It’s been a rough first few weeks of the season for Grand Canyon’s men’s basketball team as it continues to find its identity.
So many new players to get used to. Too many head-scratching moments to recall.
Advertisement
But on Dec. 6, at 5:30 p.m., in the Jerry Colangelo Classic at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, the Lopes (5-3) can get on a fast track to success against a 7-0 Oklahoma State team that has yet to score fewer than 85 points in a game.
Grand Canyon Antelopes guard Caleb Shaw (11) drives to the basket past Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons guard Corey Hadnot II (10) on Nov. 3, 2025, at GCU Arena in Phoenix.
GCU might look like a huge underdog on paper. But it is 4-1 at home, and Mortgage Matchup will feel like a home game with so many students (the Havocs) in the building, making noise for the Lopes.
That lone home loss, however, was alarming, giving up 90 points in a nine-point setback to Youngstown State on Nov. 7. It was the most points allowed by GCU at home in the Division I era.
Advertisement
Defense has gotten better. The Lopes gave up 58 points in a 10-point win over Utah and 59 points in a 13-point loss to Iowa in Palm Desert, California.
They gave up 45 points at home to Stetson on Dec. 2 in a 22-point win, but the score was just 22-20 in GCU’s favor at halftime.
“You expend that much energy (on defense), sometimes it’s hard to get out in transition,” coach Bryce Drew said. “You do lag a little bit getting down on offense. The more that we do it, the more we’ll get used to it.
“But they’re playing substantially harder defense than they did earlier in the season.”
Advertisement
That’s a good thing.
Now, if the Lopes can get into an offensive rhythm, they have a chance to make this a special season with 13 of the 15 roster players new to the program.
They’re making only 28.8% of their 3-point attempts. But Caleb Shaw, one of only two returning players, is making 50% of his 3s (10 of 20) after an offseason spent on improving his shot. Guard Makaih Williams, the other returner, is the next-closest for those who have taken at least 20 3-pointers at 31%.
Shaw worked his way back after off-season surgery to repair a hip labrum. He spent much of the time working on his 3-point shot, including putting more arc on his ball.
Advertisement
“It’s just staying in the gym, working hard,” Shaw said. “That’s all it is. Shout out to (assistant) Coach Marc (Rodgers). He always gets on me for my (shooting) arc. At some point, I’ve got to change it.”
Newcomer Jaden Henley, a big guard from UNLV, who often brings the ball up himself, has been the focal point of the offense through eight games, averaging 18 points. He had a career-high 26 points in the win over Stetson. More notable were his six steals.
If Henley can stay locked in defensively, he has a chance to make first-team All-Mountain West in the school’s first year in the conference. He’s not worried about the offense.
“We have a ton of guys who can score the ball,” Henley said. “We gel together really well. At any given moment, we can go on a big run.”
Advertisement
The Cowboys have three players averaging at least 15 points a game, with LSU-transfer Vyctorius Miller leading at 15.9. Fellow guards Anthony Roy and Jaylen Curry both average 15-plus points, while forward Parsa Fallah averages 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds. Curry is averaging 5.3 assists.
The team is averaging 92.2 points a game.
“We’re super confident,” Henley said. “It’s right in our backyard. We’ll treat it like a home game. We want to protect home court.”
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don’t miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: GCU hoops can make statement against Oklahoma State
