Grand Canyon shows grit as record improves to 20-2

It's turning into a trend. Grand Canyon starts strong, hits a wall, then finds a way to close out a win.

GCU's basketball team hung tough in the final minutes of regulation and pulled away in the five-minute overtime period to turn back Seattle U 95-88 before a sellout crowd of 7,276 at Global Credit Union Arena on Thursday night.

It was GCU's first home game in 14 days, as the Lopes (20-2, 10-1 in WAC) turn around to play a 2 p.m. game Saturday at Utah Valley. They are tied with Purdue for the best record in Division I basketball.

GCU lost its top scorer, 6-foot-7 wing Tyon Grant-Foster, who left with his right arm hanging low, with less than two minutes to play in overtime and the Lopes leading 86-80. He returned to the bench where he stood moving his right arm around, but did not go back into the game.

GCU didn't need him to return as Ray Harrison, Gabe McGlothan and Collin Moore held it down at both ends of the court to built the lead to 92-83 with 27 seconds left.

"He looks OK," coach Bryce Drew said about Grant-Foster after the game. "I think he got a stinger. I thought it was dislocated. But it's just a stinger."

Here are takeaways from GCU improving to 11-0 and 20-2 for the first time in its 11-year NCAA Division I history:

Improved shot making

After shooting 30% in back-to-back road wins last week at Stephen F. Austin and UT Arlington, the Lopes shot 50% on Thursday, making 33 of 66 shots. The Lopes made 8 of 20 3-pointers and 21 of 25 free throws.

McGlothan led the Lopes with 25 points, making three of six 3s, and all 10 of his free throws. He made four free throws in the final 27 seconds of OT to keep the Redbirds (12-9, 5-5) from making another run

Harrison had 21 points on eight of 15 shooting and he hit all four of his free throws. GCU was 10 of 11 from the line in OT. Grant-Foster finished with 15 points. Moore had 13 points and 6-9 wing Lok Wur had a career high against a D-I opponent with 13 points, 11 in the first half.

"It was kind of deflating when we went into overtime for a minute, but then the guys really recovered," Drew said. "They really played their best five minutes in that overtime period."

Clutch play in the end

As they did in the road games last week, pulling out wins after it looked like the game had gotten away, GCU pulled together after seeing a 14-point lead dissipate in the second half and Seattle took a 69-68 lead on Alex Schumacher's two free throws.

McGlothan hit a 3, sank two free throws. Moore had a blocked shot. Grant-Foster scored on a drive to give GCU a 75-74 lead with 2:22 left.

Seattle took the lead again. But McGlothan hit two free throws with 1:03 left and Moore made one of two free throws with 51 seconds left for a 78-76 lead. Schumacher nailed a jumper in the lane with 21 seconds to go.

GCU worked for the last shot but McGlothan had to put up an off-balanced 3 as time was running out and it missed.

In OT, Grant-Foster quickly scored, followed by a three-point play after a long rebound by Harrison and it was 83-78. Moore hit a 3 with 1:55 to play and Harrison cashed in with two free throws for make it 88-80 with 1:13 left.

"I think it's just a testament to us," Harrison said. "The confidence that we have in our potential. I feel that we know how good we can be. We don't necessarily know how it looks. We just want to show up every day and put our best foot forward."

McGlothan has been maybe GCU's most consistent player this season. He had another monster game in clutch time.

This was a revenge game for the Lopes, who lost their only WAC game at Seattle U that started the three-game road trip two weeks ago.

"They're vets," McGlothan said of Seattle. "Every one of those guys have been there four years. They know how to play together. They know how to play the game. And they have a really good coach, too."

GCU has won its past five OT games, but this was its first this season. This was Seattle's fifth OT game this season, dropping to 1-4.

McGlothan said the team will say some prayers for Grant-Foster, but he knew this team would come together with their star out of the game.

"We rally around," McGlothan said. "But that's exactly what brothers do. If one goes out, other brothers step up. We'll put are arms around him and carry him to victory. That's what we'll plan to do. And that's what we did tonight."

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: Grand Canyon basketball manages another comeback against Seattle U