With a trip to Los Angeles and a spot in the Sweet Sixteen, Alabama used its best defensive performance of the season to take down the Grand Canyon Lopes 72-61 and advance to their third Sweet Sixteen in four seasons.
The Crimson Tide closed the game on a 10-0 run to close out the Lopes on the biggest stage in front of a hostile Grand Canyon fanbase that included the rowdy and ferocious Havocs student section. The Lopes did not score in the last 4:05 of the game, a game in which they struggled to shoot the ball all night.
Senior guard Mark Sears talks about the atmosphere postgame.
“It was fun. That’s what basketball is all about when the fans are going at it, and as a player, that’s part of the game. We love it,” Sears said.
Sears calmed things down for Alabama when he made three-pointers back-to-back, giving them a 13-9 lead.
Alabama closed the half with a layup by graduate guard Aaron Estrada, who helped the Tide take a 38-30 lead into halftime.
GCU came out ready to play in the second half and got a ten-point Alabama lead down to 52-50 with just under eight minutes to go. With the crowd ignited by the run and around 11,000 GCU fans screaming at the top of their lungs, Sears quieted them right down with a step-back three-pointer and shushed the GCU crowd.
GCU got the crowd right back into it with an 8-0 run to take a 58-55 lead, flipping the momentum once again back to GCU.
Alabama went on to outscore the Lopes 17-3, including nine straight points from freshman forward Mohamed Dioubate to close out the Lopes and keep dancing to the Sweet Sixteen.
Sears led the Tide to victory with an outstanding game on the biggest stage. Sears finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and four steals for the Tide, leading them into the next round. Sophomore guard Rylen Griffen added 13 points to help the Tide.
For GCU, senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster had another great game, finishing with 29 points and eight rebounds. However, Grant-Foster struggled from the line, finishing 9-for-16.
Senior Gabe McGlothan added eight points and six rebounds but was in foul trouble most of the night.
In March, the greatest players showed up on the biggest stages, and that is what Sears did. Coach Oats heaped praise on his senior point guard.
“Sears wasn’t going to let us lose tonight. That was how blue-collar and tough he was tonight,” Sears said.
With senior guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. injured late in the first half, Dioubate and the players talked about winning the game for him.
“That’s my brother for real,” Dioubate said. “The team and I were not going to let that be his last game of the season.”
For GCU, they ended the season 30-4, captured their first tournament win, and had a storybook season ended. For McGlothan, this season has meant much more than just basketball.
“My joy throughout the season was just seeing my brothers come to faith a little bit,” he said. “That truly was the biggest blessing being around this team and seeing us win the real battles, which is for eternity. We won the real fight.”
Despite a tough loss, Coach Bryce Drew reflected on their miraculous season. “I’m really thankful. It’s been a blessing all year. I’m so proud of these guys on their effort and all they gave tonight and this season,” he said.
The Cinderella story for Grand Canyon may be over, but the fans, coaches, and players of GCU will never forget this season and their miracle run.
Going 30-4, undefeated at home, beating two top 25 teams even though their season is over, the 2023-2024 GCU team will go down in Lopes’s history and will be remembered for years to come.
For Alabama, their story continues, and they will face #1 seed North Carolina in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 28, at 6:39 p.m. as they battle for the chance to go to the elite 8 for the first time since 2004.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected]