Grand Canyon cruises past Little Rock with a 76-51 victory and Josh Braun was, again, the story of the night.
Braun picked up right where he left off. After breaking the record for three-point field goals made at Grand Canyon University last Monday night with 198, he shot the lights out in the first half against the Little Rock Trojans going 5-5 from downtown and 8-8 from the field with 22 points giving the Antelopes a 42-to-23 lead at halftime. He now has 204 three-point field goals made for his career at GCU.
Last game he broke the GCU record. This game it’s the 200 mark. #LopesRising pic.twitter.com/EtrEILck4L
— GCU Men’s Basketball (@GCU_MBB) November 19, 2017
Braun said he didn’t do anything different before the game and that he continues to do his usual routine.
“Every warm up I start shooting form shots,” Braun said. “And just try to kind of lock it in and get in the zone and so I’m hopeful that every game is one of those games.”
Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Kyle Korver influenced part of his routine after watching him practice at the GCU facility a few years ago.
“I watched Kyle Korver, you know, just sit there and sink, it was like 15 in a row,” Braun said. “It’s cool to watch guys like that come in and just sit there and knock down threes and everything is the same every time they shoot it. So that’s one thing I want to continue to do in practice every time, shoot it like it’s in a game and try to keep every shot the same.”
A look at Braun’s 5-for-5 first half from 3-point range.
GCU hosts Norfolk State tomorrow at 7 p.m. #LopesRising pic.twitter.com/o0wD89F1mK
— GCU Men’s Basketball (@GCU_MBB) November 20, 2017
The Antelopes continued to impress in the second half and head coach Dan Majerle was pleased with his team’s overall performance.
“I thought everyone played really hard, played well.” Majerle said. “And I was even really happy about our second half.”
GCU held Little Rock to 27% from the field and 17% from the three-point line. The strength on the defensive side of the ball has a lot to do with the depth of the roster.
“I just think when we play 10, 11, 12 guys, guys don’t have any excuses,” Majerle said. “They’re not tired, you can rotate them.”
“We’re not tough enough yet.”
Coach Majerle said he was actually a little surprised with how this game turned out.
“I didn’t see that one.” He said about the outcome of the game. “That team is very athletic and long. We played hard.”
The Lopes added 39 rebounds, 20 assists and 8 blocks to the mix but ball protection is something Majerle said that his team continues to struggle with after posting 18 turnovers.
“We’re not tough enough yet,” Majerle said. “Fiifi made some really bad passes, Oscar still doesn’t understand, Josh even puts that ball in front of him and people take it. So we need to do a better job at being strong with the basketball and protecting it and not making careless one handed passes.”
Casey Benson had 10 points while Fiifi Aidoo added 8 off the bench.
GCU stays undefeated heading into Monday night’s game at home against Norfolk State.
Be sure to tune in on your local YurView channel and online at GCU.TV.
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