11-26-2024, 10:04 AM
Thanks for a nice preview VB. A few more notes ...
Grand Canyon favored by 1-1/2.
Grand Canyon is coached by Bryce Drew, famous for a buzzer-beater in the 1998 NCAA tournament to pull out a Valparaiso victory over Ole Miss. His first head coaching job was at Valpo, where he went 124-49 in 5 seasons. Three seasons at Vanderbilt didn't go so well (40-59). In his first 4 seasons at GCU, he is 94-32.
The Antelopes were the WAC regular season and tournament champs last year leading to their NCAA tourney berth. They are the preseason pick to win it again this year (8 of 9 1st place votes), Grant-Foster is the pick to repeat as WAC Player of the Year, and Grant-Foster & Harrison are 2/5 of the preseason All-WAC team.
A big reason for their disappointing start is that they opened the season without Grant-Foster & Brennan. This will be just their second game at full strength.
Grant-Foster has had an interesting career to say the least. He's 24 years old and in his 7th year of college. He played 2 years at a JC (NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention), played sparingly at Kansas during the Covid year, then transferred to DePaul. After scoring 9 points in the first half of the season opener, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. Subsequently, he had 2 heart surgeries, missed that season and the next, then transferred to GCU. Last season, his first at GCU, he was the WAC Player of the Year, leading the league scoring 20.1 ppg. He had an eligibility issue to start this season after declaring entry into the 2024 NBA draft and then withdrawing after the May 31 deadline. So he missed the first 2 games of this season. Jay Bilas picked Grant-Foster to his pre-season All-American team (2nd team) and said "Don't be surprised if he leads the nation in scoring". (I'm wondering if Grant-Foster has a sunglasses NIL deal ;-)
Brennan missed the first 4 games with a left arm injury. In his first game back, the Antelopes led Norfolk State 54-27 at halftime and cruised to a 91-73 win. They had assists on 31 of 33 made baskets.
By the way Needle, there is a third common opponent - Cal St Fullerton. GCU beat them 89-79 in their opener. Four days later, Stanford beat them 80-53.
According to a game preview on the GCU site, only 13% of D1 teams play at a slower pace than Stanford. Drew says that they prefer a faster pace, and will be looking to "get deflections and put pressure on the defensive end".
I've said all along that this game will be as good a measuring stick as we have until the Cal game a week from Saturday and Oregon 2 weeks later (after finals). I suppose some will say, "They lost to UC Davis. They suck." I don't think this one is that simple.
Grand Canyon favored by 1-1/2.
Grand Canyon is coached by Bryce Drew, famous for a buzzer-beater in the 1998 NCAA tournament to pull out a Valparaiso victory over Ole Miss. His first head coaching job was at Valpo, where he went 124-49 in 5 seasons. Three seasons at Vanderbilt didn't go so well (40-59). In his first 4 seasons at GCU, he is 94-32.
The Antelopes were the WAC regular season and tournament champs last year leading to their NCAA tourney berth. They are the preseason pick to win it again this year (8 of 9 1st place votes), Grant-Foster is the pick to repeat as WAC Player of the Year, and Grant-Foster & Harrison are 2/5 of the preseason All-WAC team.
A big reason for their disappointing start is that they opened the season without Grant-Foster & Brennan. This will be just their second game at full strength.
Grant-Foster has had an interesting career to say the least. He's 24 years old and in his 7th year of college. He played 2 years at a JC (NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention), played sparingly at Kansas during the Covid year, then transferred to DePaul. After scoring 9 points in the first half of the season opener, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. Subsequently, he had 2 heart surgeries, missed that season and the next, then transferred to GCU. Last season, his first at GCU, he was the WAC Player of the Year, leading the league scoring 20.1 ppg. He had an eligibility issue to start this season after declaring entry into the 2024 NBA draft and then withdrawing after the May 31 deadline. So he missed the first 2 games of this season. Jay Bilas picked Grant-Foster to his pre-season All-American team (2nd team) and said "Don't be surprised if he leads the nation in scoring". (I'm wondering if Grant-Foster has a sunglasses NIL deal ;-)
Brennan missed the first 4 games with a left arm injury. In his first game back, the Antelopes led Norfolk State 54-27 at halftime and cruised to a 91-73 win. They had assists on 31 of 33 made baskets.
By the way Needle, there is a third common opponent - Cal St Fullerton. GCU beat them 89-79 in their opener. Four days later, Stanford beat them 80-53.
According to a game preview on the GCU site, only 13% of D1 teams play at a slower pace than Stanford. Drew says that they prefer a faster pace, and will be looking to "get deflections and put pressure on the defensive end".
I've said all along that this game will be as good a measuring stick as we have until the Cal game a week from Saturday and Oregon 2 weeks later (after finals). I suppose some will say, "They lost to UC Davis. They suck." I don't think this one is that simple.