 12/13/15 vs . Nebraska-Omaha Made 12 FG in a game...... DeWayne Russell (14), 12/3/16, vs . Louisville Made 15 FG in a game...... Never happened 4 blocks...... Keonta Vernon (4), 12/18/17 vs Mississippi Valley State 5 blocks ...... Daniel Alexander (5), 2/8/14 vs . CSU Bakersfield Attempted 15 FG in a game...... Joshua Braun (15) & Casey Benson (16) 12/13/17, at Boise State 6 blocks ...... Never happened Attempted 17 FG in a game...... Joshua Braun (21) 2/23/17, vs . Chicago St . Attempted 20 FG in a game...... Joshua Braun (21) 2/23/17, vs . Chicago St . 4 steals...... Casey Benson (4), 12/2/17 vs UC Riverside 5 steals...... Gerard Martin (5), 12/31/16, at UC Riverside Made five 3-pointers in a game...... Joshua Braun (5) 11/18/17, vs . Little Rock 6 steals...... Gerard Martin (7), 11/28/16, vs . SIUE Made six 3-pointers in a game ...... Joshua Braun (9) 2/23/17, vs . Chicago St . Made seven 3-pointers in a game ...... Joshua Braun (9) 2/23/17, vs . Chicago St . Played every minute...... DeWayne Russell / Josh Braun (40), 3/4/17 at CSU Bakersfield Made eight 3-pointers in a game...... Joshua Braun (9) 2/23/17, vs . Chicago St . Fouled out...... Keonta Vernon, 12/11/17 vs North Carolina Central Made nine 3-pointers in a game...... Joshua Braun (9) 2/23/17, vs . Chicago St . Two players fouled out...... Keonta Vernon & Oscar Frayer, 1/26/17, at UMKC

‹ 24 › THE LAST TIME...

TEAM Scored 90+ points ...... vs . Bethesda (95), 1/31/17 Won game by 30 points or more...... vs . Longwood (3), 12/21/17 Scored 90+ points (WAC)...... at Chicago State (90), 1/21/16 Won game by 35 points or more...... vs . UAPB (40), 12/22/16 Scored 100+ points ...... vs . Nebraska-Omaha (104), 12/13/15 Won game by 40 points or more ...... vs . UAPB (40), 12/22/16 Scored 100+ points (WAC)...... Never happened Won game by 45 points or more...... vs . Western New Mexico (50), 11/16/13 Scored 110+ points...... Never happened Won game by 50 points or more ...... vs . Western New Mexico (50), 11/16/13 Scored 110+ points (WAC)...... Never happened Lost game by 30 points or more...... at Duke (35), 11/12/16 Lost game by 40 points or more...... at Louisville (48), 12/5/15 Scored less than 50 points...... at Kentucky (45), 11/14/14 Scored less than 50 points (WAC)...... Never happened Won game decided by one point...... at Texas-Pan American (W 79-78, OT), 3/8/14 Lost game decided by one point...... vs . Chicago State (L 56-55), 1/31/15 Allowed 90+ points...... vs . Nebraska-Omaha (108), 12/13/15 Two consecutive games decided by one point...... Never happened Allowed 90+ points (WAC)...... Never happened Two consecutive games decided by five points or less...... 2 games, 12/7/16 - 12/10/16 Allowed 100+ points...... vs . Nebraska-Omaha (108), 12/13/15 Three consecutive games decided by five points or less...... 3 games, 1/31/15 – 2/7/15 Allowed 100+ points (WAC)...... Never happened Came back from 15-point deficit ...... vs Seattle (15), 2/16/17 Shot 60% from the field ...... vs . San Diego Christian (62 5%),. 1/17/17 Came back from 18-point deficit...... at UTRGV (19), 2/6/16 Shot 65% from the field...... Never happened Came back from 20-point deficit...... vs . CSU Bakersfield (20), 2/8/14 Shot 70% from the field...... Never happened Shot less than 30% from the field...... at CSU Bakersfield (28 8%),. 3/4/17 Pulled down 45 rebounds...... vs Mississippi Valley State (49), 12/18/17 Pulled down 50 rebounds...... vs . Bethesda (50), 1/31/17 Allowed 60% shooting...... Never happened Pulled down 55 rebounds...... Never happened Allowed 65% shooting...... Never happened Allowed 30% or less shooting...... vs Mississippi Valley State (27 5%),. 12/18/17 Out-rebounded opponent by 15+…...... vs Longwood (+16), 12/21/17 Allowed 25% or less shooting...... vs . Coppin St . (24 .5%), 11/25/16 Out-rebounded opponent by 20+ ...... at Seattle (+20), 2/16/17 Out-rebounded opponent by 25+...... vs . Western New Mexico (+26), 11/16/13 Shot 90% or better from free throw line (min . 10 attempts). . . vs . Northern Arizona (100%, 11-for-11), 3/28/15 Shot 100% from free throw line (min . 10 attempts) ...... vs . Northern Arizona (100%, 11-for-11), 3/28/15 Won an overtime game...... at Chicago State (2OT), 1/28/17 Shot 50% or less from free throw line (min . 10 attempts). . . . at Arizona (50%, 6-for-12), 12/14/16 Lost an overtime game...... at Boise State (2OT), 12/13/17 Won an overtime game (WAC)...... at Chicago State (2OT), 1/28/17 Attempted 40 free throws...... vs . Nebraska-Omaha (40), 12/13/15 Lost an overtime game (WAC) ...... Never happened Attempted five or less free throws...... vs . Jackson State (5), 3/17/16 Played two overtimes...... at Boise State (2OT), 12/13/17 Made 30 free throws...... vs . Nebraska-Omaha (31), 12/13/15 Played consecutive overtime games...... Never happened

Made 10 3-pointers...... vs . Longwood (13), 12/21/17 Committed 20+ turnovers...... vs St . John’s (21), 12/5/17 Made 12 3-pointers...... vs . Longwood (13), 12/21/17 Committed less than 10 turnovers...... vs . North Carolina Central (6), 12/11/17 Made 15 3-pointers...... Never happened Committed less than 8 turnovers...... vs . North Carolina Central (6), 12/11/17 Made 16 3-pointers...... Never happened Committed less than 5 turnovers...... vs . New Mexico State (4), 1/9/16 Made 17 3-pointers...... Never happened Scored 40+ in a half...... vs . Longwood (44 1st, 42 2nd), 12/21/17 Scored 90+ points in consecutive games...... Never happened Scored 45+ in a half...... vs . Grambling St . (48, 2nd), 12/9/17 Scored 90+ points in three consecutive games...... Never happened Scored 50+ in a half...... vs . Bethesda (51, 1st), 1/31/17 Scored 100+ points in consecutive games...... Never happened

‹ 25 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 1: GCU 67, FLORIDA A&M 51 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: November 10, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “Not bad for the first game. I thought the first half was very good Florida A&M 51 (0-1) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds defensively, everybody went in and played hard and did a good job. Second half not so much, ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 00 Desmond Williams * 6-16 0-1 3-4 1 7 8 1 15 1 2 1 2 37 they shot 27 percent in the first half and 48 percent in the second half, we actually got beat in 04 Elijah Mayes * 1-4 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 1 17 the second half 34-32. I was a little concerned about the turnovers and our free throws, we’ve 20 Brendon Myles * 1-2 0-0 0-1 0 2 2 2 2 0 3 0 1 13 22 Marcus Barham * 4-10 2-5 0-0 1 3 4 1 10 1 7 0 2 31 got to be able to shoot better free throws, but a win is a win. That’s a team that had a hard travel 34 Isaiah Martin * 2-5 0-0 0-0 1 6 7 3 4 0 0 4 0 32 01 Nick Severado 0-0 0-0 3-4 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 6 coming here from Florida, I think half of them made it today. So I’ll take a win that’s fine, but 02 Kamron Reaves 3-4 1-2 0-0 1 2 3 4 7 4 7 0 0 23 03 Craig Bowman 1-2 0-1 0-1 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 7 we’ve got a lot of work to do.” 05 Nasir Core 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 1 10 11 Javonni Harrell 0-0 0-0 2-2 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 1 4 (on the different lineups locking down Florida A&M) “Yeah I’ve got a lineup with Fiifi (Aidoo), 21 Justin Ravenel 1-4 1-3 1-2 0 2 2 1 4 0 0 0 0 20 23 Bryce Moragne 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0+ Gerard (Martin), Matt (Jackson), Keonta (Vernon) was in there, Oscar (Frayer), and Damari TEAM 3 1 4 Totals 19-49 4-13 9-14 8 24 32 19 51 8 22 5 8 200 (Milstead), all those guys can really defend and really get after it for a period of time and they did a good job. All those guys are pretty athletic, Gerard and Matt together are extremely smart FG % 1st Half: 6-22 27.3% 2nd Half: 13-27 48.1% Game: 19-49 38.8% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 2-6 33.3% 2nd Half: 2-7 28.6% Game: 4-13 30.8% Rebounds , and with Fiifi’s athleticism, the way he flies around, Damari gets into guys, and Keonta FT % 1st Half: 3-5 60.0% 2nd Half: 6-9 66.7% Game: 9-14 64.3% 3 uses his size and his strength. Those are guys that can really cause some havoc defensively. Grand Canyon 67 (1-0) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 04 Oscar Frayer F 6-10 4-6 3-4 0 6 6 4 19 1 1 0 2 32 (on what stood out from Fiifi Aidoo’s play especially in the second half)“I see glimpses 12 Roberts Blumbergs F 3-8 2-5 6-6 3 5 8 2 14 6 1 0 1 31 every day in practice with Fiifi, when he’s aggressive, looks to score, and is focused, he is about 24 Keonta Vernon F 4-8 0-0 1-2 1 7 8 5 9 2 0 1 1 20 02 Joshua Braun G 2-8 2-8 1-2 1 1 2 0 7 2 2 1 0 35 as talented as they come. His thing is that he just has to stay focused, in the second half some 11 Casey Benson G 5-7 4-4 1-2 0 1 1 1 15 8 3 0 2 31 00 Shaq Carr 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 9 of his shots were questionable. But I’ll take it, because when he is focused like that and gets 01 FiifiAidoo 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 8 05 MaJacksontt 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 6 going downhill, and making shots he is about as they get. He is really strong, athletic, he’s got 21 Kerwin Smith 1-3 0-0 0-1 2 2 4 1 2 0 0 1 0 8 a really good shot. Half the battle with him, is in his head, he’s just got to be more confident in 25 Alessandro Lever 4-6 0-0 4-4 1 0 1 1 12 0 0 0 0 11 42 Gerard Martin 2-3 2-3 0-0 0 0 0 1 6 0 1 0 0 9 himself. I expect a lot out of him, sometimes I don’t think he expects anything out of himself. So TEAM 1 Totals 27-55 14-26 17-23 8 25 33 18 85 21 11 3 6 200 I tell him every day in practice, ‘You’re one of our best players in practice, you’ve got to believe

FG % 1st Half: 13-26 50.0% 2nd Half: 13-33 39.4% Game: 26-59 44.1% Deadball in yourself as much as I believe in you.’ So it was good to see him really step up and be confident 3FG % 1st Half: 4-9 44.4% 2nd Half: 3-13 23.1% Game: 7-22 31.8% Rebounds and aggressive.” FT % 1st Half: 5-8 62.5% 2nd Half: 3-8 37.5% Game: 8-16 50.0% 2 Officials: Dennis Flannery, Toby Doolittle, James Ford (on the reason for the slow start and turnovers) “Yeah, we’re still trying to figure each other Technical Fouls: Florida A&M-None. Grand Canyon-None. GCU Arena, Phoenix, Ariz. Attendance: 7202 out, we’ve got freshman in there, Roberts (Blumbergs) really struggled with six turnovers, he’s In Off 2nd Fast Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench just has to understand the physicality of the game. Sometimes he’s out there and he wants the Florida A&M 17 34 51 FAMU 24 11 8 6 18 nickname ‘Big Smooth’, well he can’t be ‘Big Smooth’ out there, he’s got to be more aggressive Grand Canyon 35 32 67 GCU 36 19 14 4 34 and handle the ball better. He learn, he’s got a lot of talent. And then Casey (Benson), we’re Last FG - FAM 2nd-00:20,GCU 2nd-03:30. Score Tied - 0 times Largest lead - FAM None, GCU by 25 2nd-11:38 Lead Changed - 0 times still trying to figure out Casey, and how he plays and how we are going to get him involved. We FAM led for 00:00. GCU led for 39:51. Game was tied for 00:09. haven’t practiced with Josh (Braun), he had his first practice two days ago in almost three RAPID RECAP: weeks. So we are still trying to figure each other out and get lineups, so that’s going to be some Josh Braun returned and all was right with Grand Canyon’s offense again. growing pains, but our goal is to be playing the best basketball come WAC time and that’s what these games are for, so I’ll take the win.” Braun missed GCU’s exhibition games but did not look like he missed a beat when he made the Lopes’ first four shots in a season-opening 67 -51 victory Friday night against Florida A&M at (on how he felt Josh Braun looked tonight) “Josh at the beginning hit shots, had some silly sold-out GCU Arena. turnovers there, but that’s fine. The guy hasn’t practiced in three weeks, so Josh will be fine, he’s going to be really good once he gets back into shape and works on his game with Casey Braun, who scored 11 points in 27 minutes, opened the game with a 3-pointer, scored three (Benson), I think they’ll be good together.” points the old-fashioned way on a drive with a foul and hit another 3-pointer in the first five minutes but it was GCU’s defense that pulled away from the Rattlers later in the half. (on having taller lineups in during stretches of the game) “Kerwin (Smith) played really well, especially in the first half. When he is in there controlling the boards, and flying around being The Lopes shut out Florida A&M for nearly six minutes, stretching a four-point game to a active he can be a really good player. He’s made a lot of strides since he got here as a freshman 31-14 lead with 13 unanswered points. By that point, GCU head coach Dan Majerle had gone and last year. If he plays like that he’ll get some significant minutes, and just go in there and play 11 players deep and was tightening the defensive pressure by adding guards Fiifi Aidoo and as hard as he can, and I thought he did a really good job.” Damari Milstead to a lineup with Keonta Vernon, Matt Jackson and Oscar Frayer. (on the play of Gerard Martin, getting a lot of things done) “Yeah Gerard has always been It was not just that unit that locked up the Rattlers, who only shot 38.8 percent from the field that way, his problem is that he has to slow down a little bit offensively. Because he’s so smart, for the game. An early second-half lineup of mostly starters, bolstered by freshman Alessandro he’s thinking, and trying to do things really quick, he just has to slow down and take what they Lever’s substitution, shut out the Rattlers again for five minutes to extend GCU’s lead to 45-21 give him. Martin is a big defensive guy, really smart, and knows every play in the book so he with 12:20 remaining. helps other guys. Martin was really good, he’ll shoot some shots and made some today. Just what he does out there as far as switching, helping, and playing defense. He’s kind of a glue on GCU kept Florida A&M at a distance with the help of three Aidoo 3-pointers in a four-minute our defensive end.” span of the second half. Aidoo scored 11 to shared the team scoring lead with Braun. Vernon grabbed a team-high nine rebounds while scoring eight points.

‹ 26 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 2: GCU 75, ROBERT MORRIS 61 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: November 13, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “First let me say, it was a really good win. Great first half, unbelievable Robert Morris 61 (0-2) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds first half. 48 points, defensively we were great, flying around, everybody played well. Second ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 01 Jon Williams * 1-6 1-4 0-1 0 2 2 1 3 5 2 0 1 31 half, we were just too casual. Way too many turnovers, we stopped making free throws, got to 02 David Cole * 1-1 0-0 2-2 1 1 2 5 4 0 2 0 1 16 be stronger with the ball. I know I’m nitpicking but I don’t care. We have to be good if we want 10 Koby Thomas * 5-11 0-3 3-4 2 2 4 4 13 0 1 0 1 23 11 Dachon Burke * 4-12 1-1 6-7 2 4 6 4 15 1 5 0 6 31 to win the WAC and do all of that stuff, we have to get better. But, first half was unbelievable. 23 Matty McConnell * 1-6 0-4 2-4 1 1 2 3 4 2 2 1 0 22 03 Leondre Washington 0-8 0-4 0-0 0 0 0 4 0 1 2 0 0 22 That’s a good team. Well coached, they play hard. I knew this was going to be a hard game but 04 Taevon Ashmeade 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 05 Malik Petteway 4-8 0-0 2-4 4 7 11 3 10 0 2 1 3 20 that first half was about as good as I’ve seen from our guys.” 20 Charles Bain 3-6 1-3 0-0 3 2 5 0 7 0 1 0 1 17 22 Ronnie Gombe 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 3 2 0 0 1 0 4 (on if there was a reason they came out casual in the second half) “No I just think they get a 24 Chris Coalmon 1-3 1-1 0-0 1 0 1 2 3 0 2 0 0 12 TEAM 2 2 4 little casual with the ball. They start gambling, it’s human nature. Coach (Pat) Riley always told Totals 21-62 4-20 15-22 16 23 39 29 61 9 19 3 13 200 me it’s human nature to let up when you get up. Oscar (Frayer) hits three three’s and we get up FG % 1st Half: 9-25 36.0% 2nd Half: 12-37 32.4% Game: 21-62 33.9% Deadball by twenty something, I don’t know what it was and it’s let up. Can’t do that, you have to step on 3FG % 1st Half: 3-10 30.0% 2nd Half: 1-10 10.0% Game: 4-20 20.0% Rebounds FT % 1st Half: 7-9 77.8% 2nd Half: 8-13 61.5% Game: 15-22 68.2% 5 the guy, have to keep him down. When you start gambling, I mean we gave up 25 points off our Grand Canyon 75 (2-0) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds turnovers and had 21 turnovers, that’s not good enough. You have to be strong with the ball. ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 04 Oscar Frayer F 4-5 2-2 3-4 2 7 9 1 13 3 3 2 2 33 Even at the end, Gerard (Martin) is dribbling the ball out and guys are trying to steal it, you have 12 Roberts Blumbergs F 0-2 0-2 2-2 0 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 13 to be strong. Josh (Braun) hell of a player, we all know that but be strong with the ball. He has 24 Keonta Vernon F 1-4 0-0 5-8 0 4 4 5 7 0 0 2 1 19 02 Joshua Braun G 7-13 4-7 2-4 3 1 4 2 20 0 6 2 0 37 to get better, everybody does. Our goal is huge, what we are trying to do is really, really hard 11 Casey Benson G 4-10 1-2 8-10 1 5 6 2 17 5 4 0 0 34 00 Shaq Carr 0-0 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 6 so we have to get better. Period. But great win, I was worried about this. Great win. That first 01 FiifiAidoo 2-2 0-0 0-2 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 11 05 MaJacksontt 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 4 half was unbelievable.” 21 Kerwin Smith 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 25 Alessandro Lever 1-4 0-2 4-4 0 2 2 1 6 1 3 0 0 17 (on what Gerard Martin brought off the bench)“That’s what Gerard does. He takes charges, 42 Gerard Martin 2-3 0-1 0-0 1 6 7 3 4 2 1 0 2 24 TEAM 1 2 3 Keonta (Vernon) took a few charges, we have a group that comes in here and plays really hard Totals 21-43 7-16 26-36 8 29 37 21 75 13 21 6 5 200 defensively when I sub them in, I can switch them out of things, they get after guys, they’re FG % 1st Half: 14-25 56.0% 2nd Half: 7-18 38.9% Game: 21-43 48.8% Deadball disruptive. Really good. I though Oscar was unbelievable. He rebounded the ball, steals, flying 3FG % 1st Half: 4-10 40.0% 2nd Half: 3-6 50.0% Game: 7-16 43.8% Rebounds FT % 1st Half: 16-19 84.2% 2nd Half: 10-17 58.8% Game: 26-36 72.2% 2 around, the way he plays defense. So Oscar had a great game. Obviously what Josh (Braun) did Officials: Ronnie Hernandez, Ruben Ramos, Marc A. Beasley in the first half, but everybody was contributing. I think our defense is going to be what leads us Technical Fouls: Robert Morris-None. Grand Canyon-Keonta Vernon. GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 6833 this year. Offensively we will get there.” In Off 2nd Fast Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench (on if he wants Casey Benson to be more aggressive) “No I want Casey to do whatever it Robert Morris 28 33 61 RMU 28 25 13 4 22 Grand Canyon 48 27 75 GCU 26 19 10 15 16 takes to win. I don’t think Casey has to be more aggressive. Casey is not an explosive athlete

Last FG - RMU 2nd-00:39,GCU 2nd-01:24. Score Tied - 6 times that is going to score…Casey just has to be smart, hit his open shots, feed guys, take care of Largest lead - RMU by 3 1st-14:39, GCU by 25 2nd-14:08 Lead Changed - 7 times the ball, do those kinds of things. Casey is not DeWayne Russell I don’t want him to be DeWayne RMU led for 03:13. GCU led for 33:42. Game was tied for 02:51. Russell. He has to be Casey Benson and that’s lead our guys, make great decisions, make open RAPID RECAP: shots, make passes, make his free throws. That’s all Casey has to do. He’s surrounded by some The Grand Canyon men’s basketball team’s opponent always will have something to handle very talented guys. There’s no way Casey has to lead this team. He just has to be a real solid out of the Lopes’ starting backcourt with the shooting, scoring, running and playmaking from piece as a point guard, the guy has great experience, played on a great program, very high either Joshua Braun or Casey Benson. level. He doesn’t have to do any more than what he has to do. He just has to play basketball and be himself.” When they both are rolling at once, watch out. (On what he likes that they are doing defensively) “It’s different now because we can play Braun and Benson combined for 27 first-half points Monday night, building a 20-point lead on 10 or 11 guys and we switch a lot. We switch up our defense. We are in a man that we play the Lopes’ way to a 75-62 victory against Robert Morris in front of 6,833 fans at GCU Arena. traditional then we put those guys in and we can switch, take them out of their offense, get steals, be very aggressive and we have a bunch of athletes and smart guys. When you put Braun, the Western Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year, was more than a scoring Gerard out there and Matt (Jackson) who didn’t get to play much because of foul trouble, but leader on Monday night with 20 points. He became GCU’s all-time record holder for 3-pointers Gerard and Matt and Fiifi (Aidoo), Shaq (Carr), Damari (Milstead), all of those guys can really made, making four of five 3-pointers in Monday’s to give him 199 for his four-season career. guard and really disrupt their offensive flow for that four or five minutes. Then we get back to The Lopes (2-0) have held each of their opponents this season to less than 40 percent shooting our normal defense which is still pretty good and hard. But with that group you can get out to extend Division I’s longest active winning streak to nine game. Robert Morris shot 33.9 there and switch.” percent from the field with 19 turnovers. After Matty McConnell and Koby Thomas each scored (on Keonta Vernon going down in the first half) “He just tweaked his knee, he’s always 22 points in a Friday loss to Ohio State, they were kept to 17 points combined by the Lopes on battling something. That kid is as tough as they come. He just tweaked it but he came back Monday. in. All our guys are tough. I jumped them pretty hard in there but they are resilient and tough. Robert Morris hung early with GCU with the score being tied five times in the first eight They know how much I care about them but they also know that we have to get better. You just minutes and the Colonials leading 19-18 at the midpoint of the first half. can’t have 21 turnovers. And that’s been a problem this year so far. We’ve had way too many turnovers for a team that’s pretty talented.” From there, the Lopes went on a 26-5 run with half of those points coming from Braun. During that stretch, Braun made the 3s that tied and set the GCU career 3-pointers record (previously held by Richard Davis, 2005-07). The Lopes kept a 20-point lead at halftime (48-28) and stretched the lead to 25 when sophomore swingman Oscar Frayer caught fire with two 3-pointers and another jumper on the 3-point line in less than two minutes. GCU lost momentum after a Robert Morris time out at that point. The Lopes made one field goal, a Benson drive to give him 17 points, over a span of more than 12 minutes of play. Robert Morris worked the lead to 13 while GCU sustained the lead on free throws and stops.

‹ 27 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 3: GCU 76, LITTLE ROCK 51 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES:

November 18, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “Just a really good game again. First half, came out defensively, Josh Little Rock 51 (0-3) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds (Braun) has got to play better in that first half. No, he was awesome. He just continues to amaze ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 05 Oliver Black * 0-3 0-0 5-6 1 4 5 4 5 1 1 0 0 28 with what he is able to do, but it was great. I thought everybody played really hard and really 10 Jaizec Lottie * 2-8 0-2 0-1 0 2 2 2 4 0 3 0 0 27 11 Camron Reedus * 3-8 1-3 1-2 1 1 2 1 8 1 2 0 2 21 well and I was really happy about our second half. We came out on point, put together a really 20 K.J. Gilmore * 0-3 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 1 14 good 40 minutes again. I think we have to be a little better on our turnovers still, 18 turnovers 24 Ben Marcus * 3-4 0-0 2-4 2 3 5 3 8 0 1 0 1 19 01 Andre Jones 4-15 1-4 2-2 2 0 2 3 11 0 2 0 1 29 is something we need to work on. Defensively, to hold them to 27 percent, 3-for-18 from the 03 Cameron Corcoran 1-1 1-1 4-4 0 0 0 1 7 1 0 0 0 8 13 Cezanne Carson 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 three-point line was good. Just a great game. I didn’t see that one. That team is very athletic 14 Damir Hadzic 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 15 Khari Harley 0-2 0-1 2-2 1 1 2 4 2 0 1 0 0 4 and long and we played hard.” 23 Wadly Mompremier 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 2 0 0 2 0 2 10 30 Anthony Black 1-6 0-3 0-0 1 2 3 1 2 0 2 0 1 16 32 Kris Bankston 1-2 0-0 2-5 2 2 4 2 4 0 0 1 0 14 (on what stood out defensively) “Just flying around. When we put that other group in we can TEAM 2 4 6 Totals 15-55 3-18 18-26 12 22 34 25 51 4 16 2 8 200 white, which is a switch, guys get out and deny, really impressed with our athleticism as far as blocking shots. Keonta (Vernon) is really starting to get better at that timing Oscar (Frayer), FG % 1st Half: 8-31 25.8% 2nd Half: 7-24 29.2% Game: 15-55 27.3% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 0-7 0.0% 2nd Half: 3-11 27.3% Game: 3-18 16.7% Rebounds Gerard (Martin), Roberts (Blumbergs) got a block, all these guys are protecting the basket FT % 1st Half: 7-9 77.8% 2nd Half: 11-17 64.7% Game: 18-26 69.2% 3 and moving their feet. Oscar defensively is really good so I just think when we play 10, 11 or 12 Grand Canyon 76 (3-0) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min guys, guys don’t have any excuses, they’re not tired, we can rotate them in and they are really 04 Oscar Frayer F 1-4 1-3 2-6 1 5 6 2 5 3 1 1 2 23 12 Roberts Blumbergs F 2-4 0-2 0-0 1 3 4 1 4 0 2 1 0 12 starting to be pressed and taking pride in their defense.” 24 Keonta Vernon F 2-3 0-0 1-2 0 6 6 4 5 3 0 2 0 24 02 Joshua Braun G 9-11 5-7 6-7 0 2 2 1 29 3 2 1 1 32 11 Casey Benson G 4-5 2-3 0-1 0 4 4 1 10 2 2 0 1 26 (on if he is going to stick with a rotation) “Yeah, I will keep working with it. Shaq (Carr), Damari 00 Shaq Carr 2-2 0-0 2-2 0 2 2 1 6 3 2 0 0 12 (Milstead), Shaq, Damari, they both deserve to play. Shaq is a senior, I want to develop Damari 01 FiifiAidoo 1-6 0-3 6-6 0 3 3 1 8 3 3 1 0 19 05 MaJacksontt 0-3 0-1 0-0 1 1 2 2 0 0 2 0 2 14 but Shaq came in and played really well in that first half. Damari will get his chances, Shaq will 10 Damari Milstead 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 13 Ibrahima Sankare 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 continue to work but if he plays like that it is hard to not put him in the game. Damari is good 21 Kerwin Smith 0-1 0-0 3-4 1 2 3 3 3 1 2 0 0 8 25 Alessandro Lever 3-7 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 3 6 0 0 0 0 7 too. I am going to stick with the freshmen. Roberts is really struggling but he is going to be a big 42 Gerard Martin 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 2 0 17 TEAM 1 3 4 part of this program for a long time. He is very talented and will get better. Alessandro (Lever) Totals 24-47 8-20 20-28 6 33 39 24 76 20 18 8 7 200 had a better second half, he struggled that first half but we have guys like Matt (Jackson) and FG % 1st Half: 14-25 56.0% 2nd Half: 10-22 45.5% Game: 24-47 51.1% Deadball Gerard who can come off the bench and pick it up. I am happy with our whole team and it’s just 3FG % 1st Half: 6-11 54.5% 2nd Half: 2-9 22.2% Game: 8-20 40.0% Rebounds FT % 1st Half: 8-12 66.7% 2nd Half: 12-16 75.0% Game: 20-28 71.4% 3 about winning here. I told them it’s not about me, not about them, it’s about GCU and winning Officials: Mike Reed, Mike Scyphers, Matt Basham and that’s what we are doing.” Technical Fouls: Little Rock-None. Grand Canyon-None. GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 7394 In Off 2nd Fast (on Shaq Carr progressing) “He’s just more focused. He’s taking care of the ball which is good, Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench Little Rock 23 28 51 LR 18 7 10 0 26 he’s a good athlete. He can really penetrate and make good passes, can’t be careless, you Grand Canyon 42 34 76 GCU 32 16 9 6 23 have to make good passes. And I thought he came in and was impressive about getting to the Last FG - LR 2nd-02:29,GCU 2nd-01:04. Score Tied - 1 times basket, made a few layups which he is able to do. Defensively when he wants to, he can guard.” Largest lead - LR by 4 1st-17:16, GCU by 31 2nd-11:37 Lead Changed - 1 times LR led for 03:05. GCU led for 35:15. Game was tied for 01:18. RAPID RECAP: (on overall ball protection) “Not good. We are not tough enough yet. Fiifi (Aidoo) made some really bad passes, Oscar still doesn’t understand, Josh (Braun) even puts that ball in front of him Grand Canyon senior guard Joshua Braun outscored Little Rock for most of Saturday’s first and people take it. We have to do a better job of being strong with the basketball, protecting it, half, making the Lopes’ team effort good for a 76-51 blowout victory at sold-out GCU Arena. not making careless one-handed passes. Rob made a couple one-handed passes. We’ve been GCU (3-0) continued its streak of holding each opponent this season to less than 40 percent working on it, driving and kicking and getting ready to shoot so it’s just something we have to shooting but Braun’s offense spotted the Lopes a great starting point. keep working on.” Braun made all eight of his first-half shots and scored 19 of GCU’s first 25 points in the game’s (on Braun’s ability to stretch out the defense then use pump fakes) “Josh has to limit his first 13 minutes. Little Rock did not pass 19 points until the final minutes of the first half. dribbles, he’s not a big dribble guy. As they come out on him he has to pump fake. He can get to the basket which is fine but get away from a guy and score. We are going to work on his post Braun scored 22 of his game-high 29 points, the second-best scoring game of his career, in the up moves. He gets down there and he gets fouled a lot. He’s not doing as good of job this year first half to send GCU to a 42-23 halftime lead on 56 percent team shooting. Braun connected in the post but we will keep working on that with him. When he is making that jump shot he has on five 3-pointers in the first half and picked up another 3-point score when he pump-faked at to be able to put it on the floor and if nobody closes out on him he can make it all the way to the the 3-point line and scored driving as he was fouled. basket. What can you say about Josh? The guy is amazing.” There was no let-up with how the Lopes emerged for the second half. Little Rock missed five of its first six second-half shots and committed four turnovers to start the second half. The Lopes doubled up the Trojans, 60-30, eight minutes into the second half with two Braun free throws that gave him 26 points. GCU head coach Dan Majerle has stuck with a deep rotation through three games. He used 11 Lopes players in Saturday’s first half with a strong contribution from senior backup point guard Shaq Carr. Freshman reserve power forward Alessandro Lever followed up by scoring three consecutive Lopes field goals in the second half, when he was set up inside by Braun and Gerard Martin. Little Rock was shooting only 23.8 percent from the field with 12 minutes remaining in the game and wound up at an opponent season-low 27.3 percent for the game. Even as GCU went deep to its bench, the Lopes held Little Rock without a made field goal for nearly seven minutes. GCU continued issues with turnovers, committing 10 in the first half and eight in the second half as the lead grew to as much as 31 points twice. Senior point guard Casey Benson added 10 points for GCU while sophomore Fiifi Aidoo scored eight points and delivered three assists in 19 minutes. ‹ 28 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 4: GCU 85, NORFOLK STATE 60 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES:

November 20, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “Well good win, 85-60, good win. Not happy with the second half, I told our guys if you want to be a good defensive team, you can’t be a good defensive team for 20 minutes, Norfolk State 60 (0-4) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min which we were for the first half. The second half, they were shooting 65% at one time, and we 01 Preston Bungei * 0-4 0-0 1-4 1 4 5 3 1 3 3 0 0 30 walked them up the last couple of minutes and got it down to 52. It was not good enough, our guys 14 Nic Thomas * 5-12 1-4 3-4 0 2 2 0 14 2 3 0 1 26 know that. The second unit which is usually pretty good for us was bad, they came out and just 22 Alex Long * 2-6 0-0 1-2 1 2 3 5 5 2 1 0 0 25 34 Steven Whitley * 6-10 2-3 4-4 0 2 2 2 18 2 5 0 2 35 stopped playing. Good things was Oscar played really well, Josh struggled tonight, Casey played 44 Dan Robinson * 2-4 0-0 0-0 1 2 3 4 4 0 2 1 0 23 really well on the offensive end and Braun on the offensive end. Roberts is learning, overall good, 00 Mastadi Pitt 4-8 1-2 4-5 0 5 5 2 13 4 0 0 0 29 13 Stavian Allen 1-2 0-0 1-2 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 0 0 9 11 turnovers which was really big, that’s down from what we’ve been doing. Rebounding was still 35 Derrik Jamerson 1-4 0-3 0-0 1 5 6 2 2 0 2 1 0 23 not very good, but a win is a win and we’ll take it. I tell the guys all the time that we are playing for TEAM 1 1 2 Totals 21-50 4-12 14-21 6 24 30 19 60 14 17 2 3 200 something a whole lot more, trying to do something that is really hard, so we’ve got to be better than that for 40 minutes. So hopefully they will learn without having to lose a game.” FG % 1st Half: 8-25 32.0% 2nd Half: 13-25 52.0% Game: 21-50 42.0% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 2-7 28.6% 2nd Half: 2-5 40.0% Game: 4-12 33.3% Rebounds (on taking a while to get the offense going in first half) “That’s a team that’s going to switch up FT % 1st Half: 4-8 50.0% 2nd Half: 10-13 76.9% Game: 14-21 66.7% 5 defenses, and I think that we’re more worried about are they in a 2-3, or a 1-2-2, or man. I just tell them Grand Canyon 85 (4-0) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds to move the bodies and the basketball, attack, get into our running game and we were able to do that. ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min We committed some fouls early, and offensive rebounds. We went into our switching defense, that 04 Oscar Frayer F 6-10 4-6 3-4 0 6 6 4 19 1 1 0 2 32 allowed us to get some stops and get out and run which allowed us to get hot. So again I think that is 12 Roberts Blumbergs F 3-8 2-5 6-6 3 5 8 2 14 6 1 0 1 31 24 Keonta Vernon F 4-8 0-0 1-2 1 7 8 5 9 2 0 1 1 20 where our defense turned it on a little bit and allowed us to get going in the first half.” 02 Joshua Braun G 2-8 2-8 1-2 1 1 2 0 7 2 2 1 0 35 11 Casey Benson G 5-7 4-4 1-2 0 1 1 1 15 8 3 0 2 31 (on the maturation of Oscar Frayer) “I think that Oscar is really good, last year as a freshman 00 Shaq Carr 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 9 he played a lot of minutes and had some growing pains. He shot a lot of threes early and kind 01 FiifiAidoo 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 8 of lost his way. Then at the end of the season, probably the last half of the season he became a 05 MaJacksontt 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 6 21 Kerwin Smith 1-3 0-0 0-1 2 2 4 1 2 0 0 1 0 8 slasher and an offensive rebounder. We told him that he had to be our best defender and he’s 25 Alessandro Lever 4-6 0-0 4-4 1 0 1 1 12 0 0 0 0 11 really bought into that. He’s worked hard this summer on his shot, he shot 4 for 6 from three, 42 Gerard Martin 2-3 2-3 0-0 0 0 0 1 6 0 1 0 0 9 TEAM 1 he continues to work on that and gets better with his shot he can be hard to guard. I’ve always Totals 27-55 14-26 17-23 8 25 33 18 85 21 11 3 6 200 told Oscar that he’s got to be our best defender, rebounder, he’s got to fly around. If you want to FG % 1st Half: 12-28 42.9% 2nd Half: 15-27 55.6% Game: 27-55 49.1% Deadball be a scorer, energy finds the ball with him. If he does the stuff he has to do with rebounding and 3FG % 1st Half: 7-15 46.7% 2nd Half: 7-11 63.6% Game: 14-26 53.8% Rebounds defense, then he’s going to find a way to score and the ball is going to find him. He’s starting to buy FT % 1st Half: 6-9 66.7% 2nd Half: 11-14 78.6% Game: 17-23 73.9% 2 into that which is nice, he’s got to work on his ball handling and passing. He’s not a good passer Officials: Michael Greenstein, Shawn Lehigh, Rick Batsell and he’s not a good ball handler, and we’ve got that to work on but I love his energy. He plays with Technical Fouls: Norfolk State-None. Grand Canyon-Oscar Frayer. a passion in defense and rebounds, he’s hard to stop.” GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 6889 In Off 2nd Fast (on this being Casey Benson’s best game) “Yeah Casey is a smart kid, what we are doing is a Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench complete 180 from what he did at Oregon. Oregon is a great program but they didn’t use him that Norfolk State 22 38 60 NRK 26 10 0 10 18 Grand Canyon 37 48 85 GCU 23 28 12 7 21 way, and I use him this way. He’s doing a good job he’s just got to figure it out, he’s got to know when to shoot it. He’s not a blow by guy, he’s got to get off the ball, and then find his shot and take Last FG - NRK 2nd-06:56,GCU 2nd-01:25. Score Tied - 1 times Largest lead - NRK by 1 1st-08:34, GCU by 27 2nd-01:25 Lead Changed -3 times it. He’s not always going to the basket and he’s starting to figure that out. He’s very smart, he’s very NRK led for 00:31. GCU led for 37:47. Game was tied for 01:42. competitive. He’ll figure it out and I’ve got to figure it out, I’ve got to make different plays where we get him involved. And I’m not worried about it, I don’t think about how I’ve got to get Casey involved, the only guy I think about getting shots is Josh. Those guys are going to find shots, Casey will find RAPID RECAP: it, he’s smart, but he’s to worry about passing, playing good defense, and taking open shots and Having its deepest team yet gives Grand Canyon men’s basketball an abundance of options to making them. He did that tonight, I want him to be aggressive and he is.” find what works. (on what other guys learn about playing the game when Josh Braun isn’t having the best game) “Well our guys know, we’ve won games without Josh before, he was out 7 or 8 games last year, and When the Lopes were not clicking in Monday’s first half, GCU head coach Dan Majerle kept we won a lot of games and we played Louisville to 9 here, we played Arizona to 7 or 8 there without shuffling his 11-man rotation until GCU closed the half with a 21-5 run that devastated Norfolk Josh, so our guys know we can play without Josh. We don’t live or die with Josh, it makes it a lot State for a 85-6- Lopes rout. easier when Josh is hot. The thing for Josh is that everyone is going to concentrate on him and they are not going to let him get easy shots, our guys just have to move the basketball and we have good GCU (4-0) wore down Norfolk State (0-4) in front of 6,889 at GCU Arena to win its 11th players and when Josh is hot it makes it easier for everybody and when Josh is not, he will still draw consecutive game, the longest active Division I winning streak. people to him, so other guys just have to step up and score.” (on bringing turnovers down and still having good ball movement) “Yeah 21 assists, we had 20 GCU won by 25 for a second consecutive game but trailed 17-16 with eight minutes remaining assists last game and we went over 20 in this, and like I said, it is probably more my fault. Last year in the first half before Majerle went to his 11th player, junior power forward Kerwin Smith, in a with DeWayne, the ball was in his hands all the time, DeWayne was such an explosive scorer, that lineup with four starters. The 21-5 run started then with a 3-pointer from Lopes senior guard he would come up with score first, then give guys the ball and like I said, Casey isn’t like that, so we Joshua Braun but the offense did not need much more from its leading scorer. have to get the ball moving, side to side, get other guys involved, then get it back to Casey when he is open, so then that creates a problem and situation for me and our guys, learning with these The Lopes came within one of a program record for 3s by making 14 of 25, even with Braun guys, and like I said, Roberts is going to be really good. He can shoot it, he rebounds well and he going two for eight on Monday night. plays defense, he just needs to find his niche.” (on his teams confidence in shooting three’s)“Yeah I love threes, you know, if they are open, Senior point guard Casey Benson made all four of his 3-point attempts, tallying 15 points and shoot it. I have never told a guy it’s a bad shot. I like guys shooting threes, if they are open, if it is eight assists. Benson has three consecutive games of double-digit scoring for the first time in their shot. I think it is a good shot for most of our guys, and we work on it and as long it is a good his career. shot and they are confident about it, shoot it.” (on cutting down the rotation) “I mean I don’t know, it just depends, like I told those guys, if that Freshman power forward Roberts Blumbergs scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half, second group, which has been really good, if that second group comes in again like they did in including the Lopes’ final seven points of the first half for a 37-22 lead. Sophomore small the second half and not playing defense, I’ll cut it down in a second, if they aren’t going to give an forward Oscar Frayer added 11 first-half points and finished with a team-high 19 points, which effort, then yeah they aren’t going to play. I mean they didn’t play, I mean nine-eight-eight-eight- was also a career high for Frayer. He made four of six 3-pointers. eleven and nine, I mean, our starters, thirty two-thirty one- twenty-thirty five-thirty one, if that second group is not bringing the energy, like they have done before, then they are not going to Norfolk State became the first opponent to shoot better than 40 percent against GCU this play. I mean I’ll play five guys if I have to, I told them you guys are begging for your own playing season, hitting 42 percent of its shots with 17 turnovers. time, if you are not going to come out with energy, then you are not going to play. If you don’t care, I don’t care. So if you are not going to play hard, then why am I going to play you. I will go with a six, seven, rotation, whoever is playing hard. That is the same thing with the starters, if they are not playing hard, I will bring in the other guys and they will play. The good thing is about those first three games is everybody played hard, that second half, we did not play hard, we did not play hard at all. So they are not going to play, that is their fault, not mine.” ‹ 29 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 5: SAN DIEGO 72, GCU 62 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES:

November 25, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “That’s exactly what we needed, that team was tougher than us,

San Diego 72 (5-0) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds made tough shots when they had to, we didn’t. We shot 28% in the second half, they end ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min up almost shooting 50% from the floor, we shot 36%. That’s what we need, our guys aren’t 00 Isaiah Pineiro * 7-14 0-0 3-3 2 2 4 2 17 1 2 0 2 28 03 Olin Carter Iii * 5-16 3-12 2-2 0 2 2 1 15 0 2 1 0 39 tough enough, mentally or physically, so they thought they were good and I told them that’s 15 Alex Floresca * 2-3 0-0 0-0 1 3 4 4 4 0 1 0 0 10 20 Cameron Neubauer * 0-2 0-2 0-0 1 4 5 4 0 3 4 0 1 37 what happens when you think you’re good. We’ve got a lot of work to do, we’ve got a week 22 Isaiah Wright * 6-12 1-2 3-6 1 8 9 5 16 10 1 0 3 30 of practice to get after it. We’ll get better, our goal is to be playing the best basketball come 12 Juwan Gray 1-1 1-1 0-0 0 1 1 4 3 0 1 1 0 24 21 Hunter Summy 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 WAC time, this is a good loss for us, that’s a good team they played hard, and we’ve got a lot 25 Yauhen Massalski 8-11 0-0 1-3 4 3 7 3 17 0 1 3 0 26 TEAM 1 3 4 of work to do.” Totals 29-59 5-17 9-14 10 26 36 23 72 14 12 5 6 200 (on no field goals for a long period of time in second half )“They were tougher than we FG % 1st Half: 15-29 51.7% 2nd Half: 14-30 46.7% Game: 29-59 49.2% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 3-9 33.3% 2nd Half: 2-8 25.0% Game: 5-17 29.4% Rebounds were, we didn’t make shots. A lot of shots they made, especially down the stretch, were FT % 1st Half: 1-2 50.0% 2nd Half: 8-12 66.7% Game: 9-14 64.3% 1 tough shots, shot clock running out, and long threes. Our weak side was as bad as I’ve ever Grand Canyon 62 (4-1) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds seen, I don’t know what happened there we just weren’t focused. And on the other end ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 04 Oscar Frayer F 5-13 1-6 1-2 2 0 2 5 12 2 2 0 1 34 they were just tougher than we were. We’re not protecting ball, we talked about putting the 12 Roberts Blumbergs F 1-6 0-4 0-0 0 6 6 1 2 1 2 1 1 25 24 Keonta Vernon F 4-6 0-0 1-1 1 6 7 4 9 0 1 0 1 15 ball in front of you and they just took the ball from us, we’re not finishing tough shots. They 02 Joshua Braun G 6-13 2-3 6-8 1 0 1 1 20 2 3 0 0 37 played better, we didn’t, they played tougher, we didn’t.” 11 Casey Benson G 2-8 0-3 4-5 4 6 10 2 8 6 2 0 0 36 00 Shaq Carr 0-0 0-0 3-4 0 1 1 1 3 1 1 0 0 8 01 FiifiAidoo 0-2 0-2 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 6 (on having good three point looks) “Most of them were, Rob had a lot of good looks, Oscar 05 MaJacksontt 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 7 forced a few but him taking it to the basket, that’s fine. I thought for the most part our 21 Kerwin Smith 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 5 25 Alessandro Lever 1-2 0-1 0-0 0 3 3 0 2 1 0 1 0 12 looks were pretty good. We’ve just got to make them, we’ve been making them, tonight 42 Gerard Martin 2-4 1-3 1-4 0 1 1 2 6 1 2 0 0 15 TEAM 5 0 5 wasn’t that night and that is your defense has to get better and we didn’t get stops down Totals 21-57 4-23 16-24 13 24 37 18 62 14 15 3 4 200 the stretch. When your offense isn’t going and you’re not making shots, you’ve got to get FG % 1st Half: 14-32 43.8% 2nd Half: 7-25 28.0% Game: 21-57 36.8% Deadball stops, we weren’t getting stops.” 3FG % 1st Half: 3-12 25.0% 2nd Half: 1-11 9.1% Game: 4-23 17.4% Rebounds FT % 1st Half: 4-6 66.7% 2nd Half: 12-18 66.7% Game: 16-24 66.7% 5 (on the offense forcing shots after they weren’t going down)“Well I hope not because Officials: Tom Nally, Rob Rorke, Brad Gaston that is what we talk about all the time. Our offense hasn’t been that great, I don’t think, Technical Fouls: University of San Diego-Isaiah Pineiro TEAM. Grand Canyon-None. GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 7397 we talk about being a good defensive team, and if your offense isn’t flowing you’ve got to In Off 2nd Fast Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench be able to get stops. A lot of your offense is generated off your defense, we didn’t get that San Diego 34 38 72 USD 44 18 11 4 20 at all. Just bad mistakes, we weren’t making tough shots, our weak side defense wasn’t Grand Canyon 35 27 62 GCU 23 28 12 7 21 there. If we start worrying about our offense that much, and just rebound the ball, we’re Last FG - USD 2nd-00:10,GCU 2nd-00:58. Score Tied - 6 times Largest lead - USD by 12 2nd-00:10, GCU by 7 2nd-12:28 Lead Changed - 11 times barely outrebounding and this team gets outrebounded a lot, so we did a good job there. USD led for 21:40. GCU led for 11:23. Game was tied for 06:57. . We had 15 turnovers again, I think we had three in the first half, that’s a lot of turnovers in the second half and we’ve just got to get stronger defensively.” RAPID RECAP: (on wanting someone to step up leadership wise in the game) “I think our guys will step Without its usual defense for one half and its usual offense for the other half, the Grand Canyon up, guys like Keonta and Gerard they’ll step up. I think this loss is good for us, I think our men’s basketball team suffered its first loss of the season Saturday night. San Diego remained guys had a false sense of that they are pretty good, and right now we’re not very good we’ve undefeated by using a defensive crunch to erase a seven-point Lopes second-half lead and win got a long way to go. So maybe this will wake them up, good thing and bad thing is we’ve got 72-62 at sold-out GCU Arena. a week to sit on this, which is bad but it should make for some very interesting practice I After trailing by nine points in the first half, the Lopes (4-1) opened a seven-point lead in the second guarantee you that.” half by attacking San Diego’s interior off dribbles drives and senior power forward Keonta Vernon’s (on Kenota Vernon being the most effective player when in the game) “Those first two post-ups. The Toreros (5-0) raced back with a 9-0 run that put them ahead 51-49 with 9:13 to go. fouls were terrible calls, sorry but they were. They were ticky-tack fouls and he gets put After a Vernon backdoor slam tied the game at 51, the Lopes struggled offensively to fall into a on the bench, and it’s tough when he’s on the bench in foul trouble. He plays really hard deeper hole. That Vernon jam was GCU’s only field goal for more than 12 minutes of action. The and he’s an emotional leader, so it’s tough when he picks up those fouls. And those fouls he Lopes last led at 54-53 on a Shaq Carr free throw and kept San Diego scoreless for another two got called were bad calls, they were ticky-tack fouls when there were just two guys down minutes but were unable to capitalize. The Toreros then scored eight unanswered points for a there battling.” 61-54 lead with 4:21 to go and the Lopes could not mount another threat. San Diego shot 49.2 percent from the field with four players scoring 15 points or more. The Toreros outscored the Lopes 20-11 in bench points and 44-32 in paint. GCU shot a season-low 36.8 percent form the field and only made four of 23 3-point tries while making 15 turnovers. Senior guard Joshua Braun scored a game-high 20 points with sophomore small forward Oscar Frayer adding 12 points. The Lopes were in their most difficult hole of the season when they trailed 29-20 with 4:55 to go in the first half. They scored 15 points in the final 4:46, catching up quickly in threes with point guard Casey Benson’s and-one drive, Braun’s 3-pointer and Frayer’s 3-pointer off Braun’s assist. A 10-1 GCU run was capped by Frayer when he beat his man to the baseline and slammed on 6-foot- 10 Toreros power forward Yauhen Massalski. The Lopes had allowed only 35.2 percent field goal shooting in their first four victories but San Diego shot 51.7 percent in the first half. GCU came out cold, missing eight of its first nine shots and also missing eight of its first nine 3-point attempts. GCU played most of the first half without Vernon, who picked up two fouls in the game’s first three minutes and did not return to action until the second half. Vernon sparked the Lopes’ second-half start with seven of their first 10 points. ‹ 30 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 6: GCU 68, UC RIVERSIDE 56 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: December 2, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “Good win, like I told you guys, anytime you go 4-for-36 from three and UC Riverside 56 (2-5) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds win, you did something right. I thought activity wise we were good, we forced 24 turnovers, ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 03 Chance Murray * 2-11 0-0 4-5 0 8 8 2 8 3 4 0 0 35 we were aggressive, had a couple lapses, but for the most part, we played hard, you know 14 Brandon Rosser * 3-4 2-3 0-1 0 2 2 5 8 0 3 1 0 21 15 Dikymbe Martin * 3-11 1-2 0-0 0 2 2 4 7 2 4 0 0 26 I don’t know what to tell you, we moved the ball well, had 20 assists, all zone, just wide open 21 Alex Larsson * 4-7 0-0 4-5 5 10 15 3 12 1 3 0 0 35 threes, not making them, I don’t know. It is just something we have to keep working on. It 32 Menno Dijkstra * 2-3 0-1 4-4 0 2 2 3 8 3 0 0 1 20 01 Dj Sylvester 0-2 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 8 is a good win. We will take it; then we will move on for Tuesday. Tuesday is going to be hard.” 05 Jayvon Brown 2-2 1-1 2-2 0 0 0 0 7 0 3 0 0 13 10 Ajani Kennedy 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 12 Idy Diallo 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 (on what he noticed about the energy and getting rebounds) “Yeah, they were crashing 22 Dominick Pickett 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 24 Koh Flippin 0-5 0-4 0-0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 14 the boards, I thought Keonta did well, he has got to continue to get better on the stupid 25 James Jackson 3-4 0-0 0-2 1 7 8 1 6 2 2 0 0 21 31 Ryker Pierce 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 fouls, I mean he makes one foul on a free throw where he reaches around a guy, undercuts TEAM 2 2 4 another guy on a box out, he has got to stay on the floor, I mean he is too good for us to Totals 19-50 4-11 14-19 10 35 45 23 56 12 24 1 2 200 continue to get in foul trouble. Some of the communication still is bad, on our defenses, but FG % 1st Half: 9-23 39.1% 2nd Half: 10-27 37.0% Game: 19-50 38.0% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 3-5 60.0% 2nd Half: 1-6 16.7% Game: 4-11 36.4% Rebounds we did play hard, we crashed the boards, but when you go 4-for-36, you better crash the FT % 1st Half: 6-11 54.5% 2nd Half: 8-8 100.0% Game: 14-19 73.7% 2 boards. We had 16 offensive rebounds and we probably should have had 26 with the shots Grand Canyon 68 (5-1) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min we missed, but the energy was there. I was happy with it, I thought Shaq came in and gave 04 Oscar Frayer F 5-12 1-5 0-1 0 4 4 4 11 0 1 0 3 21 us some good minutes, but what can you say? We got a win. We needed it.” 12 Roberts Blumbergs F 5-11 2-7 2-2 3 4 7 0 14 0 1 0 0 25 24 Keonta Vernon F 2-3 0-0 1-1 4 3 7 3 5 2 0 4 1 20 02 Joshua Braun G 1-9 0-7 4-7 3 4 7 0 6 2 1 0 1 25 (on what the team looks for when they are cold shooting) “Well that is the first time we 11 Casey Benson G 4-13 0-7 4-6 3 1 4 4 12 7 2 0 4 34 00 Shaq Carr 1-3 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 2 2 5 1 0 1 22 have seen a zone and we don’t really have a post game. You know, I try to get the ball to 01 FiifiAidoo 2-6 0-3 2-2 0 0 0 2 6 1 0 0 1 10 05 MaJacksontt 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Alessandro. Roberts is not very tough down there, so for us, our post game is nonexistent, 10 Damari Milstead 2-3 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 1 6 21 Kerwin Smith 2-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 3 4 1 0 1 0 6 Keonta is really not a post guy, he is more a face up and go. We try to get it in the middle, try 25 Alessandro Lever 0-2 0-0 0-0 3 2 5 3 0 0 2 0 0 13 to get some penetration. Every time we got penetration and dumped it off, Kerwin had a few 42 Gerard Martin 0-4 0-4 3-4 0 4 4 0 3 2 0 0 0 16 TEAM 0 1 1 finishes. Kerwin is not a post-up guy, as far as making moves down in the zone, so we have Totals 24-69 4-36 16-23 16 24 40 23 68 20 8 5 12 200 to do a better job of penetrating to the gaps, finding people and we had wide open threes, FG % 1st Half: 14-39 35.9% 2nd Half: 10-30 33.3% Game: 24-69 34.8% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 2-20 10.0% 2nd Half: 2-16 12.5% Game: 4-36 11.1% Rebounds man. I mean, against a zone, that is why they play a zone. We have to do it in the gaps and FT % 1st Half: 8-12 66.7% 2nd Half: 8-11 72.7% Game: 16-23 69.6% 1 we kicked it. I mean, 4-for-36, you know like I said, they were wide open, so you just have to Officials: Jimmy Casas, Mark Cook, Jeff Wooten jump up and shoot them, make them. You should fall into 10 shots out of 36, I would think.” Technical Fouls: UC Riverside-Chance Murray. Grand Canyon-None. GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 6844 In Off 2nd Fast (on Roberts Blumbergs at the post) “Yeah he has got to get better at it, I keep telling him Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench UC Riverside 27 29 56 UCR 26 4 7 2 13 he has to get stronger. I called him into my office today and said, “It is time, man. You are Grand Canyon 38 30 68 GCU 36 32 20 14 20 way too talented to be playing the way you have been playing. I’ve been giving you a long Last FG - UCR 2nd-00:55,GCU 2nd-00:37. Score Tied - 0 times Largest lead - UCR by 1 1st-14:37, GCU by 16 2nd-07:54 Lead Changed - 2 times leash as far as starting, it is time to get better and it is time for everyone to get better.” I UCR led for 01:13. GCU led for 38:10. Game was tied for 00:37. thought Gerard came in, defensively and did what he usually does. He had a few mistakes RAPID RECAP: early, but it is time for our guys to start playing. I mean, we started practicing early. We Grand Canyon had a long week of waiting to wash away the taste of a loss and an even longer went to Spain. We have been together for quite a while now. Casey has got to play better. year to make amends for last season’s loss at UC Riverside. The Lopes took care of both Saturday Josh has to figure it out. If he is not making shots, he might as well not be out there. He has night, managing to win 68-56 despite a frigid shooting night in front of 6,844 fans at GCU Arena. got to do a better job. He will figure it out, but you know it is in his head now too--his free throws and his shot. These guys just have to get in the gym and work on it.” Coming off a four-for-23 3-point shooting game in a loss to San Diego, GCU (5-1) only made four of 36 3-point tries against Riverside but won the possession battle to give the Lopes more (on getting better and how the defense has gotten better) “Well we have been pretty good chances to win. defensively, you know. Last game we were not tough enough down the stretch, but I think our focus from here on in is going to be defense. If we do not play good defense tonight, we GCU has yielded 61 or fewer points in all five of its wins, doing so Saturday by holding Riverside lose by 15. We can’t shoot the ball like that and not play defense, so we will have to hang our to 38.0 percent shooting and coaxing 24 Highlanders turnovers. hat on defense and rebounding, causing turnovers and getting out and running and getting In categories that give the Lopes extra shots, GCU outscored Riverside 52-11 in points off easy layups, cause right now, we cannot shoot the ball.” turnovers and second-chance points combined. Some of those turnovers, helped by Casey (on how to keep the teams confidence up, but really work on shooting and making shots) Benson’s four steals, helped GCU dominate fast break points, 14-2. “I told them to have tomorrow off, but if I was any of those guys, I wouldn’t take tomorrow The Lopes hammered the offensive boards and held Riverside to seven points in the game’s off, I would be in the gym shooting, it is that simple. You know when I came into the league, I first 10 minutes to take a lead that they were slow to expand with cold shooting. The Lopes wasn’t a shooter, I worked on it. It is just old fashion work, get in the gym and work on your missed their first 10 3-point attempts and went two for 20 in the first half, when Roberts shot, some of these guys work on it, some of them don’t. Just have to find your confidence Blumbergs was two for four and teammates were 0 for 16. and work on your shot, cause you will see a lot of teams zoning us again, and giving us that three, because if they watch this game, that is what they are going to do. ” Blumbergs played a strong overall game, leading the team in points (14) and sharing the team lead in rebounds (seven). Benson missed all seven of his 3-point tries but still scored 12 points (on what they are doing defensively to get their hands on balls) “Ah, just good job, we are and dished seven assists. switching a lot, which is really good because we are very aggressive, we have athletes out there, I think that is one of our strengths, that is why we are hanging our hat on defense, Braun also missed all seven of his 3-point tries. He entered the game averaging 17.4 points Keonta can move, Oscar is very good, Fiifi, guys can move and they are strong so they are per game but went one for nine from the field with four-for-seven free throw shooting for six just doing a good job getting into the passing lanes and pressuring, we do a pretty good job, points in 25 minutes. The Lopes only shot 34.8 percent from the field and 69.6 percent from for the most part protecting the rim” the charity stripe. GCU closed out the game slowly, going four minutes without scoring while its defense was (on the team’s help defense) “Yeah I mean we don’t want any layups, we gave up a few, but enough to keep Riverside from a challenge. we want to protect the rim, have them kick it out and recover, and we worked on that all week too, it was a little better” The Lopes return to action Tuesday night against St. John’s at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. ‹ 31 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 7: ST. JOHN’S 68, GCU 60 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: December 5, 2017 - 9:31 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (Talking Stick Resort Arena) (opening statement) “Not a whole lot to say, same story different night. We play extremely hard

St. John’s 68 (8-1) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds and get after it but it’s hard to win a game when you shoot 30 percent and shoot 50 percent ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min from the free throw line, 21 turnovers a lot of them are because they are a team that forces 01 Bashir Ahmed * 3-12 1-5 0-1 1 9 10 4 7 0 1 0 2 36 02 Shamorie Ponds * 10-21 2-5 6-8 4 2 6 1 28 4 5 0 5 40 turnovers but some of those are just us being not strong with the ball making careless passes. 05 Justin Simon * 4-7 1-1 8-8 1 10 11 4 17 2 5 0 0 36 Our guys fought extremely hard for forty minutes, kept in the game but we have to figure it out. 11 Tariq Owens * 1-3 0-0 0-3 0 4 4 4 2 0 3 3 1 30 13 Marvin Clark Ii * 2-6 2-5 4-4 0 3 3 5 10 1 4 0 0 18 We can’t shoot the ball whether it’s from the free throw line, three-point line, layups, it’s not just 10 Amar Alibegovic 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 12 Bryan Trimble Jr 0-3 0-2 2-2 0 3 3 3 2 1 0 0 2 27 happening right now. Playing hard is great but you have to play smart and good after a while.” 14 Kassoum Yakwe 1-1 0-0 0-1 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 10 TEAM 1 3 4 (on if he felt they were on the brink of making a run) “I was on the brink of somebody maybe Totals 21-53 6-18 20-27 8 34 42 22 68 8 18 3 10 200 making a shot. It’s ridiculous. I have never seen a college team shoot more air-balls than we do. FG % 1st Half: 10-26 38.5% 2nd Half: 11-27 40.7% Game: 21-53 39.6% Deadball Maybe we should schedule a team with no fans because in practice we make every shot. I don’t 3FG % 1st Half: 5-12 41.7% 2nd Half: 1-6 16.7% Game: 6-18 33.3% Rebounds FT % 1st Half: 7-11 63.6% 2nd Half: 13-16 81.3% Game: 20-27 74.1% 3 know what it is. It is just careless turnovers, guys not protecting the ball, missing wide open shots, missing rims, missing free throws. I have no fault in our guys, we play extremely hard and Grand Canyon 60 (5-2) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min get after it for forty minutes but that’s not good enough anymore. Our guys are better than that. 04 Oscar Frayer F 1-9 0-4 4-6 1 3 4 4 6 2 1 0 3 28 Oscar has to be better, Keonta has to be better, Josh has to be better, Casey has to be better. 12 Roberts Blumbergs F 3-12 2-7 2-2 0 2 2 2 10 1 2 0 1 23 24 Keonta Vernon F 0-3 0-1 0-6 7 8 15 4 0 1 2 1 0 30 Those freshmen are freshmen, you can’t expect them to carry your team. Those seniors have to 02 Joshua Braun G 5-16 3-10 0-0 1 5 6 3 13 0 3 0 3 30 be better and right now they are not very good.” 11 Casey Benson G 6-11 2-2 4-5 1 1 2 3 18 1 6 1 1 30 00 Shaq Carr 2-3 0-0 1-1 1 0 1 1 5 0 2 0 0 10 01 FiifiAidoo 1-5 0-4 0-0 1 2 3 0 2 3 0 0 0 13 (on the emotions coming back to this building) “It wasn’t much for me. I love this building, I’ve 21 Kerwin Smith 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 4 been to it a lot. I have a lot of great memories but this is about GCU and our team. It was a great 25 Alessandro Lever 1-5 0-2 1-2 0 2 2 2 3 0 2 0 1 10 42 Gerard Martin 1-2 1-2 0-0 2 3 5 2 3 1 1 0 2 22 experience for our guys to play in the Suns arena, to play against some great competition in St. TEAM 4 1 5 Totals 20-66 8-32 12-22 18 28 46 22 60 9 21 2 11 200 John’s and Chris (Mullin) and those guys have done a really good job with that team they are very talented. It is going to be a good test for us to be on TV, to play in the Suns arena to play a quality FG % 1st Half: 10-32 31.3% 2nd Half: 10-34 29.4% Game: 20-66 30.3% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 5-17 29.4% 2nd Half: 3-15 20.0% Game: 8-32 25.0% Rebounds opponent to see what we could do and it’s disappointing. Like I said, the effort is always there FT % 1st Half: 2-8 25.0% 2nd Half: 10-14 71.4% Game: 12-22 54.5% 4 but there comes a time where you have to do a better job of taking care of the ball and shooting Officials: Paul Janssen, Brooks Wells, Chance Moore better and we are just not doing it. Josh is a fifth year senior, Casey has been around forever, Technical Fouls: Saint John’s (NY)-None. Grand Canyon-None. Keonta has been around forever, and those guys have to do a better job.” Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 8907 In Off 2nd Fast Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench (on if players are pressing) “I don’t know what they are doing. We are not doing anything St. John’s 32 36 68 SJU 22 22 8 4 4 different than what we are doing in practice. We practice really hard, we get after it but we make Grand Canyon 27 33 60 GCU 21 13 16 7 13 shots. I don’t know, I wish I knew because if I knew I would change it. We can’t make free throws. Last FG - SJU 2nd-01:24,GCU 2nd-01:53. Score Tied - 0 times Their guy Simon was a 50 percent free throw shooter and he was 8-for-8 tonight. Keonta is a 60 Largest lead - SJU by 16 2nd-06:57, GCU by 3 1st-17:50 Lead Changed - 2 times SJU led for 36:29. GCU led for 02:40. Game was tied for 00:51. percent free throw shooter and he was 0-for-6. It just comes down to being mentally strong and making free throws and damn air-balls on threes that are wide open. That’s all there is too it. I RAPID RECAP: love our guys, they play really hard. I have no complaints, our guys give everything they have but Grand Canyon grinded on defense but was grounded on offense, never getting the scoring run at this time it is not good enough. Our guys are more talented than they are showing. St. John’s is that could have chased down St. John’s in a 68-60 loss Tuesday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena. good, they are a good team. It is amazing that we even stayed in the game.” The Lopes took to an ESPNU national television stage in the Phoenix Suns’ arena with NBA (on if he felt he had home court with the Havocs here tonight) “Yeah, anytime a team comes executives, alumni and scouts watching NBA greats Dan Majerle and Chris Mullin face off as from New York and you are playing right downtown and you have the Havocs there, you always head coaches. The Havocs filled the arena’s south end with their brand of bedlam but GCU (5-2) feel like you have the home court advantage. We have the greatest crowd, everyone knows could not fill the basket enough to send them back to campus happy. that. We have the greatest crowd in the history of crowds. I have to get our guys on the road. We are too soft. Just soft. We have to get out there and face some adversity and find our way. The Lopes trailed for the last 36 minutes of the game, trailing by as many as 15 before making one These guys have it so easy with what President Mueller has done at GCU, the way he packs those last push that trimmed the Red Storm’s lead to seven with 1:52 to go. St. John’s (8-1) did not make stands and the things that our guys get, they have to be better than this. It’s probably my fault. a field goal for more than four crunch-time minutes but eventually was able to close out the win. We schedule a lot of home games, we have to get on the road and get these guys tougher man, Casey Benson led GCU with a career-high 18 points while Keonta Vernon matched a career high that’s all there is to it. They are not tough enough. They play hard but they are not tough enough” with 15 rebounds. However, the Lopes shot only 30.3 percent from the field, 25.0 percent on (on having a chance to grab momentum at the end of the first half)“Yeah we were right there 3-pointers and 54.5 percent on free throws while committing 21 turnovers. and then we couldn’t make a few shots. They hung in there and then we came out in the second Sophomore guard Shamorie Ponds led St. John’s with a game-high 28 points to help a St. John’s half like we usually do, had some bad possessions, had some turnovers, and then we got it doing offense that shot 39.6 percent and made 18 turnovers with only four bench points. a little bit but we were down and we had to fight our way back. We kept on fighting, kept on fighting, didn’t convert some layups, didn’t convert some free throws, missed some wide open Each team entered Tuesday night as a top-10 scoring defense in Division I and the game played shots, just not good enough.” out as such. The effect was worse on GCU, which went without making a field goal for nearly eight minutes of the first half. (on there being a silver lining in the loss) “No, we are at the point that we want to be a really good team, we want to win the WAC and we want to go to the tournament. So there’s no silver lining, I The Lopes were struggling to keep possession and missing shots when they did. With four told my guys I’m very proud of how hard they worked and how hard they played, that’s what they minutes remaining in the first half, St. John’s led 27-16 with the Lopes at 25 percent shooting give. Every team that we play, goes ‘oh man you guys played hard,’ and that’s great but it’s not good from the field with 11 turnovers. enough anymore. It’s not what I want to be known for, oh you guys are a hard playing team. No I want to be a hard playing team that’s really good, and we can do that we have the players, it’s just GCU came alive in the final four minutes of the first half, starting with a Benson 3-pointer that whether or they want to do it or not, they have to get out of their own way and get it done. So no keyed an 11-2 run. But when Oscar Frayer’s defense set up a Benson drive that missed, St. John’s there’s no silver lining anymore, silver linings are for a year or two years ago. Silver linings were was able to close out stronger for a 32-27 halftime lead. when we were 15-15 as a Division II team, silver linings are when we went 27-7 in our third year. Defense was giving the Lopes a chance to win again. St. John’s only was shooting 38.5 percent This is our fifth year, we’re eligible, we have a fifth-year senior in Casey who played at Oregon, Shaq from the field with turnovers at the half but GCU was shooting worse (31.3 percent) with more Carr he’s a senior, Keonta he’s a senior, Oscar played a lot last year, Gerard all those guys. This is turnovers (11). the year we are supposed to be good and right now we are not playing that way.” ‹ 32 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 8: GCU 87, GRAMBLING STATE 53 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: December 9, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “Great energy from everybody. Starters came out really well, the bench Grambling State 53 (3-6) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds guys came in and provided a spark also. Shaq was really good. Matt Jackson; Matt hadn’t played ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 01 Ivy Smith, Jr. * 2-13 0-1 8-8 1 1 2 3 12 2 3 0 3 29 in a year, over a year. Seeing him come out there was really good. Everybody played really good, 04 Anthony Gaston * 1-6 0-3 0-0 0 2 2 3 2 0 3 1 2 21 11 Axel Mpoyo * 3-7 0-3 0-0 0 0 0 3 6 0 2 0 1 21 it was just a good win and we sustained it. We needed that kind of win, it was huge.” 24 Diontae Jones * 1-6 0-2 0-0 1 2 3 0 2 1 1 0 2 27 33 Jason Perry-Murray * 6-7 0-0 1-2 7 5 12 3 13 0 2 1 1 24 02 Nigel Ribeiro 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 3 5 3 2 4 1 0 0 16 (on if changing up the starting five helped)“I don’t know. It wasn’t because Oscar was 03 Kareem Wright 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 05 Shirmane Thomas 3-6 1-1 2-3 1 3 4 1 9 0 5 0 0 23 playing bad or Roberts was playing bad, we just needed a new look. Fiifi was somebody that 10 Drake Wilks 2-5 1-2 1-2 1 1 2 1 6 1 3 0 1 17 12 Bobby Jackson 0-1 0-0 1-4 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 9 was practicing hard and gave us a spark defensively. Alessandro is a really hard worker as a 20 Charles Simmons 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 32 Devante Jackson 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 3 3 2 0 0 1 0 0 8 freshman, I thought he deserved a chance. I don’t know if it provided anything. Keonta came TEAM Totals 19-53 2-12 13-19 13 21 34 19 53 9 21 2 10 200 out and played really well. 8-for-8, stayed in the game and just his physical presence around the basket was big. We shared the basketball well. I think we had 14 or 15 assists on maybe FG % 1st Half: 9-25 36.0% 2nd Half: 10-28 35.7% Game: 19-53 35.8% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 0-8 0.0% 2nd Half: 2-4 50.0% Game: 2-12 16.7% Rebounds 17 baskets in the first half. Everybody played well. Then those guys came off the bench, Matt, FT % 1st Half: 3-3 100.0% 2nd Half: 10-16 62.5% Game: 13-19 68.4% 4 Gerard, Oscar, Roberts, Shaq, everybody played well. All around just a good win.” Grand Canyon 87 (6-2) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 24 Keonta Vernon F 8-8 0-0 3-4 3 3 6 2 19 1 2 0 1 23 (on if he liked the balance coming off the bench) “I liked it today. I liked the other ones before 25 Alessandro Lever F 1-4 0-2 0-0 0 1 1 3 2 1 0 0 0 15 01 FiifiAidoo G 2-4 1-2 0-0 0 2 2 2 5 4 1 0 0 20 we lost. Winning cures a lot of different things. That’s a dangerous team that we played in 02 Joshua Braun G 5-9 3-7 0-0 0 5 5 2 13 0 2 1 0 24 11 Casey Benson G 2-5 0-2 0-0 1 2 3 1 4 8 3 0 1 23 Grambling. They went to Georgia Tech and beat them, we knew they would present a problem 00 Shaq Carr 3-4 2-2 3-3 2 1 3 2 11 3 0 0 1 12 03 Parker Dale 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 and play zone. We did a really good job of moving the basketball early, getting in the paint, not 04 Oscar Frayer 1-4 0-3 1-3 0 1 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 14 05 MaJacksontt 5-6 2-3 0-0 0 2 2 2 12 1 0 1 2 13 settling for jump shots. We took the shots when they were there but we didn’t swing-swing- 10 Damari Milstead 1-1 1-1 3-4 0 2 2 0 6 0 1 0 0 7 12 Roberts Blumbergs 2-6 1-4 1-2 0 0 0 1 6 2 0 1 3 21 shooter. We had some penetration. That’s one thing that Alessandro is really good at for his size, 13 Ibrahima Sankare 1-2 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 4 15 Cheick Sy-Savane 1-3 1-1 0-0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 he gets in there and finds people. He did a good job” 21 Kerwin Smith 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 22 Nehemiah Allen 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 “We have too. We just can’t settle for shots. 42 Gerard Martin 0-1 0-0 0-1 2 4 6 1 0 2 1 0 0 13 (on seeming more intent on getting the ball inside) TEAM 1 0 1 It’s much better when you can get it inside then it comes outside off the penetration. A couple Totals 32-58 11-27 12-19 10 23 33 19 87 23 12 3 9 200 times we just start living by the jump shot where we just swing it on the perimeter and people FG % 1st Half: 17-29 58.6% 2nd Half: 15-29 51.7% Game: 32-58 55.2% Deadball 3FG % 1st Half: 4-12 33.3% 2nd Half: 7-15 46.7% Game: 11-27 40.7% Rebounds are just standing around and we can’t do that. Overall a really good job by everybody.” FT % 1st Half: 1-4 25.0% 2nd Half: 11-15 73.3% Game: 12-19 63.2% 2 Officials: Ronnie Hernandez, Matthew Rukasin, Ryan McDaniel (on if he felt Casey Benson was more aggressive) “I think he does a good job when he takes his Technical Fouls: Grambling State-None. Grand Canyon-Casey Benson. GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 6829 shot but he has to get back to assists. When he is open he can take shots. He is not a penetrator, In Off 2nd Fast Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench he’s not a guy who is going to get in the lane with the big guys. We really emphasize on getting Grambling State 21 32 53 GSU 30 15 13 4 18 Grand Canyon 39 48 87 GCU 38 26 5 6 44 out early and running today. Even though they are going to be in zone, getting out and running Last FG - GRAM 2nd-00:43,GCU 2nd-00:21. Score Tied - 0 times and pushing the ball is what Casey does really well. Getting it up early then getting back and he Largest lead - GRAM by 2 1st-18:53, GCU by 38 2nd-06:44 Lead Changed - 1 times GRAM led for 00:15. GCU led for 38:38. Game was tied for 01:07. can make good decisions. He was really good in the first half assists wise.” RAPID RECAP: (on if he liked the threes in transition) “I like transitions threes especially off steals or good Surrounded by a student section in neon, GCU enjoyed its brightest basketball game of the season. defensive plays. You always know as a coach and even as a player a lot of your offense can come off of defense. Our defense was really good as far as getting in and being aggressive. If we get The Lopes shined Saturday night in a 87-53 blowout of Grambling State at GCU Arena. GCU posted steals then let’s go, we deserve a shot.” its largest blowout of the season, thoroughly dominating the Tigers with a stellar two-way effort. (on if they maintained the lead well tonight) “It was better. We came out in the second half and GCU (6-2) shot a season-high 55.2 percent from the field while holding Grambling to 35.8 percent, picked up where we left off. Our energy was really good from everybody, I was happy. Those the Lopes’ sixth opponent in eight games to make less than 40 percent of its shots. kind of games in the beginning of the year we would get up and let them back in the game and Senior power forward Keonta Vernon boosted the Lopes’ efficiency by making all eight of his field tonight we didn’t do that.” goal attempts on a 19-point, six-rebound night in 23 minutes. It was the fourth most makes without (on if Matt Jackson needs more minutes for confidence) “Just staying out there long and a miss in GCU program history and the most at the Division I level. sustaining some time, maybe a stretch of seven or eight minutes. It was hard for me to do it in Senior guard Joshua Braun (13 points) and backup senior point guard Shaq Carr (11 points in 12 the beginning because I wanted to see the younger guys, I wanted to see other people but when minutes) also scored in double figures, as did junior forward Matt Jackson (12 points in 14 minutes) he played two years ago he was really good. I was looking at when we were 27-7 he averaged 19 after not playing in Tuesday’s loss to St. John’s. or 20 minutes a game and had some big games for us. He’s had a rash of injuries and it’s been tough for him but he’s done a good job of preparing and it tonight it showed. So hopefully he can From the time GCU had a 12-0 run for a 37-17 lead with 3:37 to go in the first half, the Lopes lead stay healthy and it can stay like that.” remained comfortable. No Lopes player logged more than 24 minutes and the entire roster played, including the debut of freshman guard Parker Dale to the Havocs’ delight. For the first time this season, GCU head coach Dan Majerle switched the Lopes starting lineup. He inserted sophomore guard Fiifi Aidoo and freshman power forward Alessandro Lever in place of sophomore guard Oscar Frayer and freshman power forward Roberts Blumbergs. It clicked early when the starting lineup led 9-4 before the first subs. When the starters reunited to close the half, GCU went into halftime with that unit scoring all but three points of a 14-4 run. The Lopes handled a 2-3 zone defense better than they did against California-Riverside. Mostly, that was the work of senior point guard Casey Benson, who assisted on six of GCU’s first seven baskets. Benson finished with eight assists. Grambling, which beat Georgia Tech this season, kept the Lopes’ lead narrow at 13-12 by capitalizing on second chances and GCU turnovers but the Lopes then went on a 24-5 run. The Lopes defense created 21 turnovers, including a team-high three steals from Blumbergs.

‹ 33 › 2017-18 GAME RECAPS

GAME 9: GCU 64, NC CENTRAL 59 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: December 11, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “It’s a win, so I am happy. Second half was the same. A lot of things that

NC Central 59(4-8) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds went wrong for us as far as shooting the basketball. Just not finishing, but we pulled out a win ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min and got a stop when we needed it. I thought our defense was really poor tonight. Just a lot of 02 Zacarry Douglas * 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 03 Brandon Goldsmith * 2-6 0-1 2-3 0 5 5 2 6 0 0 0 1 34 mental mistakes more than anything. Just not following assignments and doing the things we 04 Jordan Perkins * 0-4 0-0 0-0 0 3 3 4 0 6 5 0 0 34 are supposed to do, so that was a little concerning. That is a good team, man. That is a team 05 Reggie Gardner Jr * 3-8 2-4 3-3 0 2 2 0 11 1 1 0 0 26 32 Raasean Davis * 6-7 0-0 4-6 5 4 9 2 16 2 3 0 0 29 I knew was going to give us some problems. That big kid is really good. They did a good job 11 Alston Jones 4-8 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 4 10 2 2 0 0 26 getting the basketball, so I’ll take it. Good win.” 13 Pablo Rivas 6-9 1-3 0-0 1 7 8 3 13 0 0 0 1 32 22 Dominique Reid 1-3 0-0 1-2 1 1 2 1 3 0 2 0 0 13 TEAM 1 2 3 (on the offense being deliberate and going deep into the shot clock) “They had the 2-3 zone Totals 22-46 3-8 12-16 8 25 33 16 59 11 13 0 3 200 and the 3-2 zone and when we are not hitting jump shots, that puts us in a problem. Last game FG % 1st Half: 11-23 47.8% 2nd Half: 11-23 47.8% Game: 22-46 47.8% Deadball we were able to make a few jumpers and got into the paint. They did a good job of protecting 3FG % 1st Half: 2-5 40.0% 2nd Half: 1-3 33.3% Game: 3-8 37.5% Rebounds the basket, so anytime you see a zone the whole game and a press the whole game, you are not FT % 1st Half: 6-7 85.7% 2nd Half: 6-9 66.7% Game: 12-16 75.0% 0 going to be able to get quick shots. You know we want to attack the press, but we also do not Grand Canyon 64 (7-2) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min want to turn the ball over. We do not have a lot of great ball handlers, so we want to make sure 24 Keonta Vernon F 3-7 0-0 3-6 3 2 5 5 9 0 1 1 0 25 they we are not only aggressive, but we do not want to be too aggressive where we turn the ball 25 Alessandro Lever F 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 16 01 FiifiAidoo G 2-4 2-4 0-0 1 1 2 2 6 2 2 0 1 20 over. We only had six turnovers, but it does lead to some late shot clocks, especially when they 02 Joshua Braun G 7-15 3-8 3-3 4 3 7 1 20 1 0 0 0 33 are in a zone and taking away Josh, things like that. Early we shot the ball pretty well, but we 11 Casey Benson G 1-8 0-2 4-4 0 7 7 0 6 7 0 0 0 28 00 Shaq Carr 2-5 0-2 1-1 1 0 1 3 5 4 0 0 1 21 could not buy a basket there in the second half. ” 04 Oscar Frayer 2-4 0-1 0-0 1 0 1 3 4 0 1 0 0 10 05 MaJacksontt 1-3 0-1 0-0 1 3 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 13 (on the interior scoring by NCCU and what led to it whether it was their size or mistakes by 12 Roberts Blumbergs 3-7 1-4 2-2 2 2 4 0 9 0 0 0 0 15 42 Gerard Martin 1-4 1-4 0-0 0 1 1 1 3 1 0 0 0 19 GCU) “A little bit of both, they had a couple back cuts to the basket, number 32, Davis is a good Totals 22-59 7-26 13-16 13 20 33 16 64 16 6 1 2 200 player. Man he is there best player, he is a big kid-- 6-9, 250--does a good job of sealing, they

FG % 1st Half: 16-32 50.0% 2nd Half: 6-27 22.2% Game: 22-59 37.3% Deadball do a good job getting him the basketball and he finishes around there. It is just what happens 3FG % 1st Half: 5-13 38.5% 2nd Half: 2-13 15.4% Game: 7-26 26.9% Rebounds when you play a good big guy. They got some penetration, they got some and-ones, which we FT % 1st Half: 1-1 100.0% 2nd Half: 12-15 80.0% Game: 13-16 81.3% 2 will have to look at the tape on there because we gave them too many easy and-ones, with some Officials: Mike Reed, Steve Olson, David Hall ticky-tack fouls, so we have to do a better job with that, but I think our focus defensively, for Technical Fouls: North Carolina Central University-None. Grand Canyon-None. GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 6276 whatever it was, we just did not do a good job of depleting our assignments, getting lost on back In Off 2nd Fast cuts and things like that.” Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench NC Central 30 29 59 NCCU 34 5 13 4 26 Grand Canyon 38 26 64 GCU 26 13 12 0 23 (on what to anticipate going on the road to Boise State) “I am expecting an extremely tough game. Boise is a really, really good team, it will be a real good test for us. It will be good for our Last FG - NCCU 2nd-00:44,GCU 2nd-03:29. Score Tied - 1 times Largest lead - NCCU by 4 1st-16:47, GCU by 11 1st-00:55 Lead Changed - 4 times guys, we need to get on the road a little bit and play against a good team on the road in a new NCCU led for 03:14. GCU led for 35:16. Game was tied for 01:30. environment, and they have all of that. I am anxious, to get there and see what we got.” RAPID RECAP: (on grinding it out when the three points shots were not falling) “Well we had to, against that With Grand Canyon’s first road game and perhaps toughest opponent two days away, a carryover zone. That is why people play zone, to keep you from getting inside and we do not have a whole of the momentum of Saturday’s thorough blowout would have been ideal. lot of finishers on the inside anyways, so we are going to have to be able to make those threes. Instead, the Lopes had their first extended challenge in a win this season. GCU led for the final Josh did not shoot extremely well the second half, as far as from the three, and nobody else 32-plus minutes of the game Monday night but beating North Carolina Central was never easy in a could really make a shot either, so we have to do a better job at pounding the boards and getting 64-59 win at GCU Arena. second opportunities that way, and then finding a way to penetrate and finish around the glass.” GCU (7-2) held a 10-point lead with 12:13 to go but offensive struggles kept them from putting away (on whether it is good to finally get on the road) “Yeah I think it is going to be good. We have the Eagles (4-8). Facing NC Central’s zone, the Lopes went more than six minutes without a made field such a great experience here and have such a great crowd, we get a little comfortable, so it is goal until junior Gerard Martin broke a string of six consecutive missed GCU 3-pointers with a deep 3. good to get on the road, especially against a team like Boise. It is going to be a real good test for us to see what we got. So yeah, I am excited to get on the road.” North Carolina Central pulled within one point with 2:09 to play on an interior three-point play. The Eagles had chances to take a lead after GCU missed consecutive layups but Lopes senior guard (on what it does for the team closing out a close game) “I don’t know I think our guys are Joshua Braun rebounded the second one while getting fouled and hit two free throws for a 60-57 confident. I’m usually irate right now because we know we won but we should have played lead with 1:12 remaining. better. I’ve learned in my short coach career of five years, you take every win and the positives and you move on. That was a tough team, our guys are positive we just have to do a better job The Eagles cut the lead to 60-59 with the last of their interior scoring (34 points in the paint) and of finishing down the stretch. Just being a little tougher mentally, like I said defensively I didn’t got a stop blocking GCU senior point guard Casey Benson’s drive. Senior power forward Keonta enjoy that at all. We just made mental mistakes.” Vernon fouled out on the rebound but the Havocs helped prompt a miss on the front end of a one- and-one bonus situation. Roberts Blumbergs rebounded and got the ball to Benson, who hit two (on what the learning experience has been like for the team) “It’s hard because I am a free throws and made two more free throws after North Carolina Central missed a 3-pointer to tie competitive guy, winning is great losing is misery. So you’ve just got to take the winning and in the final seconds. breathe a sigh of relief instead of always looking at the negative. That’s kind of my problem sometimes is always looking at the negative. We should have done this, we should have done Braun led the Lopes with 20 points and seven rebounds while Benson finished with six points, that, but you know we won. That’s a getaway game, when you go on the road next day to go play seven rebounds and seven assists. a good team you can’t afford to lose at home. So I’m going to look at this and be happy tonight.” The Lopes were efficient offensively in the first half but did not have the usual offensive sharpness until the close. GCU went on an 8-0 run with the new three-guard starting trio of Braun, Benson (on having a low number of turnovers) “We did a good job against the zone, we would like to be and Fiifi Aidoo but the Eagles finished on a three-point play to cut the Lope lead to 38-30 at halftime. more aggressive and make them pay for zoning us. But that also comes with the fact that you’re going to have more turnovers. We wanted to make sure that we took care of the basketball, and Braun led GCU’s scoring attack with 10 of his points in the first half, mixing a pair of 3-pointers with that is why the shot clock went deep a lot of times. We were methodical in breaking the press a pair of power moves in the paint. The Lopes committed only three first-half turnovers despite and trying to do too much and turning it over. Casey had seven assists and Shaq had four and facing full-court pressure but had trouble getting into fast breaks or early offense. both of them didn’t have turnovers so that’s good.”

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GAME 10: BOISE STATE 85, GCU 80 (2OT) In the second overtime, the Lopes missed five of their first six shots to fall behind 79-72 but rallied December 13, 2017 - 7:05 PM Tip Boise, Idaho (Taco Bell Arena) to 85-80 with two Lever free throws before the final miss.

Grand Canyon 80 (7-3) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds After holding a 36-30 halftime lead, the Lopes missed nine of their first 10 second-half shots but ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 24 Keonta Vernon F 6-10 0-1 3-3 5 7 12 3 15 2 1 2 0 39 still held a 41-36 lead with 14:05 to go when Benson found Vernon for a slam. 25 Alessandro Lever F 3-10 1-3 3-4 1 1 2 1 10 1 3 0 0 20 01 FiifiAidoo G 1-1 1-1 0-0 0 1 1 3 3 1 0 0 1 12 The Lopes’ rotating defensive effort on Boise State star Chandler Hutchison was effective in the 02 Joshua Braun G 3-15 2-8 2-4 1 4 5 4 10 3 1 0 2 43 11 Casey Benson G 4-16 3-9 5-6 0 7 7 5 16 3 2 0 1 38 first half, when the 6-foot-7 senior guard made two of eight shots with two turnovers. Hutchison 00 Shaq Carr 5-11 1-3 0-0 0 3 3 2 11 5 3 0 0 29 scored seven consecutive Broncos points for Boise State’s first lead (45-43) when the Broncos 04 Oscar Frayer 2-5 0-2 2-2 4 5 9 2 6 0 1 1 0 25 05 MaJacksontt 1-2 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 14 were finding their way to the rim. 12 Roberts Blumbergs 2-7 0-2 0-0 1 0 1 5 4 0 3 0 0 10 21 Kerwin Smith 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 GCU responded just as the Boise State fans were getting more into the action. With about 200 42 Gerard Martin 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 1 1 4 3 0 0 0 2 20 TEAM 1 1 2 “Lopes on the Road” fans on hand, the Lopes answered with a 12-3 run that included two aggressive Totals 28-79 9-32 15-19 14 32 46 29 80 16 14 3 6 250 drives from senior point guard Shaq Carr. FG % 1st Half: 14-33 42.4% 2nd Half: 10-28 35.7% OT: 4-18 22.2% Game: 28-79 35.4% 3FG % 1st Half: 4-11 36.4% 2nd Half: 3-11 27.3% OT: 2-10 20.0% Game: 9-32 28.1% Another Carr scoring drive put GCU ahead 59-55 with 4:02 remaining and the Lopes did not get on FT % 1st Half: 4-5 80.0% 2nd Half: 4-5 80.0% OT: 7-9 77.8% Game: 15-19 78.9% the board again until Vernon’s follow scored put GCU ahead 61-57 with 1:32 remaining. Boise State 85 (10-1) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min The Lopes emerged with their best start of the season, jumping on Boise State and silencing the 11 Zach Haney F 1-1 0-0 1-2 2 2 4 3 3 0 0 0 0 19 43 Chris Sengfelder F 4-11 0-6 4-6 2 6 8 2 12 1 3 1 1 45 home fans with a 12-4 lead. GCU scored on five of their first six possessions with four of the starters 02 Lexus Williams G 4-4 2-2 2-3 2 4 6 4 12 2 2 0 1 38 scoring. 03 Justinian Jessup G 5-10 2-6 6-7 0 8 8 2 18 4 2 2 0 47 15 Chandler Hutchinson G 10-23 1-6 6-12 0 11 11 3 27 3 7 0 0 44 00 Marcus Dickinson 1-5 0-4 3-5 0 3 3 4 5 0 1 0 1 24 The Lopes played with better tempo than Monday’s win and stretched their lead to as much as 10 Robin Jorch 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 6 nine (21-12) with more of their 3-point-denying defense. Boise State entered the game with the 33 David Wacker 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 34 Alex Hobbs 2-4 0-0 2-2 0 2 2 1 6 0 2 0 0 24 fifth-most made 3-pointers (120) in the nation but GCU kept the Broncos to one-for-10 shooting TEAM 1 0 1 Totals 28-59 5-24 24-37 7 38 45 20 85 10 18 3 3 250 on 3s in the first half.

FG % 1st Half: 10-24 41.7% 2nd Half: 12-25 48.0% OT: 6-10 60.0% Game: 28-59 47.5% Boise State tightened GCU’s lead to one with 3:59 to go until halftime but the Lopes closed on a 7-2 3FG % 1st Half: 1-10 10.0% 2nd Half: 3-10 30.0% OT: 1-4 25.0% Game: 5-24 20.8% FT % 1st Half: 9-12 75.0% 2nd Half: 6-12 50.0% OT: 9-13 69.2% Game: 24-37 64.9% run with Benson dropping a 3-pointer at the horn.

Officials: Michael Irving, Rick Randall and Dan Nowakowski Technical Fouls: Grand Canyon-None. Boise State-None. DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: Boise, Idaho - Taco Bell Arena Attendance: 4628 In Off 2nd Fast (on dropping a double overtime thriller to Boise State) “We needed one stop to beat them. Score by Period 1st 2nd OT OT2 Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench Grand Canyon 36 27 6 11 80 GCU 34 16 19 4 26 We were supposed to switch everything. I’ll have to look at the film and see what happened. Boise State 30 33 6 16 85 BSU 40 11 3 4 13 We were supposed to make everything go towards the basket. The kid made a tough shot, but Last FG - GCU OT2-00:48,BSU OT2-00:58. Score Tied - 6 times that’s a shot we’ve got to stop and we didn’t stop it. Our guys battled hard and kept fighting. This Largest lead - GCU by 10 1st-09:09, BSU by 7 OT2-02:16 Lead Changed - 3 times is a really good team in a tough place. We battled and hopefully we’ll get better. GCU led for 36:09. BSU led for 09:11. Game was tied for 04:40. RAPID RECAP: (on if that was the best the Lopes have played this season) “No. We shot 35 percent. Everybody Grand Canyon was the first non-conference visitor to outplay Boise State in regulation over the is talking about moral victories and ‘you hanged with them’. I’m done with hanging with teams. past four seasons and it still was not enough to win. I’m done with that crap. Play better--35 percent is not good enough. That’s a good defensive team but so are we. It’s time to win. I’m upset. I’m never upset at our guys’ effort. They play The Lopes were often at their best for their best opponent of the season but did not close out extremely hard and they want to win. They try, but they had a lot of mental mistakes that we chances to win regulation and the first overtime before the Broncos claimed an 85-80 double- have to get over it if we want to be a good team. Right now, we’re not a very good team because overtime victory at Taco Bell Arena. we make too many mental mistakes.” GCU’s fifth-ranked scoring defense in Division I proved stronger than a Boise State offense that (on if the team recovered from regulation with Boise State getting out to quick leads in ranked fifth in the nation for 3-pointers made. The Lopes (7-3) limited the Broncos (10-1) to three the overtime period) “When you lead most of the game and they make a three to tie it up, the made 3-pointers in regulation time and five-for-24 3-point shooting overall. momentum swings to their team. We battled back in that first overtime, but we were 4-for-18 in The Lopes had a four-point lead with 1:32 remaining in regulation and had the last possession of overtime. We missed layups and wide open threes. Josh goes 3-for-15 and Casey goes 4-for-16. the first overtime but Boise State controlled the second overtime by scoring on eight consecutive Those are our two best players. We played well. We battled, but we have to find a way to put the possessions. ball in the basket and guys have to find a way to score.” GCU was given a shot to tie by gaining possession with 15.9 seconds to go in the second half. The (on how his team did defensively on Chandler Hutchinson and Justinian Jessup) “They’re Lopes executed the play with Fiifi Aidoo sending a bounce pass along the baseline to an open good players. Yeah, I thought we did well. We did fine. They’re a really good team. I’ve got no Alessandro Lever in the corner but the freshman power forward missed for Boise State’s 24th problem with how hard we played and we tried, but we made silly mistakes and we’ve got to consecutive home win against non-conference opponents. play better on the offensive side. We have to shoot better.” Senior point guard Casey Benson led GCU with 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists but fouled out in the second overtime. Senior power forward Keonta Vernon posted 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Lopes shot 35.4 percent from the field but made 15 of 19 free throws. The Lopes led 63-60 with 13.3 seconds to play in regulation after two Benson free throws but Boise State, held to three-for-19 3-point shooting to that point, got a tying, long 3 from Lexus Williams. Benson had 3.9 seconds to get upcourt and his long 3-pointer leaner missed to send the game to overtime. In the first overtime, Boise State took a quick 68-63 lead but GCU held the Broncos without a field goal for the final three minutes. Benson made one of two free throws to tie the game with 28.2 seconds to and had a clean 3-point look that missed at the buzzer.

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GAME 11: GCU 71, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE 38 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: December 18, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (opening statement) “Obviously a good game for us. We had some goals that we wanted to Mississippi Valley St 38 (0-11) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds meet and we met them. This was a good game for us to come home after a tough loss against ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 01 Dante Scott * 5-13 1-1 2-2 3 2 5 0 13 0 2 2 0 33 Boise. We obviously did what we had to do. You are always a little nervous when you face a 03 Jordan Evans * 3-8 1-1 0-0 0 4 4 4 7 1 4 0 0 25 10 Emmanuel Ejeh * 0-4 0-0 0-0 1 2 3 2 0 1 2 0 0 22 team that has not won. That is a team that travels all over the place and plays hard. I am happy 15 Gemaal Davis * 1-6 0-0 2-2 0 1 1 2 4 0 0 0 2 23 23 Lacurtis Allen * 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 6 with our guys, I thought defensively we were good, active, got on the offensive boards. Sixteen 00 Jeffery Lewis 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 05 Tereke Eckwood 1-8 0-0 2-2 0 4 4 2 4 0 1 0 0 21 offensive rebounds, which is good. Actually shot 40 percent which is a step up for our team. 11 Kylan Phillips 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 6 12 Lorenzo Hunt 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 9 We are getting there. I thought Matt Jackson was really good. He has got to continue to round 20 Davere Creighton 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 7 21 Arinze Anakwenze 3-4 0-1 0-2 2 2 4 4 6 1 2 2 1 21 into shape. We missed him, especially last year. He is a big part of this team. Very smart. 22 Nate Nahimy 0-2 0-0 0-1 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 13 24 Henry Taylor 1-2 0-0 0-2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 Overall really good win. Got one more to get and [then] we get on the road.” 32 Kaleb Allison 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 TEAM 3 4 7 Totals 14-51 2-4 8-15 9 21 30 23 38 4 14 4 5 200 (on Matt Jackson playing like he did before the injury) “He missed a whole year. When we FG % 1st Half: 8-29 27.6% 2nd Half: 6-22 27.3% Game: 14-51 27.5% scrimmaged Oregon State, you know, he was really good, then he got hurt. He missed that 3FG % 1st Half: 1-1 100.0% 2nd Half: 1-3 33.3% Game: 2-4 50.0% FT % 1st Half: 2-2 100.0% 2nd Half: 6-13 46.2% Game: 8-15 53.3% whole year and had a bunch of different injuries he had to battle through and then has done a Grand Canyon 71 (8-3) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds good job. We have been trying to bring him along slowly to make sure he is healthy, especially ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min for the WAC Season. Trying to get his wind and get back into game shape. He is just so smart. 24 Keonta Vernon F 3-8 0-0 0-0 1 3 4 2 6 0 0 4 2 23 25 Alessandro Lever F 2-7 1-2 2-2 2 4 6 2 7 2 3 1 1 14 Not only when he shoots the ball well, he is a good shooter, but he is just so smart defensively. 01 FiifiAidoo G 1-2 1-2 1-2 3 1 4 3 4 1 1 0 0 20 02 Joshua Braun G 3-9 3-8 7-9 2 4 6 1 16 0 0 1 0 28 He knows what we are trying to do offensively and is a really good glue guy. When he shoots the 11 Casey Benson G 2-6 1-4 3-4 2 2 4 3 8 6 1 1 1 26 00 Shaq Carr 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 11 ball like that, he gives us good size and a guy that can stretch the floor and just a smart guy.” 03 Parker Dale 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 04 Oscar Frayer 1-3 0-2 0-1 1 3 4 2 2 2 1 0 0 20 05 MaJacksontt 3-5 3-5 1-2 0 5 5 1 10 1 1 0 1 17 (on what they concentrated on for this game following a tough loss at Boise) “Learn from 10 Damari Milstead 2-2 1-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 5 1 0 0 0 4 12 Roberts Blumbergs 0-3 0-2 2-2 1 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 9 our mistakes. We have a history of giving away games. We had that game won at Boise against 13 Ibrahima Sankare 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 4 15 Cheick Sy-Savane 1-2 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 3 a really good team at a tough place. We just cannot continue to give games away. We have 21 Kerwin Smith 1-1 0-0 0-2 0 2 2 2 2 0 1 0 0 4 22 Nehemiah Allen 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 to take whoever we are playing and get better. We cannot just go out and play and not try to 42 Gerard Martin 2-3 0-0 0-0 2 2 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 13 TEAM 2 3 5 improve and I thought tonight we did a good job of really concentrating and getting after it and Totals 22-54 11-27 16-24 16 33 49 19 71 14 12 8 5 200 like I said, we have one more to get here then get on the road and play a really good Louisville FG % 1st Half: 9-27 33.3% 2nd Half: 13-27 48.1% Game: 22-54 40.7% 3FG % 1st Half: 7-15 46.7% 2nd Half: 4-12 33.3% Game: 11-27 40.7% team and Morgan State who is going to be good at Vegas and then obviously Illinois. It will be FT % 1st Half: 8-11 72.7% 2nd Half: 8-13 61.5% Game: 16-24 66.7% Officials: Larry Spaulding, Rob Rorke, Kelly Pfeifer good for us to get on the road and start to test our mental [strength].” Technical Fouls: Mississippi Valley State-None. Grand Canyon-None. GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 6464 In Off 2nd Fast (on how it was having Jerry Colangelo and in attendance) “It’s always fun. Mr. Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench Mississippi Valley State 19 19 38 MVSU 20 4 11 2 13 Colangelo is here a lot and I talked to him. The first thing he said when he came into my office Grand Canyon 33 38 71 GCU 18 9 8 7 30 was ‘why don’t you foul like Boise State?’ It’s always good to see him. Coach Westphal, was a big Last FG - MVSU 2nd-01:55,GCU 2nd-01:35. Score Tied - 0 times Largest lead - MVSU None, GCU by 34 2nd-01:35 Lead Changed - 0 times part of what we did in Phoenix. He’s such a legend, not only in Phoenix but wherever in the NBA MVSU led for 00:00. GCU led for 39:30. Game was tied for 00:30. and then what he was able to do as a coach. It’s always good to see him. He was a terrific coach RAPID RECAP: and a better person. I got to visit with Mr. Colangelo and Coach Westphal in the office before. The visitors came to GCU Arena in red and green Monday night and Grand Canyon got the early It’s always good when those guys come back. Mr. Colangelo is here all the time so I will get his Christmas present. update on the game tomorrow.” For the seventh time in this season’s 11 games, the Lopes held an opponent to less than 40 (on what he said at halftime about the offense) “I told them we have to be better. We have percent shooting. It was far below this time, as Mississippi Valley State shot 27.5 percent in a to finish. I am tired of looking at the stat sheet and seeing 30 percent. We have to find a way. 71-38 GCU home victory. The big thing was that we were shooting 46 percent from the three in the first half and we were shooting 33 percent overall in the first half and I said enough is enough. We have to The Lopes (8-3) opened the game by hitting 3-pointers for their first four made field goals to concentrate, we missed a lot of layups. We have to put the ball in the basket. Have to make take a 12-6 lead and stayed in command from there. the extra pass, sometimes we are still taking bad shots so we have to make the extra pass and The GCU defense shut out the Delta Devils (0-11) for five minutes of the first half when the Lopes penetrate. We have to do a better job of that.” opened a 30-15 lead after consecutive 3-pointers from junior power forward Matt Jackson on senior point guard Casey Benson’s assist and Benson in transition. After the defense established GCU’s hold on the game in the first half, the offense opened the second half with a five-shot possession that lasted one minute and 14 seconds before the Lopes scored on a jumper by freshman power forward Alessandro Lever. The GCU offense thrived on 3-pointers in the first half but worked inside-out to start the second half, scoring 18 points in a span of 6:18 to open up a 22-point lead. Mississippi Valley State struggled to score even more from there as the Lopes pulled away on a string of free throws. Senior guard Joshua Braun led the Lopes in scoring with 16 points while Jackson added 10 points and five rebounds in 17 reserve minutes. Benson delivered a team-high six assists while scoring eight points. GCU made 13 of 27 3-pointers and nearly grabbed as many offensive rebounds (16) as Mississippi Valley State had defensive rebounds (21). GCU returns to action at 6 p.m. Thursday against Longwood at GCU Arena.

‹ 36 › MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES

GAME 12: GCU 86, LONGWOOD 76 DAN MAJERLE POSTGAME QUOTES: December 21, 2017 - 7:09 PM Tip Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Arena) (Opening statement) “Good win. You’re always a little nervous about these, especially when Longwood 56 (3-9) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds we are flying out tonight and have a big road trip. I thought our guys came out really focused. ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min Came out and played really well in the opening minutes and shot the ball extremely well. The 02 B.K. Ashe * 6-12 0-2 1-2 0 6 6 2 13 2 4 0 0 39 03 Kamil Chapman * 3-8 2-6 5-5 0 2 2 4 13 1 3 0 3 26 bench came in, Fiifi brought a lot of energy, Matt, everybody. Just a good win. Those are two 21 Jashaun Smith * 4-9 1-4 2-2 0 1 1 2 11 0 2 0 1 30 24 Damarion Geter * 3-5 0-1 1-3 0 5 5 2 7 0 0 1 1 35 home games that you get nervous for but our guys did a great job of coming out and taking 30 Chris Shields * 2-6 0-1 1-2 2 2 4 3 5 0 3 0 0 24 care of business. I’m proud of them.” 00 Dominic Ezeani 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 13 Spencer Franklin 1-7 0-0 1-4 3 2 5 3 3 0 1 0 1 25 20 Jordan Cintron 1-2 0-1 0-0 2 0 2 3 2 2 3 0 1 19 (on Fiifi Aidoo’s performance off the bench) “Fiifi is a good player. He’s starting to get some TEAM 0 1 1 Totals 21-50 3-15 11-18 7 19 26 20 56 5 16 1 7 200 confidence and the best thing is Oscar started to get going too. They were just reversing their roles a little bit. I think Oscar’s more of a starter and Fiifi can come off the bench and get it FG % 1st Half: 8-21 38.1% 2nd Half: 13-29 44.8% Game: 21-50 42.0% 3FG % 1st Half: 1-5 20.0% 2nd Half: 2-10 20.0% Game: 3-15 20.0% going. Oscar the second half got it going. He’s so athletic and flies around and that’s when FT % 1st Half: 3-6 50.0% 2nd Half: 8-12 66.7% Game: 11-18 61.1% he’s really good. He crashes the boards and uses his athleticism, it makes the three point shot Grand Canyon 86 (9-3) Total 3-Ptr Rebounds earlier. I’m proud of both of them.” ## Player FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA Off Def Tot PF TP A TO Blk Stl Min 04 Oscar Frayer F 4-8 2-3 0-0 3 1 4 2 10 0 2 1 1 19 24 Keonta Vernon F 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 1 3 0 2 3 0 0 1 18 (on what it’s like when both rotations are playing well and how it raises the play) “When 25 Alessandro Lever F 2-5 1-3 2-4 2 8 10 4 7 2 1 2 0 23 you play 10, Kerwin and Damari make 12, and we really can’t play that many. We have some 02 Joshua Braun G 2-7 2-6 0-0 1 0 1 2 6 1 1 0 0 14 11 Casey Benson G 4-10 1-5 2-2 1 4 5 1 11 5 1 0 2 20 talented guys so we will see how they hold up against Louisville, Illinois and Morgan State, guys 00 Shaq Carr 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 2 2 5 2 2 2 17 like that. We have guys who can go in and play four or five minute stretches and play really hard 01 FiifiAidoo 6-8 2-4 0-0 1 1 2 1 14 2 0 0 0 22 05 MaJacksontt 4-7 2-4 0-0 1 2 3 0 10 1 1 0 1 16 defensively and that’s what we try to key on. Go out there and let our defense get our offense 10 Damari Milstead 1-1 1-1 2-2 0 0 0 0 5 0 2 0 0 8 12 Roberts Blumbergs 1-5 0-2 4-6 1 4 5 2 6 0 1 0 0 17 going and pick up our energy. All of those guys are doing a good job there. All of those guys 13 Ibrahima Sankare 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 understand what they have to do and they did a good job. These are games that are sometimes 15 Cheick Sy-Savane 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 21 Kerwin Smith 2-2 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 4 1 0 2 0 5 hard and I was proud of our guys.” 22 Nehemiah Allen 1-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 42 Gerard Martin 2-5 2-5 1-2 1 1 2 0 7 2 0 0 1 15 (on traveling to Louisville on a quick turnaround similar to two years ago) “We didn’t get TEAM 1 2 3 Totals 31-63 13-34 11-16 16 26 42 16 86 22 11 7 8 200 kind of blown out, I think we lost by 60 so we really got blown out. That’s why we are flying out

FG % 1st Half: 16-32 50.0% 2nd Half: 15-31 48.4% Game: 31-63 49.2% tonight. We have a red-eye at 12:30, we get into Louisville at 9:30 in the morning that way we 3FG % 1st Half: 8-19 42.1% 2nd Half: 5-15 33.3% Game: 13-34 38.2% can be in there, get some practice and get a little bit of rest then we have another afternoon FT % 1st Half: 4-5 80.0% 2nd Half: 7-11 63.6% Game: 11-16 68.8% game. They’re obviously very good but I told our guys I expect us to go in there, compete and Officials: Shawn Lehigh, Frank Harvey, Jon Stigliano win the game. We are past the point of just showing up. Tonight hopefully we get some rest on Technical Fouls: Longwood-None. Grand Canyon-None. GCU Arena, Phoenix, AZ Attendance: 7006 the plane and when we get there we will be energized, have a good practice and be ready for In Off 2nd Fast Score by Period 1st 2nd Total Points Paint T/O Chance Break Bench Saturday.” Longwood 20 36 56 LWD 32 13 4 2 7 Grand Canyon 44 42 86 GCU 30 18 11 1 6 50 (on the offensives pace vs Longwood) “When you hit jump shots, it is always a little bit better.

Last FG - LWD 2nd-00:04,GCU 2nd-00:19. Score Tied - 0 times Fiifi shot the ball well, Gerard shot it well, Matt came in and shot it well. When you start hitting Largest lead - LWD by 1 1st-18:47, GCU by 35 2nd-13:43 Lead Changed - 2 times LWD led for 00:15. GCU led for 39:31. Game was tied for 00:14. jump shots everything kind of loosens up and then we kind of let them back in the game, which is a tough deal for me. I wanted them to keep playing, but we came out in the second half and RAPID RECAP: did a good job. We just have to continue to shoot the ball that well, but it can’t be just living by Grand Canyon did not wait until Saturday to get ready for its high-profile game Louisville. the jump shot, we have to be able to attack and most of our stuff will come off of our defensive pressure.” The Lopes came out Thursday night with play befitting a match with a perennial power, pouncing on Longwood with a sizzling 34-5 start that led to a 86-56 victory in front of 7,006 fans at GCU Arena. (on if Alessandro Lever is doing a better job on the boards and rebounding) “I think so. He is starting to figure it out. He has got to get stronger with the basketball, but he is doing a good GCU (9-3) made 15 of its first 21 shots, scoring 25 points in one first-half stretch of five minutes job. I thought Rob was a little bit more aggressive. He is a much better shooter then he is right and 14 seconds. now. He can really shoot it, but he is not shooting the ball well, but I liked how he took the ball The Lopes played with more pace than usual and came at Longwood in waves. GCU dominated to the basket. He is starting to figure it out a little bit. Both those guys with their size have to be Longwood in bench scoring, 28-0, in the first half. more physical and have to be stronger with the basketball.” Head coach Dan Majerle moved sophomore guard Fiifi Aidoo back to the bench in part to get him (on whether there was discussion on not looking ahead to Louisville and focusing on more scoring opportunities and he continued his recent hot shooting with a run of 10 consecutive Longwood) “There is a lot of discussion. I told our guys we have given away enough games Lopes points over two minutes. Aidoo finished with a team-high 14 points on six-of-eight shooting. and we are not good enough to look past anybody. We are always looking ahead to the WAC, not just Louisville, but we always want to be able to learn and get better each night that we play Two days after Longwood had No. 3 Arizona State tied at 30 late in the first half, GCU held the and tonight was an opportunity for us to get better and learn about each other, play hard and Lancers to five points in the game’s first 11 minutes. The stops translated to more transition play for continue to do well on defense and I thought we did that for the most part. We are not looking an offense with quick strikes and crisp passes to score 39 points in the first 13 minutes. past anybody. We have to try to get better every game and work on our game, and our guys A cool-off was unavoidable but the Lopes went seven minutes without making a field goal and still have to learn and get experience” led 39-20 before closing the first half with five unanswered points and opening the second half “Drive. Kick. with nine more. (on what the key is when you face a good shot blocking team like Louisville) Drive. Kick. It is not that hard. I mean you have to get in the paint. There is going to be shot Coming off a win with 11 made 3-pointers, the Lopes hit 13 more on Thursday for its second-highest blockers coming, you have to have good spacing and just move the basketball. We have done total of the season. Aidoo, Matt Jackson, Gerard Martin, Joshua Braun and Oscar Frayer (in his a better job at that lately and moving the basketball, trying to make the extra pass. I mean we return to the starting lineup) each hit two 3-pointers. had 22 assists tonight, so I think we are starting to move the ball a little bit better. Our guys understand that. So we just have to do that come Saturday. Pick our spots, but once you get to On the flip side, GCU maintained its status as the defense that has allowed the fewest 3-pointers the paint, if somebody is there, just find the open guy.” in Division I and the sixth-lowest opponent 3-point percentage. Longwood, missing leading scorer Isaiah Walton for a third consecutive game, went three for 15 from 3-point range. (on if the team is used to environments like Louisville) “Oh yeah, I mean these guys, if you In addition to Aidoo, Jackson (10 points) and senior point guard Casey Benson (11 points, five think about it. Josh has played at almost every environment, Casey, obviously played at Oregon rebounds, five assists) scored in double figures for GCU. Freshman power forward Alessandro and has done all that, Oscar has been to Duke, started as a freshman. Matt, Gerard, all the way Lever grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, which also is a season high. The win marked GCU’s third down the line. Alessandro and Roberts are two foreigners that don’t know what the hell is win by 30 points or more in the past five games. going on, they don’t even know where Louisville is. We will be alright.”

‹ 37 › BROADCAST NOTES

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Tied season-highs for points (11) and assists (5) at Boise State on 0 GP PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 18, 2x, last vs. Arkansas-PB, 12/22/16 17-18 11/0 4.3 1.4 2.6 0.5 0.2 50.0 92.3 37.5 Dec. 13. REB 7, vs. San Diego Christian, 1/17/17 SHAQ Career 41/6 4.6 2.0 2.5 0.7 0.1 47.8 85.0 43.8 »» In first appearance of GCU career, scored 18 points and dished out 8 AST 9, vs. Arkansas-PB, 12/22/16 assists on the road at No. 1 Duke last season. CARR MISCELLANEOUS STL 3, 4x, last vs. Chicago State, 2/23/17 »» Transferred from College of Southern Idaho where he was a teammate Guard PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... of fellow Lope, Keonta Vernon, in 2014-15. Sr. • 6-2 • 170 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK BLK 2, vs. Longwood, 12/21/17 »» Shot 47.1% from the field and 83.0% from the line in his first season. North Las Vegas, Nev. 17-18 2 3 3 2 1 MIN 40, vs. Arkansas-PB, 12/22/16 »» Favorite athletes to watch: Kyrie Irving, John Wall. Total 8 7 1 1 10 8 1

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Scored 10 points in 2:04 span against Longwood on Dec. 21. 1 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 16, vs. Bethesda, 1/31/17 17-18 12/4 5.3 1.9 1.5 0.3 0.2 44.9 71.4 32.3 »» Tied a career high with 3 3-point makes as a part of an 11-point effort in REB 5, 3x, last vs. CSU Bakersfield, 2/4/17 FIIFI Career 40/6 4.8 2.0 1.0 0.6 0.2 37.0 69.0 30.0 the season opener vs. Florida A&M. Tied for team lead in points. AST 3, 3x, last vs. St. John’s, 12/5/17 »» Key contributor in GCU’s win over San Diego State on Dec. 7, 2016, AIDOO MISCELLANEOUS STL 3, 2x, last at Utah Valley, 2/18/17 scoring 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting and 3-for-5 from range. Guard PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Helped lead his Finnish national team to a 7th-place finish at World So. • 6-2 • 200 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK BLK 2, vs. Coppin State, 11/25/16 University Games. Over 8 games, shot 50.9% and averaged 9.0 ppg. Helsinki, Finland 17-18 2 2 2 1 1 MIN 36, vs. Alcorn State, 12/20/16 »» Attended the Helsinki Basketball Academy where he was coached by Total 7 2 3 4 5 former Atlanta Hawk and Utah Ute, Hanno Mottola. 2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Had a first-half career-high when he scored 22 points vs. Little Rock on 2 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 34, vs. Utah Valley, 1/16/16 17-18 12/12 14.3 4.1 1.5 0.6 0.6 39.7 71.1 36.9 Nov. 18 on 8-for-8 shooting (5-for-5 from 3-point range). REB 11, vs. New Mexico State, 1/9/16 JOSH Career 100/93 15.0 4.8 1.1 0.7 0.6 44.1 82.2 39.2 »» Hit four 3-pointers in Nov. 13 game vs. Robert Morris to become GCU’s AST 6, at Chicago State, 1/28/17 all-time leader in career 3-pointers (199), passing Richard Davis (197). BRAUN MISCELLANEOUS STL 4, vs. New Mexico, 12/23/14 »» Named Preseason WAC Player of the Year by both coaches and media. Guard PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Dropped 25 pounds in offseason. “I looked like a football player. I BLK 3, 5x, last at CSU Bakersfield, 2/27/16 R-Sr. • 6-4 • 205 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK slimmed down. I look more like a basketball player.” Anthem, Ariz. 17-18 9 4 6 3 2 2 3 MIN 43, 2x, last at Boise State, 12/13/17 »» Two-time CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American winner. Total 73 28 5 2 5 40 13 2 11 25

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Made GCU debut in win over Grambling State on Dec. 9 to a large 3 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS -- 17-18 2/0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ovation from the Havocs. -- PARKER Career 2/0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 REB »» Won an Australian High School National Championship. DALE MISCELLANEOUS AST -- »» At The Scots College, led his team in scoring, 3-point percentage, and Guard STL -- rebounding. PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Off the court, enjoys playing rugby, surfing and skiing. Fr. • 6-4 • 205 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK BLK -- »» Attended the same school in Australia as fellow Lope, Gerard Martin. Sydney, Australia 17-18 MIN 2, vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 Total

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Moved back to the starting lineup after a 4-game absence in a win over 4 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 19, 3x, last vs. Norfolk State, 11/20/17 17-18 12/8 8.3 4.5 1.2 1.3 0.4 42.9 55.2 28.2 Longwood on Dec. 21. REB 12, 2x, last at Seattle U, 2/16/17 OSCAR Career 43/33 8.0 4.5 0.9 1.1 0.7 40.5 63.3 26.4 »» Started season 7-for-13 from 3-point range (.538). AST 3, 5x, last vs. Little Rock, 11/18/17 »» Tied career-high in win over Norfolk State on Nov. 20 with 19 points on FRAYER MISCELLANEOUS STL 4, 2x, last vs. UIC, 12/10/16 4-for-6 shooting from 3-point range. Forward PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Led GCU in blocks (24) in his freshman campaign. So. • 6-6 •190 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK BLK 4, at Seattle U, 2/16/17 »» Recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds vs. Chicago Oakland, Calif. 17-18 5 1 2 1 6 1 MIN 42, at Chicago State, 1/28/17 State on Jan. 28. Total 16 2 1 2 6 1 14 14 »» High school teammate of Damari Milstead at Moreau Catholic. 2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Has scored in double figures in back-to-back games for just the second 5 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 13, vs. Utah Valley, 1/16/16 17-18 11/0 3.5 2.1 0.4 0.5 0.1 45.5 50.0 40.0 time in his career (last: March 2016 vs. S. Carolina St., Jackson St.). REB 7, 2x, last vs. Mississippi Valley St., 11/23/15 MATT Career 66/16 4.4 2.7 0.8 0.3 0.3 40.7 66.1 35.3 »» In season opener, saw first action since March 23, 2016 at Coastal AST 5, vs. Great Falls, 12/6/14 Carolina. Sat out 2016-17 season with injury. MISCELLANEOUS JACKSON STL 2, 4x, last vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 »» Considered one of the team’s “high basketball IQ” players by Majerle. Forward PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» As a sophomore in 2015-16, started 10 games, helping GCU to a 27-7 BLK 2, vs. South Carolina State, 3/14/16 R-Jr. • 6-8 • 230 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK finish and second place in the WAC. 17-18 3 1 1 Melbourne, Australia MIN 30, vs. Great Falls, 12/6/14 »» Played for Australia during the 2012 U17 World Championships, averag- Total 8 4 9 ing 4.9 points per game over eight contests. 2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Has made the first 4 3-point attempts of his GCU career. 10 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 6, vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 17-18 6/0 4.3 0.5 0.7 0.2 0.0 77.8 66.7 100.0 »» Set a career-high with 6 points vs. Grambling State on Dec. 9. REB 2, vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 DAMARI Career 6/0 4.3 0.5 0.7 0.2 0.0 77.8 66.7 100.0 »» Saw first career action in season opener against Florida A&M on AST 2, vs. Florida A&M, 11/10/17 Friday, scoring 5 points and got 6 FTs attempts in 11 minutes. MILSTEAD MISCELLANEOUS STL 1, vs. UC Riverside, 12/2/17 »» High school teammate of Oscar Frayer at Moreau Catholic. Guard PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Led the Mariners to a state championship during his Conference Player Fr. • 6-2 • 160 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK BLK -- of the Year season as a senior. Hayward, Calif. 17-18 MIN 11, vs. Florida A&M, 11/10/17 »» Arrived on campus in early summer where he put on a “healthy” fresh- Total man 15, taking advantage of GCU’s sports performance offerings. 2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Had career-high 18 points vs. St. John’s on Dec. 5. 11 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 18, vs. St. John’s, 12/5/17 17-18 12/12 10.8 4.7 5.2 1.2 0.2 37.1 75.5 30.4 »» Has assumed new scoring role at GCU after transferring from Oregon. REB 10, vs. San Diego, 11/25/17 CASEY Career 125/63 5.4 2.2 2.6 0.7 0.0 41.0 73.0 36.0 »» From Nov. 13 to Nov. 20, scored in double-digits for three consecutive AST 9, vs. UC Irvine, 12/15/15 BENSON MISCELLANEOUS games for the first time in his career. STL 4, vs. UC Riverside, 12/2/17 »» Led the nation in assist-to-turnover (4.88-to-1) ratio as a sophomore. Guard PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Returns to Arizona where he was a high school standout, winning 2014 BLK 1, 5x, last vs. Mississippi Val. St., 12/18/17 Sr. • 6-3 • 185 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK Gatorade Player of the Year and winning three state championships. 17-18 7 1 8 2 2 9 3 1 Tempe, Ariz. MIN 38, at Boise State, 12/13/17 »» His brother, T.J. Benson, is a GCU assistant coach. Total 20 1 20 2 2 9 3 1

‹ 38 › BROADCAST NOTES

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Tied career-high with 14 points against UC Riverside on Dec. 2. 12 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 14, 2x, last vs. UC Riverside, 12/2/17 17-18 12/7 6.3 3.6 1.0 0.7 0.3 30.7 87.5 19.0 »» Had best game of early career against Norfolk State on Nov. 20, posting REB 8, vs. Norfolk State, 11/20/17 ROBERTS Career 12/7 6.3 3.6 1.0 0.7 0.3 30.7 87.5 19.0 14 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in 31 minutes. AST 6, vs. Norfolk State, 11/20/17 BLUMBERGS MISCELLANEOUS »» Played on Latvian U16 national team. Left home at 16 to join B-league STL 3, vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 club in Germany. Efficient producer at 2016 U18 Euro Championship. Forward PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Chose GCU over Creighton, Seton Hall and Xavier. BLK 1, 4x, last vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 Fr. • 6-10 • 220 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK »» “Arguably the top available 2017 center prospect” according to 17-18 3 1 1 2 3 2 Ventspils, Latvia MIN 31, vs. Norfolk State, 11/20/17 247Sports at time of April 2017 signing. Total 3 1 1 2 3 2

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Scored first points of GCU career in win over Grambling State on Dec. 9. 13 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 2, 3x, last vs. Mississippi Val. St., 12/18/17 17-18 4/0 1.3 0.8 0.0 0.5 0.3 66.7 50.0 0.0 »» Selected to play for the Senegal U19 team, competing in the 2013 FIBA REB 2, vs. Mississippi Val. St., 12/18/17 IBRAHIMA Career 4/0 1.3 0.8 0.0 0.5 0.3 66.7 50.0 0.0 World Championships in Prague. Team matched up with Australia and AST -- SANKARE MISCELLANEOUS fellow Lope Gerard Martin during pool play. STL 1, 2x, last vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 »» Selected to Senegal’s senior national selects team. Forward PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Scored 43 points in the final game of his high school career at Malick Sy BLK 1, vs. Mississippi Val. St., 12/18/17 R-Fr. • 6-7 • 200 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK HS in Senegal. Won the championship, won the team’s MVP and was the 17-18 Thiès, Senegal MIN 4, 2x, last vs. Mississippi Val. St., 12/18/17 team’s leading scorer as a junior. Total

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Saw first action of 2017-18 season in a win over Grambling State on Dec. 15 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 3, 3x, last vs. Mississippi Val. St., 12/18/17 17-18 3/0 2.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 40.0 0.0 100.0 9, knocking down a contested 3-pointer. REB 1, vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 CHEICK Career 5/0 1.8 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 0.0 60.0 »» Appeared for GCU in two games in his debut season in 2016-17. AST -- SY-SAVANE MISCELLANEOUS »» Transferred from Suffolk County where he averaged 27.5 points 5.2 STL 1, vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 rebounds per game. Guard PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Was named a 2015-16 NJCAA Division III All-American. BLK -- Sr. • 6-3 • 180 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK »» Father, Ousmane, played professional soccer. 17-18 Harlem, N.Y. MIN 4, vs. Grambling State, 12/9/17 »» Also played volleyball in high school. Total

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Has scored in double-digits seven times, and pulled down a career-best 21 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 12, 4x, last at New Mexico State, 1/12/17 17-18 11/0 1.7 1.5 0.3 0.1 0.4 61.5 42.9 0.0 10 rebounds vs. CSU Bakersfield on 2/4/17. REB 10, vs. CSU Bakersfield, 2/4/17 KERWIN Career 74/31 3.3 2.7 0.1 0.2 0.3 58.2 41.1 0.0 »» As a freshman at GCU, started in 25 of 32 games he played in, scoring a AST 1, 3x, last vs. Longwood, 12/21/17 SMITH MISCELLANEOUS season high 12 points against St. Edward’s. Forward STL 2, at UTRGV, 1/14/17 »» Scored 16 points and had 14 rebounds in first game of his senior year PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Aunt, Sebrena, played basketball for Louisiana Tech and Northwestern R-Jr. • 6-9 • 220 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK BLK 2, 5x, last vs. Longwood, 12/21/17 (LA) before playing professionally in Spain. Dallas, Texas 17-18 1 2 MIN 33, at New Mexico State, 1/12/17 Total 7 1 1 7 2 12

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Scored two points in win over Longwood on Dec. 21. 22 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 2, 2x, last vs. Longwood, 12/21/17 17-18 3/0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 »» Saw first action of 2017-18 season in a win over Grambling State on REB 2, vs. Coppin State, 11/25/16 NEHEMIAH Career 9/0 0.4 0.6 0.0 0.1 0.0 66.7 0.0 0.0 Dec. 9. AST -- ALLEN MISCELLANEOUS »» From Lake Oswego, Ore., home to Klay Thompson and Kevin Love. STL 1, vs. Bethesda, 1/31/17 »» Played in six games in 2016-17 with a total of 18 minutes. Forward PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Scored his first collegiate basket against Arkansas-Pine Bluff . BLK -- So. • 6-5 • 170 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK »» Father, Dale Allen, played basketball at Hillsdale College in Michigan. Lake Oswego, Ore. 17-18 MIN 5, vs. San Diego Christian, 1/17/17 Total

2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Logged GCU’s first double-double of season (15p/12r) at Boise State on 24 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 24, at Chicago State, 1/28/17 17-18 12/12 7.8 7.2 1.2 0.8 1.6 54.4 55.6 0.0 Dec. 13, the 12th of his career. REB 15, 3x, last vs. St. John’s, 12/5/17 KEONTA Career 77/51 8.0 6.4 0.8 0.8 0.7 52.2 53.5 25.0 »» Became first GCU player in Division I era and fourth all-time to shoot a AST 4, vs. San Diego State, 12/7/16 perfect 8-for-8 from the field in a win over Grambling State on Dec. 9. MISCELLANEOUS VERNON STL 4, 2x, last at CSU Bakersfield, 3/4/17 »» Despite a cold-shooting night, tied a career-high with 15 rebounds Forward PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... against St. John’s at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Dec. 5. BLK 4, 2x, last vs. Mississippi Val. St., 12/18/17 Sr. • 6-6 • 240 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK »» Last season, Vernon’s 217 total rebounds for the year led the Lopes, 17-18 2 2 1 1 7 1 3 9 Tulare, Calif. MIN 46, at Chicago State, 1/28/17 averaging 7.0 per contest. Total 23 2 13 12 5 31 2 19 25 »» Teammate of Shaq Carr’s at College of Southern Idaho in 2014-15. 2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» Nearly doubled previous career-best of 6 rebounds with a 10-board 25 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 12, vs. Norfolk State, 11/20/17 17-18 12/5 5.1 3.1 0.8 0.2 0.3 35.6 72.7 17.6 performance against Longwood on Dec. 21. REB 10, vs. Longwood, 12/21/17 ALESSANDRO Career 12/5 5.1 3.1 0.8 0.2 0.3 35.6 72.7 17.6 »» Played a career-high 20 min. and scored 10 pts at Boise St. on Dec. 13. AST 2, 2x, last vs. Longwood, 12/21/17 »» Earned first career start in win over Grambling State on Dec. 9. LEVER MISCELLANEOUS STL 1, 2x, last vs. Mississippi Val. St., 12/18/17 »» Had an efficient 12 points in 11 min in win over Norfolk State on Nov. 20. Forward PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Scored a team-high 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field in GCU’s Fr. • 6-10 • 230 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK BLK 2, vs. Longwood, 12/21/17 exhibition victory over St. Francis while also pulling down 7 rebounds. Bolzano, Italy 17-18 2 1 2 2 MIN 23, vs. Longwood, 12/21/17 »» Played for the Italian U18 national team. Total 2 1 2 2 »» If he wasn’t playing basketball, he’d be swimming. 2017-18 / CAREER AVERAGES CAREER HIGHS NOTES »» In just 13 minutes, tied for lead in rebounds (6) vs. Grambling on Dec. 9. 42 GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT% 3PT% PTS 17, vs. Central Michigan, 12/03/15 17-18 12/0 3.7 2.8 1.1 0.7 0.2 42.9 45.5 36.0 »» Is shooting 35.7 percent from 3-point range this season (5-for-14), REB 10, vs. Seattle U, 1/21/17 GERARD Career 77/57 4.6 3.2 2.3 1.1 0.3 36.7 44.7 32.7 improving upon his 26.7 percent clip from a year ago. AST 7, 3x, last vs. Seattle U, 1/21/17 »» Was named to the WAC’s All-Defensive team after finishing in the MARTIN MISCELLANEOUS STL 7, vs. SIUE, 11/28/16 conference’s top 10 in steals per game (1.4) last year. Guard PTS REB AST DOUBLE- LED GRAND CANYON IN... »» Had career-best 7 steals and 6 rebounds against SIUE last November. R-Jr. • 6-7 • 225 10+ 20+ 10+ 5+ DOUBLE PTS REB AST STL BLK BLK 2, 3x, last vs. Little Rock, 11/18/17 »» A member of gold medal-winning sides for the U16 and U18 state team. Manly, Australia 17-18 1 2 1 MIN 40, 3x, last at Chicago State, 1/28/17 »» Usually first off the bench, considered by Majerle as one of team’s top Total 8 1 1 6 7 15 15 defenders and high basketball IQ players.

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