Courtesy of Grand Canyon University Athletics
The Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team fell, 85-59, to Seattle Pacific today in the first round of the NCAA West Regional in Bellingham, Wash. The Antelopes wrapped up their 2012-13 season with a 23-8 overall record, while the Falcons improved to 26-3 overall.
SPU will play the winner of No. 2 Cal Poly Pomona and No. 7 Cal State Chico on Monday at 2:30 p.m. The Falcons were ranked second in the most recent NABC National Poll.
The 23 wins in a single season are the most by the ‘Lopes since also doing so in 1996-97.
GCU was led by Joshua Lowery with 15 points, while Justin Foreman added 10 points. Killian Larson pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
The Falcons shot an impressive 57.7 percent from the field (30-for-52) for the game, while GCU posted a 37.0 percent mark (17-for-46). SPU outrebounded the ‘Lopes, 36-20, and were aided by 36 points in the paint.
Neither team led by more than three points for the first seven and a half minutes of the first half, at which point the Falcons opened a 13-10 advantage. GCU responded with a 6-0 run to put themselves ahead 16-13 at the 11:29 mark and led by as many as four points. The ‘Lopes held the lead until there were just over six minutes remaining, before the Falcons went on to outscore GCU 23-10 for the remainder of the first half and carry a 44-32 lead into the locker room.
Overall, there were three tied scores and 10 lead changes in the first 14 minutes of the game.
SPU posted a 60.0 percent mark from the field (15-for-25) in the first half, including making five of their 10 three-point attempts. The ‘Lopes shot 36.4 percent (8-for-22) and also made half of their three-pointers (4-for-8).
The ‘Lopes would close the gap to nine points in the first two minutes of the second half, but were unable to pull closer for the remainder of the game. As they did in the first 20 minutes, the Falcons were hot from the field, posting a 55.6 field goal percentage (15-for-27).
