GCU home finale, ASU-UA battle in Tucson on tap
Grand Canyon’s men’s basketball team plays its final home regular-season game Friday against Seattle U, before going on the road for its final two Western Athletic Conference games before the conference tournament.
The Antelopes (17-10, 9-6) would have been traveling for a midweek game against New Mexico State, but they gained a forfeit win after the Aggies suspended the remainder of their season over hazing allegations.
The Antelopes (17-10, 9-6) have a chance still to finish in the top four, which would keep them from having to play four games in five days in order to reach the NCAA Tournament. The only way GCU would get in is if it captured the conference tournament title in Las Vegas to get the automatic bid.
Last week, they split games, losing to UT Rio Grande Valley 77-76 and beating Abilene Christian 94-84 at home in front of a sellout crowd on a late Friday night before an ESPNU audience.
Forward Gabe McGlothan came away as the WAC Player of the Week with his first career back-to-back 20-point performances. He had 27 points against UTRGV and 20 against Abilene Christian, a game in which guard Ray Harrison had 27 points, making 10 of 13 free throws.
ASU, UA women in Oregon
Arizona State and Arizona women’s teams are in Oregon this week. ASU is at Oregon State on Thursday night at 8 and at Oregon on Saturday at 1. The Arizona women’s team is at Oregon on Thursday at 8 p.m., and at Oregon State on Saturday at 1.
Fifth-year guard Shaina Pellington was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week, after averaging 27 points in two wins for UA, including a career-high 35 points in a win over Utah. UA (21-6, 11-5) is ranked No. 14 nationally.
ASU (7-18, 0-16) is hoping to end a 16-game losing streak. Oregon State (11-16, 3-13) has lost eight in a row since beating Oregon (14-13, 5-11) 68-65 on Jan. 20. OSU beat ASU 69-59 on Jan. 8 in Tempe.
ASU men hope to find revenge in Tucson
On Saturday, ASU men’s team travels to take on UA at noon.
A win would look good on its resume for when the NCAA Tournament committee seeds teams. ASU (19-9, 10-7) lost to the Wildcats 69-60 on Dec. 31, a game in which the Sun Devils went on an 18-4 run to open the second half and came as close as two, before UA pulled away.
ASU has won three of its last four games after going through a tailspin of five losses in six games that had its tournament hopes on the ropes.
Arizona (24-4, 13-4) is 15-1 at home and is coming off a home sweep of Utah and Colorado. ASU split against those teams, beating Utah on Saturday.