What we learned from the last-second thriller about SLU about GCU

Grand Canyon built a 12-point lead in the first half, saw Saint Louis barely miss in the second half, and when it seemed the game was lost, Collin Moore and Lok Wur came through at the end.

Wur’s faded jumper along the baseline after missing the front end of a one-two failed with 0.8 seconds left, giving the Lopes a 73-72 victory over the Billikens on Sunday in front of 7,112 fans at Global Credit Union.

GCU (8-4) needed some cheer before Christmas break.

“I just felt like we were going to get there somehow,” Wur said. “When I missed that free throw, I knew I had to go in there and make a second attempt.”

Lok Wur's follow-up shot after a missed throw by him with a second left-footed shot gave Grand Canyon a 73-72 victory over Saint Louis on Sunday, December 22, 2024

After losing two tough road games by less than 10 points to Georgia and Louisiana Tech last week, the Lopes needed to get back into the swing of things before facing San Diego next Saturday at the Intuit Dome, where the Los Angeles Clippers take on the West Coast Hoops play showcase.

Here are takeaways:

Moore, Grant-Foster from the bench

Guards Moore and Tyon Grant-Foster, who have started together since the start of last season, spent the last two games coming off the bench.

“They needed a change in attitude,” coach Bryce Drew said. “Our team needed a mindset shift.”

While Grant-Foster, the preseason WAC Player of the Year, continues to be in a shooting slump (he made just one of eight shots and finished with three points against the Billikens), he had eight rebounds and defended well. His defense on Saint Louis’ inbounds after Wur’s heroics resulted in a loss of possession at midfield.

Moore had perhaps his best game as Lope, scoring 14 of his 20 points in the second half.

“I feel like whether I come off the bench or start, I’m definitely going to be the same,” Moore said. “I can trigger things when I start and when I don’t start. It really doesn’t matter.”

Moore’s defense of Isaiah Swope (17 points) forced a turnover with 16 seconds left and Saint Louis (6-6) led by one.

Then, after GCU missed a scoring opportunity with three seconds left, the Lopes kept possession and the ball went out of bounds in front of Saint Louis. The Lopes prepared a play-off with the in-bounds pass under the basket.

“The play was to get the ball to Lok,” Moore said.

Wur was fouled while coming in and couldn’t block a shot. It was his first free throw of the game. And the shot went left of the rim. The ball was knocked aside by a Billiken, and Wur followed the shot to the side, grabbed it and shot it immediately.

“What a blessing for Lok, for our team, for our program,” Drew said. “There were so many plays in the last five minutes that could have gone back and forth. I really have to thank Lok. He’s always in the gym and always working.”

“I think as soon as it left his hands he had an idea where it was going. He drew a straight line to get there.”

Still finding each other

The Lopes (8-4) have been hot and cold both offensively and defensively through the first 12 games. They needed one last shot from Ray Harrison at home to beat Western Kentucky earlier in the year.

Last week they failed to catch up on the road in the final minutes.

But against a struggling Saint Louis team that shot just 35% in the first half as it lost to the Lopes 31-19, GCU was able to pull out a tough win.

They outrebounded the Billikens 44-34, with Duke Brennan grabbing nine rebounds and Moore grabbing seven rebounds and blocking three shots.

They caught the 1.90 meter tall center Robbie Avila in early foul trouble. Two minutes into the second half, Avila picked up his fourth foul on a tackle and didn’t come back until nine minutes left. GCU went without a point five minutes after Avila’s return before making crucial plays on both ends of the court.

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What we learned from the last-second thriller about SLU about GCU

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