(Phoenix, AZ) Heading toward its toughest nonconference stretch, Grand Canyon needed something even more special that moving to 8-1 for the best start of its nine-year Division I era.
Recording its most resounding rout of the D-I era delivered that feeling with GCU knocking out Mississippi Valley State 91-44 on Saturday night at GCU Arena.
With trips to Arizona State and Nevada and a downtown Phoenix meeting against undefeated San Francisco coming between Thursday and Dec. 21, the Lopes pounded the Delta Devils to prepare for the Sun Devils.
GCU held Mississippi Valley State to 29.5% shooting, marking the fourth time that the Lopes have held an opponent to sub-30% shooting in 33 games under head coach Bryce Drew. They shut out the Delta Devils for about four minutes to start each half, leaving nothing to the imagination for a Mississippi Valley State team that trailed by just one point at Ole Miss with 9:52 remaining.
At that point Saturday night, the Lopes were leading by 34 with Walter Ellis, Jayden Stone and Aidan Igiehon stepping up in their best playing opportunities of the season. Igiehon, the 6-foot-10, 245-pound transfer from Louisville, received his first career start and responded with a career-high nine points, six rebounds and a blocked shot in a career-high 20 minutes.
Igiehon played more than any other starter with the Lopes not needing to rely on the backcourt of junior Jovan Blacksher Jr. and graduate Holland Woods IIand junior power forward Gabe McGlothan as heavily as other wins.
Igiehon only made 18 brief appearances at Louisville and missed summer and preseason work at GCU because of hip surgery. But five weeks into the season, Igiehon was the player using his size in a post-up to get the Lopes off to a 5-0 start.
“Coach just kept telling me, ‘Stick with it. Your time is going to come and, when it comes, be ready,’ ” said Igiehon, an Ireland native who played high school basketball in New York. “I stayed hungry and got my start, so I was happy.
“It’s been tough, but the one thing that made it easy is my love for the game. That never dies. You come into practice really happy to be playing basketball, just grateful. I sat out for 16 straight weeks so just to be able to be around the guys and be involved is really special.”
The Lopes defense held the Delta Devils without scoring for four to six consecutive minutes on three occasions. When offensive bursts coincided, GCU ran away as Mississippi Valley State missed 26 of its first 33 shots.
“We were making them take some shots that, for the most part, were contested,” Drew said. “Our defense set a great tone.”
Graduate swingman Sean Miller-Moore, the team leader in rebounds (six) and assists (four) despite only playing 14 minutes, provided the initial one when he helped break up the Lopes’ 5-for-19 shooting start. GCU made its next seven shots with Miller-Moore scoring on follows twice and getting one of the Lopes’ eight dunks off a steal by senior forward Taeshon Cherry, who had three steals in 14 minutes.
“Above any of the stat line, just the energy he brings to our team and the crowd,” Drew said of Cherry. “He’s a very high-energy player and it’s great that our crowd responds to him so well.”
Cherry, Blacksher, Woods and graduate guard Walter Ellis each scored a team-high 11, but Ellis was the biggest breakthrough of the bunch. Cherry solidified his rotation time last week, but Ellis showed more than his sharpshooting for three 3-pointers on Saturday night.
“It’s a new system and a new feel for what I need to bring to the team and what my coaches expect,” said Ellis, a junior starter for Bucknell last season. “Everyone know that I shoot the ball, but being able to show that I can guard for us is the thing I’m focusing on and being tough mentally and physically.”
GCU kept to single-digit turnovers in consecutive games, something last season’s Lopes did not do until the postseason. No player made more than one turnover with primary ball-handlers Blacksher, Blackmon, Woods and Chance McMillian delivering 10 assists with one turnover.
Junior power forward Yvan Ouedraogo moved to a bench role and showed some of his best post play in weeks, converting 3 of 5 shots.
“I really liked his aggressiveness,” Drew said. “He’s really been attacking the glass in practice. Today, six rebounds in 16 minutes means he’s being really aggressive and assertive.”
The crowd enjoyed seeing Stone get to the rim twice and make two steals as part of a 51-point bench effort. That included a quality four-point, three-rebound finish in the final 3:39 for walk-on Ethan Spry.
From Igiehon starting to Spry finishing, the game was a reminder of the Lopes’ depth and that no role is locked.
“The older guys get into a groove in college,” Ellis said. “You just know that eventually your time is going to come so you just stay ready for that opportunity. Just show up every day, work hard and push the team.”
Press Release courtesy of Grand Canyon Athletics – Paul Coro
