No need for the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team to visit the actual Grand Canyon on its first Mainland road trip of the season. A visit to Grand Canyon University’s Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix for Tuesday’s nonconference game promises to be more than enough adventure for the Warriors.
Tipoff at the 7,000-seat venue — which is sure to be packed with thousands of fanatical students — is set for 4 p.m. Hawai’i time. The game will be broadcast via livestream on ESPN+ and on radio via ESPN Honolulu 1420AM.
At GCU, the Warriors (5-1) will not only be entering one of college basketball’s most hostile home court environments, but also facing one of the most recently successful programs on the West Coast. The Lopes (4-2) are coming off a 78-71 victory over Stanford on Nov. 26 in the Acrisure Invitational in Palm Desert, Calif., and are one of only 37 Division I schools to qualify for three of the last four NCAA Tournaments.
Grand Canyon advanced past the first round last season with a 75-66 victory over No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s, the school’s initial NCAA Tournament win.
“I think we’re excited, we’re looking forward to the challenge,” UH coach Eran Ganot said. “It’s going to be a heckuva challenge, but that’s kind of what you live for. We’re travelling well together, the great thing is we’ve had two prior travel experiences (to Hilo and Maui), and we travelled well. I think we’ve performed well on the road over the years, and part of that is being professional in your approach.
“So right off the bat we have a great Grand Canyon that is at full strength right now, coming off an NCAA Tournament year, a win in the NCAA Tournament, a lot to be excited about. They’re playing their best basketball right now.”
Even before tipoff, the Warriors will be “welcomed” by one of the most raucous and vocal home crowds in the nation. The Lopes have won 19 of their past 20 home games, and 11 of their past December games.
“We’re going to go in there and execute and get a win, is what we’re working on right now,” said UH center Tanner Christensen. “These are the kind of games we want to play, we want to play in games that matter, against good teams. Obviously Grand Canyon is a good team, and it’s going to be a really fun environment. I’m really looking forward to it.”
On the court, the Warriors will have their hands full with the Lopes’ talent across the board. Five different players scored in double figures in the victory over Stanford, including 6-foot-2 sophomore guard Makaih Williams, who came off the bench to score 14 points and win game Most Valuable Player honors.
Tyon Grant-Foster, a 6-7 graduate senior guard, was named Western Athletic Player of the Year last season. Senior guard Ray Harrison (6-4) ranks seventh among active NCAA Division I players with 2,073 points. Senior JaKobe Coles, a 6-8 senior transfer from Texas Christian, ranks No. 53 in the country in field goal percentage at 59.4 percent.
And Duke Brennan, a 6-8 senior forward who missed the season’s first four games, is back in the starting lineup.
“You can see things coming together for them,” Ganot said. “They’re a really good team, incredible atmosphere, hostile environment. You grow from challenges, we’ve had some challenges this year, and we’ve gotten better from that. And this will be another one.”
Christensen, a 6-foot-10 graduate transfer, already has been named Most Outstanding Player of the OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic and then earned Big West Player of the Week honors seven days later. He has since become a focal point of opposing defenses, and expects the same on Tuesday.
“That’s just basketball, it’s a game of adjustments,” Christensen said. “So being able to be adaptable and change the way we run our offense or defense or what be it, we just gotta make the right changes and adjust.”