PHOENIX — The Grand Canyon Lopes (3-0) beat the Gonzaga Bulldogs (2-2) 82-62 Friday night at Global Credit Union Arena, the first win in program history for the Lopes over the Bulldogs, hitting 17 three-pointers and riding a 35-7 run to turn a game that was close after one quarter into a rout.
The first quarter was the last time it was competitive. The Lopes led just 19-18 after one, then went on a 35-7 run, outscoring the Bulldogs 26-7 in the second quarter and 23-7 in the third, and led 45-25 at halftime on the way to a lead as big as 36.
Maya Foz led the Lopes with 19 points, going 7-of-8 from the field and hitting five triples. Foz kept GCU afloat in a first quarter when the Lopes were a little disjointed, and four Lopes finished in double figures — Foz with 19, Chloe Mann with 14, Y. Schmidt with 12 and Ines Zounia with 10.
GCU shot 47 percent from the field and 17-of-32 from three-point range, 53 percent, while Gonzaga shot 36 percent and just 5-of-23 from three. The Lopes forced 22 turnovers and scored 22 points off them. Gonzaga won the rebounding 40-34, but it was not enough against the Lopes’ shooting.
Gonzaga played without sophomore forward Jaiden Haile, who never played in the game. Haile has been sidelined with an overuse injury to her left foot.
Lauren Whittaker led Gonzaga with 16 points and eight rebounds. Teryn Gardner added 10.
GCU head coach Winston Gandy, speaking to Kelly Burke on CW Sports after the game, said the urgency was there from the opening tip. “I thought they did a great job from the tip,” Gandy said. “I thought we set the tone early.” Gandy said putting four quarters together was one of the things the Lopes wanted, and they did it Friday night, with different people stepping up and some players off the bench having welcome-to-college moments.
Gandy credited the team’s unselfishness for the shooting night. “I think the unselfishness,” Gandy said. “We recognize we have multiple people that can go off on any night… the willingness to share the ball, the willingness to play the game the right way.”
On Foz, Gandy said she makes everybody’s job easier, because the Lopes have five people who can score pretty much all the time. “She really kept us afloat in that first quarter,” Gandy said. “When you see the way she works, her work ethic… it’s hard not to really be too surprised when they have nights like this.”
Foz, speaking to Kelly Burke after the game, said she was not thinking about her own numbers. “I didn’t really think about it too much, I was just trying to win the game,” Foz said. “We started off a little slow but we picked it up.”
Foz said the Lopes knew it would not be easy after beating Oregon on Monday. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, so we have to come out and throw the first punch,” Foz said. “No team is just going to come in here and just let us win, so we had to fight for it.”
The win validates Monday’s 81-74 win over Oregon, and Gandy said the Lopes now turn the page to Santa Clara, another tournament-level team. “It’s important for us to validate Monday’s win with this one,” Gandy said. “After tonight we’re turning the page to Santa Clara, another tournament level team that we’re going to have to give our full attention to.”
GCU plays at Santa Clara on Thursday, with SMU also coming up.
© Old Town News Scottsdale — oldtownnews.us
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