On Saturday, Feb. 10, the Southern Utah University men’s basketball team was defeated by Grand Canyon University 94-65.
With the win, GCU ties with nationally ranked No. 1 University of Connecticut and No. 2 Purdue University for the best record in Division l at 22-2, as well as the best win percentage of .917. The Lopes also clinched a berth to the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament with a conference record of 12-1.
After losing their second game in a row, the Thunderbirds fall to 9-15 overall and 4-9 in the WAC. Southern Utah resides at the No. 9 spot out of 11 conference teams.
First half
The Thunderbirds led just twice the whole game, both times coming early in the first half. The Lopes forced 10 turnovers in the half, including five steals.
After starting 2/8 from the floor, Grand Canyon went on a blistering 23-5 run, leading 29-12 with just over six minutes left. SUU sophomore guard Prophet Johnson came off the bench and tallied four quick points, cutting the lead to just 10 with three minutes remaining. The Thunderbirds scored two straight baskets to end the half, a Brock Felder layup and a buzzer-beating banked-in three by Dominique Ford, and cut the deficit to 46-30 headed into the break.
Grand Canyon totaled eight first-half fast break points, while SUU had none. On top of that, the Lopes’ bench poured in 25 points. GCU shot 51.7%, including 4/6 from the three-point line. The Thunderbirds shot a respectable 40% from the floor.
Second half
The Lopes poured in second-chance points, tallying 20 on 13 offensive rebounds. They stretched the lead to 26 just six minutes in with the help of star guard Tyon Grant-Foster’s six points.
The Thunderbirds turned the ball over nine times and struggled to convert on three-point attempts, going 2/8. The inability to hit shots allowed GCU to keep their lead above 20 points the rest of the way, defeating SUU 94-65.
Ford’s 11 second-half points for SUU wasn’t enough, as the rest of the team combined for just 24 points. Defensively, SUU held GCU to just 39.5% from the floor, but the Lopes attempted 43 shots compared to Southern Utah’s 28.
Grand Canyon key statistics
— They outrebounded SUU 50-29, including 21 offensive boards.
— The bench tallied 43 points, led by Jovan Blacksher Jr’s 18 points on 6/7 shooting and 3/3 from the free-throw line.
— Senior forward Lök Wur added 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks off the bench.
— Grant-Foster tallied 18 points and seven rebounds.
— GCU shot 22/29 from the free-throw line.
— They scored 30 second-chance points compared to SUU’s five.
— This was head coach Bryce Drew’s 250th career win.
Southern Utah key statistics
— Ford totaled 23 points on 6/15 from the floor and had five rebounds.
— Starters Parsa Fallah and Zion Young scored a combined three points on 0/7 from the floor, and Fallah had seven turnovers in his 18 minutes.
— SUU turned it over 19 times.
— Freshman Felder tallied three ferocious blocks to go along with eight points.
What’s next?
Southern Utah will continue WAC play with a two-game homestand. They will take on Seattle University on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Thunderbirds will play Utah Valley University at 6:30 p.m. as former SUU guard Drake Allen returns to Cedar City for the first time since transferring. Both games can be streamed through ESPN+.
Author: Brig Pyfer
Photographer: Anden Garfield
Editor: Anden Garfield
sports@suunews.net
