College Hoops Top 50

Last Year: 24-12; Sixth (10-7) in the Western Athletic Conference and Conference Tournament Champions, lost in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Scott Drew (Fourth Year; 64-27 at Grand Canyon)

Projected Starting Lineup

PG Jovan Blackshear, Jr – 5’11”, 175 – Senior

SG Rayshon ‘Ray’ Harrison – 6’4″, 200 – Senior

SF Tyon Grant-Foster – 6’7″, 210 – Senior

PF Gabe McGlothan – 6’7″, 235 – Senior (5th)

C Sydney Curry – 6’8″, 260 – Senior (5th)

Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats

Jovan Blackshear, Jr: 10.7 pppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.2 spg (12 games played)

Ray Harrison: 17.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 0.7 spg – 6.5 FTA/G

Tyon Grant-Foster: 3.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.4 bpg, 0.3 spg – 39.1% FG @ Kansas in 2021-22

Gabe McGlothan: 12.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.6 bpg – 52.2% FG

Sydney Curry: 4.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.3 bpg – 53.3% FG @ Louisville

Experienced Reserves

G Josh Baker – 6’4″, 185 – Senior

C Duke Brennan – 6’10”, 250 – Sophomore

F Lok Wur – 6’9″, 210 – Senior

G Collin Moore – 6’4″, 205 – Senior

W Isaiah Shaw – 6’8″, 200 – Redshirt Freshman (medical)

G Caleb Shaw – 6’5″, 195 – Sophomore

Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats

Baker: 5.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.6 spg – 35.8% 3FG

Brennan: 2.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.5 bpg, 0.2 spg – 51.9% FG @ Arizona State

Wur: 2.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.3 bpg – 37.3% FG @ Oregon

Moore: 14.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.0 apg, 2.2 spg – 35.7% 3FG @ Georgia State (13 games played)

I. Shaw: 4.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.3 spg – 53.8% 3FG (7 games played)

C. Shaw: 5.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.3 spg – 37.5% FG @ Northern Arizona

Freshmen

G Marquese Josephs – 6’1″, 180 – Freshman

C Noah Amenhauser – 7’0″, 250 – Freshman

F Derrick Michael Xzaverrio – 6’10”, 235 – Redshirt Freshman

W Malcolm Flaggs – 6’6″, 200 – Redshirt Freshman

There was a time last year – maybe it was late in the year, when the GCU ‘Lopes were sitting in the locker room at halftime with only 13 points on the scoreboard – when it didn’t really seem like Grand Canyon would be Dancin’. The Antelopes lost that night, and sat at 8-7 in WAC play; not exactly a strongpoint for an at-large resumé. 

The calendar turned to March. And instead of leaving things up to fate, head coach Bryce Drew’s squad decided to win the final two games of their regular season, and then the Western Athletic Conference Tournament, too. For the second time in three seasons, the ‘Lopes were in on the Madness. 

In the age of NIL, Grand Canyon University has got a good thing going. With its unique status in college sports doing nothing to harm the program’s ability to bring in talented players via the Transfer Portal, Drew and his staff have added seven new veterans to the roster. GCU has put considerable effort into creating an overall hoops culture, and the student section – dubbed the ‘Havocs’ – have quickly become one of the most well-known cheering sections across the country. Plus, most of the key players who went six-game-streaking to close the season are back, including all-conference forward Gabe McGlothan, point guard Jovan Blackshear, and last year’s brightest star: WAC tourney MVP Ray Harrison. 

In his first year after arriving from Presbyterian College, Harrison was outstanding for GCU. Back in Clinton, he had been named Big South Rookie of the Year, and all-league in both of his seasons there. After arriving in Phoenix, though, the South Carolina native took his game to new heights. A dangerous scorer, Harrison has started every game of his college career, and has averaged 17+ points in each of his three seasons. Harrison finished first in the WAC in total points and fourth in minutes played, and he finished the year tied for eighth nationally with 178 made free throws. He was a great screen-and-roll ballhandler last season, hunting down quality looks for himself and for his new friends. Harrison can score inside and out, and loves to use his length and great first step to attack the paint. While his outside jumper can be streaky, if Harrison gets rolling, he can take over a game. He did just that in the WAC title game, with 31 points, 8 assists and 8 boards to defeat Southern Utah for the crown. 

Last year Harrison became the second player ever to put up 80 total points and 20 each of rebounds and assists across his team’s conference tournament

Speaking of epic tournament performances, remember back in 2011, when Kemba Walker went nuts in the Big East Tournament before leading UConn to the national title? Per GCU stats, last year Harrison became the second player ever to put up 80 total points and 20 each of rebounds and assists across his team’s conference tournament. And earlier in the year, when Blackshear went down with a torn ACL at Sam Houston State, Harrison began to assume more of a role as an offensive initiator. Though Harrison arrived at GCU with a solid 18.9% assist over two years, he kicked it up to 24.0% last year, and he finished 11th in the WAC in helpers per game. His 43.1% rate from mid-range was quite solid last year, and continued his ascent as a jump shooter. His 34.0% 3FG was fine, but Harrison can reach another level if he becomes an even more dangerous threat from behind the arc. Harrison is back to make a run at WAC Player of the Year this winter, and Drew is expecting even bigger things from his star the second time around. 

Blackshear has been GCU’s star for years, and had been named the preseason WAC Player of the Year prior to his injury. Like Harrison, Blackshear was named league tournament MVP three years ago, and through four seasons in Phoenix  Blackshear has averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. Blackshear scores from everywhere, and before bottoming out at 24% through his injury-shortened season last winter, had been a 34% career shooter from deep. With better than a 2:1 career assist to turnover ratio and the ability to create his shot whenever he wants, a healthy Blackshear would give Drew the league’s best backcourt duo and the type of pairing that takes a team deep into March. 

“He’s ahead of schedule, so he’s done a great job,” Drew told Paul Coro for Lopes Insider Blog this August. “Obviously, it was tough not playing during the season. Once the season was over and he got to the point where he could actually do more a physical type of rehab, he’s gone to another level.” The Lopes hope to have Blackshear back for the start of the season, and Drew expressed optimism that he could be fully cleared to return to practices in October. Blackshear has been around to see and help lead the evolution of the Lopes, and this year, he’s hoping to plant a purple flag atop the WAC and signal the true arrival of the team he’s captained.

The only player besides Blackshear who has been a part of both of Drew’s NCAA Tournament teams at GCU is standout forward Gabe McGlothan. And, since he’s back to use his extra season, McGlothan has his eyes on a third trip to join the Madness. The veteran forward knows a winning team when he sees it, and was particularly proud of last year’s team. “I go back from the summer. We were all just, you could tell just with the culture that this team was brewing, just the guys they brought in and the talent that we had, we knew something was in the making and something special was going to come,” McGlothan said before GCU took on Gonzaga in last year’s tournament. And this summer, McGlothan has seen even more special things from his teammates. A good shooter all the way out beyond the three point arc, McGlothan nevertheless broke out last year because he focused most of his attention nearer the basket. He shot 60.7% at the rim last year, which was fine and good; but McGlothan’s 57.9% rate on all other 2FG’s, per Bart Torvik, was quite outstanding. McGlothan posted seven double-doubles, including his 35 & 10 explosion against Seattle in the WAC tourney. In some previous seasons, McGlothan would have been just as likely seen cycling passes on the wing as posting his man up, but his new confidence in his post-up game has made McGlothan into one of the WAC’s best bigs. Now, he’s a true paint scorer with dangerous range, and his terrific effort at both ends sets a tone for his teammates. 

Tyon Grant-Foster and Sydney Curry are two headliners among Drew’s transfer class, and are likely to be in the starting lineup when GCU’s season tips off. Grant-Foster is a former JuCo star who transferred up to the big time at Kansas two years ago. He didn’t quite find the right fit in Lawrence, though, so prior to last season, Grant-Foster hit the Portal and headed for DePaul. Before his first game for the Blue Demons had ended, though, Grant-Foster’s season was over. He suffered a medical emergency during halftime of the game, and took a redshirt. Now, he has worked his way back, has gotten healthy, and is hoping to show that he’s improved during the year away. “Tyon has his best basketball ahead of him,” Drew said upon Grant-Foster’s commitment. “Being healthy now, he is ready for a breakout year. We feel GCU is a great place for him to do that. We love his versatility, athleticism on both ends of the floor and ability to shoot the basketball.” Grant-Foster is a big, long, bouncy scoring wing who can take smaller defenders to the paint and has the quickness to burn post defenders. He can slash to the rim and throw down when he gets there, and if Grant-Foster’s jumper has gained the consistency he’s shown in practice, he could be a significant contributor this winter. 

Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks)

52.8% – Effective FG% (61st)

0.960 – Assists Per Turnover (228th)

37.6% – Team 3FG% (23rd)

.332 – Opponent Free Throw Attempts Per Field Goal Attempt (232nd)

+3.2 – Average Score Margin (109th)

Curry is a strong, broad post player who also started out in the JuCo ranks before spending the past two years at Louisville. A plus defender and rebounder who’s racked up 92 offensive boards in two seasons at the high major level, and Curry has 36 putback tries over the past two seasons, per Hoop-Math. He generally doesn’t let people move him where doesn’t want to be moved, Curry will hope to add a new dimension up front this year. “Sydney comes with a great amount of basketball experience,” Drew says of his new center. “He is a physical player who has the ability to finish very well around and above the rim. We also love his ability to rebound and his desire to win in his last year of college basketball.” His first year at Louisville was solid, and Cardinals fans were excited for his return last fall. Unfortunately, Curry wasn’t in the best shape of his career and struggled through parts of the season. Now in better shape and a veteran of 60 games with an ACC program, Curry feels as though he has found the right place to wrap up his career. “I’ve been following Grand Canyon over the last couple years and know it’s a top program,” Curry told Paul Coro for GCU Athletics upon arriving in Phoenix. “I wanted to be a part of a winning team like that…It’s a place where I can come in and produce right away. It’s a change of scenery.” With his motor tuned up and a fresh start, Curry looks the part of a board-gobbling, rim-rattling anchor up front once again. Two seasons back, Curry shot an excellent 71.4% near the rim, and made 54.5% of his other 2FG tries, per Bart Torvik, but fell down to 63.2% and just 27.3% last winter. If Curry is back up to peak efficiency, he should feast in the desert.

Josh Baker was called upon to help run the offense more after Blackshear’s injury, and the former UNLV guard responded with a career year. He hit 36% of his triples and handed out 74 assists against 48 turnovers while starting 16 games. A bigger playmaker, Baker figures to earn a significant role off of Drew’s bench, even with a healthier, more talented backcourt bunch around him. A solid and energetic defender, Baker was an outstanding outside shooter at Hutchinson (KS) Community College. If last year’s production is for real, Baker could pick up a bunch of the minutes which departed sharpshooter Chance McMillian played last season. Collin Moore, newly arrived from Georgia State, will challenge Baker for prime playing time. “Collin can really score the basketball well and disrupts plays on defense with his length,” Drew praised Moore. “We like that he is a very versatile player that can play multiple positions on offense and defend many positions on defense.” A burly guard who can take his defender inside or set to scoring on the wing, Moore posted by far the best numbers of his career down the stretch for the Panthers last year. While he was forced to miss Georgia State’s first 18 games due to an injured thumb, Moore came back to lead the team in scoring average and hit 36% of his treys. If he can pick up where he left off in Atlanta, Moore will push for starter’s minutes.

Drew landed a pair of transfers and great friends who have been playing together for more than five years and three different teams. The former Arizona State duo of Malcolm Flaggs and Duke Brennan are hyped to take the floor together for GCU. “We know how crazy it gets,” says new big Duke Brennan of the atmosphere among the Havocs. “I’m so excited to be on the court and not in the stands.” With high major size and a high motor to match, Brennan is physically ready to match up with anyone in the WAC after averaging nine minutes and appearing in every game last season in Tempe. “Duke is a very aggressive player that impacts the game with and without the ball,” Drew said in a statement upon signing the ASU duo. “We love his instincts to rebound and finish around the rim. He brings a tremendous amount of energy to the floor that our fans are going to love.” Brennan actually snagged more offensive than defensive boards last season, and he delights in mixing it up in the lane. Brennan has shown some hints of a solid face-up shooting stroke, and he is more a natural protecting the rim than GCU’s other bigs. Brennan’s former Hillcrest (AZ) Prep and Sun Devils teammate Malcolm Flaggs has also signed on to play for Drew, and he brings great size and a potential deep threat to the wing. “Malcolm can really shoot the basketball. He is a taller shooter, which helps him get his shot off more effectively,” says Drew of his second Pac 12 import. “He has a very strong work ethic, which is going to help him progress quickly in our program.” Flaggs redshirted as a walk-on for the Sun Devils last season, and having gained that experience, he should be prepared to join the race for minutes off the bench behind Grant-Foster in his first season as a ‘Lope. 

Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on

vs San Diego State – December 5

N – South Carolina – November 19

N – San Francisco – November 17

@ Liberty – December 9

@ UT Rio Grand Valley – November 29

Drew wasn’t finished raiding the flailing Conference of Champions with the commitments of Flaggs and Brennan. Former Oregon forward Lök Wur has traveled South to play for the ‘Lopes, and his size, length and ability to get end to end should provide some nice mismatch opportunities for Drew. “We love his versatility to play multiple positions on offense and defend nearly every position on the court,” Drew said of Lur upon his commitment. Lur has a 7’1″ wingspan and some spring in his legs as well. He’s worked to get stronger and to make himself a better shooter, and last season in Eugene, Wur earned an average of 11 minutes per game. He has range out to beyond the three point arc, and Lur can get on the glass and create second chance opportunities. With a change of scenery and the chance for a bigger role, Lur is looking to seize the opportunity to show off his skills.

While Brennan and Flaggs are as close as family, Isaiah and Caleb Shaw – and their father Casey, one of Drew’s assistants as well as his brother-in-law – quite literally are family. After a prep season, Isaiah Shaw walked on last year and redshirted after a leg injury ended his season after just six games. Caleb Shaw spent last season with Northern Colorado, and averaged 17 minutes while in every one of the Bears’ 32 games as a freshman. Caleb Shaw hit 21 triples playing alongside star scorer Dalton Knecht, who has gone to Tennessee, and the lanky shooter hopes to have picked up a thing or two from the veteran in Greeley. “Really excited to add Caleb to our team,” Drew says of his nephew. “He is a big guard that can make shots and play above the rim. This summer, he should take a big step as he continues to grow and develop.”

There are some talented freshmen coming aboard as well. There will be no shortage of talent at the pivot for Drew in the years to come, as seven footer Noah Amenhauser is joining Brennan as a new, young center. “We have been waiting a long time for Noah to sign, so we could talk about him. We are thrilled. Noah embodies what a GCU student-athlete should be,” Drew said upon Amenhauser’s signing. A legacy hoopster – Amenhauser’s mother, Heather, played hoops for GCU in the 1990’s – Noah isn’t just here because of family ties.”The Grand Canyon pledge is patient when his back is facing the basket and owns good touch from inside the paint all the way to the mid range. Amenhauser also displayed potential as a solid outlet passer who can ignite an offense by looking up the floor,” 247 Sports says of him, and Amenhauser’s offensive game should translate immediately to a backup role in the WAC. The sooner he can bring his defense up to par, Amenhauser should push for a significant role. Marquese Josephs is a talented defender and ballhandler out of Canada who signed later in the summer, and he will marinate behind GCU’s experienced guards. Derrick Michael Xzaverrio would have played last year, but he faced a health scare instead. Xzaverrio already had a story to tell, as the first Division I basketball player from Indonesia, before a lung surgery forced him to miss his freshman season. This year, the 6’9″ freshman is healthy, and looking to let his play do the talking. 

The ‘Lopes may have surprised quite a few people with their run to the WAC title last year, but this time around, there are expectations. This is clearly the league’s most talented roster, and with a strong, veteran core, Grand Canyon will have a fairly large target on their backs once conference play tips off. 

GCU shot the ball very well last season, but also allowed their opponents to feast at the free throw line. They gave up a glut of offensive boards, and need to cough up fewer turnovers. These are issues which, by and large, the offseason looks to have addressed. The paint has been strengthened, depth has been increased across the roster, and with a healthy Blackshear, Grand Canyon will be stocked with stars as well. Things are tougher when everybody is expecting a team to not only repeat, but improve. That’s alright, though, because GCU has been built to contend on more than just the conference level.