Grand Canyon makes big opening splash behind Tyon Grant-Foster, Duke Brennan

Tyon Grant-Foster made up for a two-year absence in a devastating first-half performance, and Duke Brennan's hustle and tenacity were huge in Grand Canyon's season-opening 88-67 basketball victory Monday night against Southeast Missouri State.

A crowd of more than 7,186 watched as the Antelopes showed, right from the start, that this might be the most athletic and defensive-minded and best team in their 11-year NCAA Division I history.

Here are takeaways:

So many options

Grant-Foster, a graduate, looked like a lottery pick, leaving defenders behind with an array of quick, strong moves to the basket on his way to 30 points.

Big man Sydney Curry, a transfer from Louisville, went tumbling over the front row seats, all 6-foot-8, 270 pounds of him, to save a loose ball that ended up in the hands of a teammate. And when the Antelopes got into a lull midway through the second half, his board work pulled them out of it. He had eight points and nine rebounds.

Isaiah Shaw, who missed most of last season with an injury, showed off a deft 3-point shooting range, making 3 of 5 from the arc, finishing with 13 points off the bench.

Brennan was all over the court, scrapping for loose ball and rebounds in his first college double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

"That's just my mentality," said Brennan, a sophomore who came off the bench for ASU last year in their run to the NCAA Tournament. "I come in and try to impact the game as much as I can. Being physical out there, being strong out there."

Preseason WAC Player of the Year Ray Harrison didn't have to be the first option with so much help this season.

"It's truly amazing," said GCU forward Gabe McGlothan, whose college career started at SEMO in 2018-19. "It's whoever's game it's going to be. We read what they're going to give us and we adjust accordingly. This team is so selfless.

"It's Tyon's night. We're going to work around and see what we can get and the best ability to win. That's our pure focus."

Long time coming for Grant-Foster

Grant-Foster played in his first college game that counted for the first time in two years. He lasted only the first half of DePaul's opener two years ago, before having to be rushed to the hospital for a medical issue.

Adrenaline was pumping Monday, as he road the electric crowd on his way to making 10 of 15 shooting. He also had three steals and two blocks. His 21 first-half points that staked the Lopes to a 54-30 lead tied Harrison's 21 for the most by a GCU player in a half during the Division I era.

Grant-Foster said his big brother was at the game to see his comeback.

"My family, everybody believes in me," the 6-foot-7 guard said. "It's a real feeling to go out there and play hard and do what I practice every day."

Grant-Foster feels he's got something to prove this season.

"Being away for two years, it took a lot of faith, and hard work to get back," Grant-Foster said. "Some people got a year or two ahead on me. I've got to come out and play hard and show what I could have been in those two years I was away."

Coach Bryce Drew was happy for Grant-Foster to show how good he could be after being away for so long.

"Pretty unreal to not play in two years and play like that," Drew said.

Greatest athleticism, depth in the D-I era

This rout came against a team that made it out of the Ohio Valley Conference last season to reach the NCAA Tournament. GCU got the dance last year for the second time in three years under coach Bryce Drew.

This potentially is Drew's best team since he's been at GCU. He hasn't had anybody as talented as Grant-Foster, who simply took on both ends of the court in the first half.

Last year, the Lopes were lost if Harrison didn't take over games on offense. Everything ran through him. On Monday, Harrison could simply facilitate and let his teammates score. He led the Lopes with five assists. Point guard Collin Moore, a transfer from Georgia State, showed his ability to lead on defense and get into the lane.

This GCU team won't have to live off the 3-point line. When the Lopes are attacking the basket, they are much better with the length and skill in the paint.

"A lot of new guys out there," Drew said. "First game of the year, we came out with so much energy to start the game.

"In the second half we had a little lull and they made some shots. but we were able to build it back up."

Despite SEMO making 11 of 21 3-pointers in the game, the Lopes were never threatened.

With about seven minutes left and GCU in complete control, the Havocs began chanting, "We want Noah!"

Fan favorite Noah Amenhauser, a 7-1 freshman in goggles from Estrella Foothills High, got into the game three minutes later to the roar of the crowd. He smiled and flapped his arms up and down towards the crowd as he entered the game.

Great competition within team

Drew complimented the programs that the transfers came from, the way they were coached, for showing up every day in practice and competing hard, hustling up and down the court.

"It showed how competitive they are," Drew said.

GCU forced 11 first-half turnovers and scored 18 points off of them.

GCU got a little sloppy midway through the second half, but bullish Curry took over. He had five offensive rebounds.

"It's hard to teach guys to dive for loose balls," Drew said. "Our guys have been doing that since they got here."

GCU women win on buzzer beater

Before the men took the floor, the GCU women, opening its season, got the crowd excited with a 55-52 win over Saint Mary's College that was won on Naudia Evans' 3-point shot at the buzzer. Evans stretched out her arms after making the shot and teammates rushed to her to embrace her.

GCU was down 19 points with 7:32 to play, before scoring 22 unanswered points. After struggling offensively in the first three quarters, the Lopes scored 24 points in the fourth quarter, making 10 of 19 shots. Evans made three 3-pointers in the quarter.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: GCU makes big opening splash behind Tyon Grant-Foster, Duke Brennan