Julie Buchanan Photography

Women's Basketball 2/1/2013 10:49:00 PM Jeff Cluff, Coordinator of Media Relations

WBB: Game #18 -- Grand Canyon Game Notes

Rematch of Ovetime battle in St George

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Game # 18 - Dixie State (8-9, 6-3 PWC) at Grand Canyon (17-4, 9-1 PWC)
Game Details	Saturday, Feb. 2 \| Phoenix, AZ\| 4:30 p.m. Mountain GCUArena (5,000)
Game Coverage	TV: None \| Radio: 91.3 FM KXDS (John Potter) Dixie State All Access: Audio Live Stats/Video: GCU Live Stats \| GCU Live Video Twitter: @DixieAthletics #DSCwbb
Dixie State Links	Notes \| Roster \| Schedule
GCU Links	Notes \| Roster \| Schedule

GAME INFO: Dixie State welcomes the Burns Arena PacWest rival #19 ranked Grand Canyon University. Tip off is scheduled for 5:00 pm, with live audio coverage on Dixie State All Access (DixieAtheltics.com/showcase) and 91.3 FM KXDS. "Voice of the Red Storm," John Potter has the play-by-play and the game will be streamed live on DSC All-Access as well.

ALL-TIME vs. GCU: The two schools have had their share of battles over the years and the last was no let down. The overtime thrliller gave the Lopes the all-time series lead at 5-10 overall. All five of the Red Storm wins over GCU have come at the Burns Arena (5-3), they are 0-7 in Phoenix.

LAST TIME OUT: The Dixie State women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker tonight to 19th-ranked Grand Canyon 73-71 in a double-overtime thriller at the Burns Arena. The Red Storm dropped their first conference game of the season (5-1) and fall to 7-7 overall. The Antelopes improve to 13-4 overall and 5-1 in the Pacific West Conference.

Junior forward Johnna Brown (Las Vegas, NV/Centennial ) took her team and put her on her back. She scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to earn her eighth double double of the season. Brown had earned her double double by intermission, grabbing 11 rebounds and scoring 11 points.

GCU scored first in the contest and the two teams traded baskets for two minutes before the Red Storm took their first lead via a three-pointer with 17:33 on the clock. Dixie State extended their advantage to 13-7 over the next four minutes as the 'Lopes were just 2-for-13 from the field in the game's first seven minutes.

GCU then used an 8-2 run over the next few minutes to knot the score at 15 with just over 11 minutes to play in the first. The Red Storm then reclaimed a 25-18 lead, their largest of the first half, after outscoring the 'Lopes, 10-3, over the next five minutes.

GCU made it a one-point contest, 26-25, with 1:29 remaining, and with neither team able to score for the remainder of the half, Dixie State carried a narrow lead into the locker room.

Dixie State quickly built a five-point lead, 32-27, over the first two minutes of the second half. A 4-0 run by the 'Lopes over the next 30 seconds once again made it a one-point game at 32-31 with just over 17 minutes to play. The Red Storm responded with a 4-0 run of their own over the next minute to build a five-point lead at 36-31.

The pattern continued once more as the 'Lopes pulled within one point, 36-35, with 14:06 on the clock and claimed their second lead of the contest, 39-38, at the 12-minute mark. GCU extended their lead to as many as six points before Dixie State tied the score at 47 with six and a half minutes to play. The game was tied twice more, last with 1:40 on the clock with the teams knotted at 52 and overtime came as the two teams were at a stalemate.

GCU scored first in the extra minutes via a Jones layup and an important defensive stop leading to another basket put the 'Lopes ahead by four points, 56-52, with just over four minutes remaining. After GCU went up by four once again, 58-54, Kaylah Miller (San Diego, CA/La Jolla Country Day) connected on a big three pointer to pull the Red Storm within one point, 58-57, at the 3:27 mark.

Smith then drained the first three-pointer for GCU just 24 seconds later to put them ahead 61-57. Dixie State pulled within one point, 61-60, with just under 40 seconds to play and forced a GCU turnover with 15 seconds on the clock.

After a Red Storm timeout, Brown drove baseline and drew a foul with just 2.4 seconds remaining. Make two free-throws and she can put the Storm in front, but she missed the first off the front of the rim and GCU head coach Trent May tried to ice her by calling a timeout. Out of the timeout, Brown connected to force the second overtime.

Dixie State won the tip and was first to score and built a five-point lead at 69-64 with under three minutes to play before the 'Lopes chipped away to put within one point, 69-68, with 1:38 on the clock. Daniels successfully converted a three-point play to give GCU a 71-69 lead with just over one minute remaining. Dixie State's Brown made two free throws to tie the score at 71 with 40 seconds to play.

After the free-throws by Brown, the Lopes missed a jumper with 18 seconds left and all the Red Storm needed to do was secure the rebound, but GCU maintained and called a timeout to draw up their final play with 12 second remaining.

Smith took the ball at the top of the arc and drove down the left side and popped a 12-footer to put the Lopes ahead 73-71 with five seconds left.

The Storm had a chance, but needed to go the length of the court, but could not get a shot off before time expired.

Dixie State shot 43.3 percent (29-67) from the field and outrebounded the Lopes 48-45 but committed 21 turnovers that helped fuel the GCU comeback. Erica Hayes (East Palo Alto, CA/Menlo-Atherton) added 11 points off the bench for DSC.

Grand Canyon shot just 35.8 percent (29-81) and was led by four players in double figures. Smith scored 16 points, two of which were the game winner. Deanna Daniels recorded a double double with 14 points and 11 rebounds and Judy Jones chipped in 14.

BROWN HONORED: For the 9th time this season, Johnna Brown (Las Vegas, NV/Centennial ) was honored for her play by the PacWest.
scored 21 points and snared 13 rebounds in 73-62 loss vs. Azusa Pacific on Jan. 26 – the lone game of the week for the Red Storm…shot 60.0% (9 for 15) from the field…went 3 for 3 at the line…also recorded five steals. She also was named for the third consecutive week as the DSC Athletics Player of the Week.

NCAA STATS: Johnna Brown (Las Vegas, NV/Centennial ) currently ranks 7th in the NCAA in rebounding at 11.4 per game. She also ranks 10th in double-doubles with 10. As far as a team, DSC is 23rd in assists per game (16.50) and 39th in scoring offense.

SCOUTING GRAND CANYON: The Grand Canyon University women's basketball team jumped three spots to No. 14 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll. The Antelopes are coming off a big win over California Baptist last Saturday, which avenged their lone Pacific West Conference loss. GCU, who is 17-4 overall, remains atop the conference standings with a 9-1 mark in PacWest play. Additionally, the 'Lopes are winners of six straight games. GCU is led by junior Judy Jones, who is averaging 16.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Jones ranks among the nation's best with 13 double-doubles (tied for third). Junior Maylinn Smith is also averaging double-digit points per game with 11.3. The 'Lopes will be in action this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in GCU Arena when they welcome Dixie State for Fan Appreciation Night. GCU averages (71.1 ppg), but they are 26th in the NCAA at scoring defense (55.5 ppg) and 16th in scoring margin (15.6). They shoot 42 percent from the field, 28 percent from three-point range, and 70.9 percent from the free throw line. Like DSC they also rebound well, averaging 45.6 rebounds a game and 13.4 (2nd in NCAA) more than their opponents. Jones also ranks 4th in the NCAA in double doubles with 14.

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