Grand Canyon basketball coach Bryce Drew turns up practice intensity after adversity hits
Grand Canyon's Texas trip was the most brutal two-game stretch this basketball season. Two games that got away in the end with the opponents parading to the free-throw line, something coach Bryce Drew hadn't seen since leading the Lopes.
GCU takes pride in being the aggressor, getting to the line much more than its opponent. The Lopes ranked fifth in the nation in free throws attempted. But Tarleton State shot 40 free throws to GCU's 17, and Abilene Christian shot 36 free throws to GCU's 24 in 77-74 and 79-73 losses, respectfully. It marked the first two-game losing streak in more than a year for the Lopes.
This is the first bit of adversity they've faced.
"I don't think it's complacency," Drew said about the two losses in Texas. "We had a lot of guys foul out in this trip, and they shot 35 more free throws.
"At the end of the day, if that doesn't happen, we might be 26-2 right now."
So this week, Drew and his staff made it a focus to get everybody dialed in at practice with an emphasis on the details, such as boxing out. Abilene Christian grabbed 40 rebounds to GCU's 29 on Saturday.
Graduate assistant Asbjørn Midtgaard got involved, using his 7-foot, 260-pound frame to push around GCU bigs Duke Brennan and Sydney Curry in practice. Midtgaard was a big part of GCU's first NCAA Tournament team in 2020-21, when he averaged 14.2 points and 9.7 rebounds. It was Drew's first year at GCU.
Players were constantly communicating during Tuesday's practice. Coaches were getting them to go harder, constantly talking. The action was faster, crisper, harder. The energy was greater than ever, as the Lopes prepare for March Madness.
Bouncing back from rare adversity this season
"When adversity hits, you've got to lean on each other," graduate forward Gabe McGlothan said. "Things get hard. You show a little bit of vulnerability when coaches are yelling at you. Sometimes you need a brother to pick you up. It's just strengthening that on the court.
"I think that's what practice has been. It's been rough, It's been hard. But it's more basketball brotherhood."
To get back to the NCAA Tournament, they realized they have to be in tournament mode now with last-place UT Rio Grande Valley (6-21, 2-14) coming to GCU on Thursday and Stephen F. Austin (14-13, 7-9) on Saturday night.
Then, there's a week off before GCU (24-4, 14-3) plays its last regular-season game at California Baptist (14-13, 7-9) on March 9.
More GCU sports news: GCU men's volleyball named No. 1 team in country, first time in school history
The Lopes found some things out about themselves while losing twice last week.
"We have been in a lot of close games at the end, so it was really good for us to feel that pressure," Drew said. "There will be that pressure in the conference tournament. We really never had to face any adversity all year. So it's good to face some adversity to make us better. We have to be able to respond better from it."
The first two practices were good this week, but Drew said, "It's the games that matter."
The benefits of pressure for Grand Canyon basketball
"I think it's a really good thing," McGlothan said of the losses. "Being a believer in faith, God is in control. So when things happen that are unfortunate, we can cling onto the hope that he has a path for us, a plan for us.
"God never promised it would be easy. I think a lot of people are looking at it as falling apart. But I think it's just falling into place."
Veteran leadership is important, especially this time of year.
McGlothan and point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., faced the high-pressure stakes in 2021 in the WAC Tournament, winning two games to get into the NCAA Tournament. Last year, Blacksher was recovering from a torn ACL and had a bench seat in Las Vegas, as McGlothan and guard Ray Harrison helped navigate the Lopes to four WAC tournament wins and into March Madness again.
GCU figures to have a top-two seed and a bye into the WAC Tournament semifinals to make the road to the NCAA Tournament easier.
But Drew realizes how much more detailed and focused his team has to be now to get back to the tournament.
"Back-to-back losses definitely I think put us back in the right mindset," Blacksher said. "Two good back-to-back practices, so we're ready for this week."
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: GCU coach Drew turns up practice intensity after adversity hits team
