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 GCU punches NCAA dance ticket (Photo: WAC)
GCU punches NCAA dance ticket - Mar 14, 2021 
Grand Canyon is known for the biggest party in college basketball at GCU Arena. Now, the Lopes can be known for going to the Big Dance.In its third year of having a chance to go to the Division I NCAA tournament, the Lopes punched their ticket Saturday night with a 74-66 victory against defending WAC champion New Mexico State in the WAC Tournament championship game at Orleans Arena. Their seeding and opponent for this year's tournament bubble in Indianapolis. The 8-year-old program has watched New Mexico State dominate the conference and made it to the WAC Tournament championship game in 2018 and 2019, only to get beat convincingly by the Aggies. This time, the GCU defense that ranks second in the nation for opponent field goal percentage held New Mexico State to 36% shooting. The Lopes led by double digits for the entire second half, fighting off any remote Aggies threat with consistent defense and prudent offense. "It's an incredible feeling," GCU first-year head coach Bryce Drew said as he clutched the WAC Tournament championship net he had just snipped. "Just seeing the Havocs up there. Just seeing our guys. Winning the game is obviously so special, especially a game of this magnitude, but the growth that our players have made from the summer to now in more ways that basketball is truly remarkable. I haven't seen anything like it. It's such a blessing just to be at a school of Christian faith at GCU. God definitely had His hand on our program this year." New Mexico State had won eight of the past nine WAC Tournaments, but could not hang with the Lopes as they continued their best basketball of the season. It began when GCU clinched the regular season conference co-championships in the finale against Utah Valley and continued with a 34-point rout of Seattle U on Friday night for the largest WAC semifinal margin of victory in 36 years. Lopes sophomore point guard Jovan Blacksher (5'11''-PG-99) Jr. won WAC Tournament MVP after a 19-point, seven-rebound championship game while leading an offense that shot 47% against a typically stingy New Mexico State team. Blacksher had an amazing two-day run with 34 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and one turnover in 58 minutes. GCU trailed 4-0 and 9-7 before rattling off 12 consecutive points to force Aggies head coach Chris Jans to take a time out when Lopes senior Asbjorn Midtgaard (7'0''-C-97) found senior Oscar Frayer (6'7''-F-98) on a backdoor pass. The Lopes took a 41-26 halftime lead with Blacksher making all three of his 3-point shots and freshman Chance McMillian (6'2''-G) following up a career-high 14-point semifinal with three first-half 3s in the title game. The lead grew to 63-44 as Midtgaard muscled up for a 3-point play and a follow scored, as he scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half. Midtgaard added eight rebounds as GCU, which averaged a nine-rebound margin on the season, won the boards 39-25. The game was so in control that first-year head coach Bryce Drew , on the 23rd anniversary of "The Shot" he made for Valparaiso, had the chance to clear the bench before the Lopes started their entry into the Big Dance on the floor. In the past eight days, the Lopes have snipped nets for the first regular-season and postseason titles. The game ball made its way to GCU President Mueller in the Orleans Arena stands with 250 allotted fans, who roared as Drew slapped the GCU logo on the NCAA "ticket punched" bracket sign and Midtgaard raised the trophy above all others. WAC Tournament Final: Grand Canyon - NM State 74-56 WAC Tournament Semifinals: Grand Canyon - Seattle U 81-47 NM State - Utah Valley 78-62 Courtesy of wacsports.com All-WAC Awards 2021 - Mar 14, 2021
All-Tournament MVP:  Jovan Blacksher (5'11''-PG-99) of GCUPlayer of the Year:  Fardaws Aimaq (6'11''-F-99) of Utah ValleyDefensive Player of the Year: Fardaws Aimaq (6'11''-F-99) of Utah ValleyFreshman of the Year: Freddy Hicks (6'6''-02) of Tarleton St.Newcomer of the Year:  Asbjorn Midtgaard (7'0''-C-97) of GCUCoach of the Year: Lew Hill of UTRGV
1st Team Fardaws Aimaq (6'11''-F-99) of Utah Valley Alessandro Lever (6'10''-C-98) of GCU Asbjorn Midtgaard (7'0''-C-97) of GCU Ty Rowell (6'2''-G) of CBU Darrion Trammell (5'10''-PG-00) of Seattle
2nd Team Jovan Blacksher (5'11''-PG-99) of GCU Gorjok Gak (6'11''-C-96) of CBU Riley Grigsby (6'6''-G/F-99) of Seattle Jabari Rice (6'4''-G) of NM State Jamison Overton (6'6''-G) of Utah Valley
All-Defensive Team Fardaws Aimaq (6'11''-F-99) of Utah Valley Gorjok Gak (6'11''-C-96) of CBU Clayton Henry (6'4''-G) of NM State Javon Levi (5'11''-PG) of UTRGV Asbjorn Midtgaard (7'0''-C-97) of GCU
All-Newcomer Team Fardaws Aimaq (6'11''-F-99) of Utah Valley Gorjok Gak (6'11''-C-96) of CBU Montre Gipson (5'11''-G-00) of Tarleton St. Asbjorn Midtgaard (7'0''-C-97) of GCU Darrion Trammell (5'10''-PG-00) of Seattle
All-Tournament Team Donnie Tillman (6'7''-F-99) of NM State Darrion Trammell (5'10''-PG-00) of Seattle Jovan Blacksher (5'11''-PG-99) of GCU Trey Woodbury (6'4''-G-99) of Utah Valley Asbjorn Midtgaard (7'0''-C-97) of GCU |
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