PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 12, 2023) – Jacks play impressive first half in 89-55 loss to GCU after Lopes outscore NAU 48-26 in the second half while sinking 21 free throws in comparison to NAU's 11 attempts.
NAU took a fast start, going up 10-1 to start the game while sophomore guard
Oakland Fort gave the Jacks two three-pointers in the first few minutes of the game. The Lopes answered with a 12-0 run after the first media timeout, led by Ray Harrison's two field goals.
Liam Lloyd put the Jacks back on the board with a pull-up jumper as
Isaiah Kai forced a GCU turnover down the court. The Jacks went into the under-twelve media timeout trailing by two while leading the Lopes in shooting, going 42.0 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point range.
Lloyd tied things up immediately coming out of the timeout with a driving layup to the rim, quickly followed by a
Trent McLaughlin three-pointer, his first of the game, to put NAU up by one. Responding quickly, GCU went 3-3 inside the arc to take a five-point lead.
The Lopes capitalized on a three and a half minute scoring drought for NAU with a 9-0 run.
Carson Basham took a foul inside the paint while going for the layup, getting the and-one to put the Jacks back within ten, 25-35.
Tyon Grant-Foster was charged with his third personal foul with a little over a minute left in the first half, giving the Jacks the ball back where Fort was sent to the line and sank both free throws, bringing GCU's lead down to nine. GCU's Collin Moore hit a long three-point jumper to send the Jacks into halftime trailing by 12.
At the break, Fort led the Jacks with nine points while
Jayden Jackson and Lloyd each had six, followed by Basham with five. Lloyd had a team-high five rebounds while Jackson and Basham each picked up three apiece. In the first twenty, NAU shot 39.3 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from behind the arc.
To start the second half, Lloyd quickly knocked down two jumpers from beyond the arc to keep the Jacks within ten points just three minutes back into play. The Lopes responded with 75.0 percent shooting from the field to take the lead back out to fifteen.
Just ahead of the under-twelve media timeout, GCU went on a 6-0 run in a minute on the court as the Lumberjacks fell into a two-minute scoring drought. The Lopes went 8-12 from the line in the first ten minutes of the second half, proving to be a big piece to the Lopes offense.
Lloyd tied his career-high and broke his season-high with 16 points, going 7-10 from the field, while knocking down two three-pointers. Lloyd led the Jacks in rebounds while tying his career-high with seven in 35 minutes on the floor.
Sydney Curry led the Lopes with 17 points while going 100 percent from the field, 7-7. GCU's bench scored 41 of the team's points while the Jacks bench picked up just 14 points.
The Jacks will head North to take on Seattle on Wednesday, Nov. 15 before NAU takes part in the Arizona Tip-Off Nov. 17-18 in Phoenix. To stay up to date with NAU Basketball, follow the Jacks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
