Grant-Foster scores 22, Grand Canyon beats UTA 89-74, wins 2nd straight WAC Tournament
LAS VEGAS (AP) Tyon Grant-Foster scored 22 points, Ray Harrison added 15 of his 19 in the second half and top-seeded Grand Canyon beat UT Arlington 89-74 Saturday night to win the Western Athletic Conference Tournament for the second consecutive season and clinch an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The Lopes have appeared five of the last six WAC Tournament title games, winning three of the last four.
Lok Wur scored 16 points and Jovan Blacksher Jr. 14 for Grand Canyon (29-4).
Phillip Russell led UT Arlington (20-14) with 22 points, including four 3-pointers. Shemar Wilson added 13 points and Akili Vining 10.
Harrison converted a three-point play and followed with two free throws to open the second half as Grand Canyon scored 14 of the first 21 points to open its biggest lead at 50-39 with 15 minutes to play. Brandyn Talbot answered with two free throws before Phillip Russell hit a 3 to trim the deficit to six points a minute later and made another from beyond the arc to make it 68-64 with 4 minutes remaining.
McGlothan answered with a monstrous two-hand dunk before Talbot hit another 3 to cut UTA's deficit to three points but Harrison hit two free throws and the Mavericks committed turnovers on their next two possessions and, each time, Grant-Foster hit two free throws before Harrison made a layup to cap an 8-0 run and make it 78-67 with 1:43 to go.
Moore threw down a fast-break dunk with 2.9 seconds left that stretched Grand Canyon's lead to 86-74 - the Lopes' biggest of the game. Russell, who apparently took umbrage with the play, seemed to intentionally bump Moore, who was then hit with the ball following a baseball pass by Vining. Moore was assessed a Flagrant-2 foul, Vining a technical foul and both players were ejected.
Derrick Michael Xzavierro, who didn't play for Grand Canyon, was also ejected for leaving the bench area.
UT Arlington shot 49% (25 of 51) from the field and limited the Lopes to just 40% (23 of 58) shooting but the Mavericks were outscored 37-14 from the free-throw line, where GCU attempted a Division-I program record 50 shots.
Grand Canyon scored 32 points off 26 Mavericks turnovers and committed 14, which UTA converted into just 11 points.
No. 3 seed UT Arlington made its only NCAA Tournament appearance when the Mavericks won the 2008 Southland Conference Tournament. UTA joined the WAC prior to the 2022-23 season.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | (Antelopes gains possession) | ||
| 19:46 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:44 |  | Shemar Wilson defensive rebound | ||
| 19:22 | | +3 | Aaron Cash makes three point jump shot (Phillip Russell assists) | 3-0 |
| 18:43 | | Antelopes turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 18:32 | | Collin Moore personal foul | ||
| 18:29 | | Shemar Wilson turnover (lost ball) (Gabe McGlothan steals) | ||
| 18:17 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses two point layup | ||
| 18:15 | | DaJuan Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 18:05 | | DaJuan Gordon misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:03 | | Antelopes defensive rebound | ||
| 17:59 | | Ray Harrison misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:57 | | DaJuan Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 17:32 | | Phillip Russell turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 17:19 | | +2 | Gabe McGlothan makes two point layup | 3-2 |
| 17:09 | | Makaih Williams turnover (lost ball) (Tyon Grant-Foster steals) | ||
| 17:01 | | +2 | Collin Moore makes two point dunk (Ray Harrison assists) | 3-4 |
| 16:39 | | Shemar Wilson turnover (traveling) | ||
| 16:28 | | Shemar Wilson shooting foul (Tyon Grant-Foster draws the foul) | ||
| 16:28 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 16:28 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 16:28 | | Akili Vining defensive rebound | ||
| 16:14 | | Aaron Cash offensive foul | ||
| 16:14 | | Aaron Cash turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 16:02 | | Collin Moore misses two point jump shot | ||
| 16:00 | | DaJuan Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 15:51 | | +2 | Shemar Wilson makes two point layup (Akili Vining assists) | 5-4 |
| 15:36 | | Gabe McGlothan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:34 | | Akili Vining defensive rebound | ||
| 15:19 | | Phillip Russell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:17 | | Mavericks offensive rebound | ||
| 15:17 | | Duke Brennan personal foul | ||
| 15:17 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:14 | | +3 | Akili Vining makes three point jump shot (Phillip Russell assists) | 8-4 |
| 14:59 | | Phillip Russell personal foul | ||
| 14:48 | | Duke Brennan misses two point layup | ||
| 14:46 | | Duke Brennan offensive rebound | ||
| 14:45 | | Duke Brennan misses two point layup | ||
| 14:45 | | DaJuan Gordon personal foul | ||
| 14:43 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses two point jump shot | ||
| 14:41 | | Aaron Cash defensive rebound | ||
| 14:38 | | Phillip Russell turnover (lost ball) (Collin Moore steals) | ||
| 14:37 | | Phillip Russell personal foul | ||
| 14:14 | | Ray Harrison misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:12 | | Duke Brennan offensive rebound | ||
| 13:55 | | Akili Vining shooting foul (Ray Harrison draws the foul) | ||
| 13:55 | | +1 | Ray Harrison makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 8-5 |
| 13:55 | | Mavericks defensive rebound | ||
| 13:55 | | Ray Harrison misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 13:55 | | Mavericks defensive rebound | ||
| 13:44 | | Shemar Wilson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:42 | | Gabe McGlothan defensive rebound | ||
| 13:36 | | Gabe McGlothan turnover (lost ball) (Akili Vining steals) | ||
| 13:34 | | +2 | Akili Vining makes two point jump shot | 10-5 |
| 13:23 | | Lok Wur misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:21 | | DaJuan Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 13:13 | | Akili Vining misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:11 | | Mavericks offensive rebound | ||
| 13:09 | | +2 | Dwayne Koroma makes two point layup (Phillip Russell assists) | 12-5 |
| 13:08 | | Antelopes 30 second timeout | ||
| 12:44 | | Lok Wur misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:42 | | Lok Wur offensive rebound | ||
| 12:42 | | Dwayne Koroma shooting foul (Lok Wur draws the foul) | ||
| 12:42 | | +1 | Lok Wur makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-6 |
| 12:42 | | +1 | Lok Wur makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 12-7 |
| 12:33 | | +3 | Phillip Russell makes three point jump shot | 15-7 |
| 12:20 | | +2 | Jovan Blacksher Jr. makes two point jump shot | 15-9 |
| 12:08 | | Jovan Blacksher Jr. personal foul | ||
| 12:03 | | Aaron Cash turnover (out of bounds) | ||
| 12:03 | | Aaron Cash personal foul (Jovan Blacksher Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 12:03 | | +1 | Jovan Blacksher Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-10 |
| 12:03 | | +1 | Jovan Blacksher Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-11 |
| 11:40 | | Collin Moore personal foul | ||
| 11:40 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:40 | | Makaih Williams technical foul | ||
| 11:40 | | Makaih Williams turnover | ||
| 11:40 | | +1 | Jovan Blacksher Jr. makes technical free throw 1 of 2 | 15-12 |
| 11:40 | | +1 | Jovan Blacksher Jr. makes technical free throw 2 of 2 | 15-13 |
| 11:25 | | +2 | Tyon Grant-Foster makes two point jump shot (Jovan Blacksher Jr. assists) | 15-15 |
| 11:08 | | Jovan Blacksher Jr. personal foul | ||
| 10:56 | | +2 | Shemar Wilson makes two point jump shot | 17-15 |
| 10:33 | | +2 | Ray Harrison makes two point jump shot | 17-17 |
| 10:20 | | Makaih Williams misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:18 | | Duke Brennan defensive rebound | ||
| 10:06 | | +2 | Lok Wur makes two point dunk (Tyon Grant-Foster assists) | 17-19 |
| 10:05 | | Lok Wur technical foul | ||
| 10:05 | | Brandyn Talbot misses technical free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 9:48 | | Tyon Grant-Foster blocks DaJuan Gordon's two point jump shot | ||
| 9:46 | | Antelopes defensive rebound | ||
| 9:26 | | +2 | Tyon Grant-Foster makes two point layup | 17-21 |
| 9:04 | | +2 | Brandyn Talbot makes two point jump shot | 19-21 |
| 8:52 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:50 | | DaJuan Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 8:46 | | DaJuan Gordon turnover (bad pass) (Tyon Grant-Foster steals) | ||
| 8:36 | | +3 | Jovan Blacksher Jr. makes three point jump shot (Duke Brennan assists) | 19-24 |
| 8:32 | | Ray Harrison personal foul (Shemar Wilson draws the foul) | ||
| 8:32 | | Shemar Wilson misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 8:32 | | Collin Moore defensive rebound | ||
| 8:12 | | Ray Harrison misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:10 | | Mavericks defensive rebound | ||
| 7:52 | | +2 | Phillip Russell makes two point jump shot | 21-24 |
| 7:33 | | Jovan Blacksher Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:31 | | Shemar Wilson defensive rebound | ||
| 7:31 | | Sterling Gaston-Chapman turnover (traveling) | ||
| 7:31 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:09 | | +3 | Lok Wur makes three point jump shot (Ray Harrison assists) | 21-27 |
| 6:40 | | +2 | Phillip Russell makes two point layup | 23-27 |
| 6:23 | | Sterling Gaston-Chapman shooting foul (Tyon Grant-Foster draws the foul) | ||
| 6:23 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 6:23 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 6:23 | | Brandyn Talbot defensive rebound | ||
| 6:12 | | DaJuan Gordon misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:10 | | Mavericks offensive rebound | ||
| 6:10 | | Lok Wur personal foul (Shemar Wilson draws the foul) | ||
| 6:10 | | +1 | Shemar Wilson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-27 |
| 6:10 | | Shemar Wilson misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 6:10 | | Lok Wur defensive rebound | ||
| 6:03 | | Brandyn Talbot personal foul (Gabe McGlothan draws the foul) | ||
| 6:03 | | Gabe McGlothan misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 6:03 | | +1 | Gabe McGlothan makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-28 |
| 5:48 | | Phillip Russell turnover (bad pass) (Gabe McGlothan steals) | ||
| 5:35 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses two point layup | ||
| 5:33 | | Shemar Wilson defensive rebound | ||
| 5:24 | | Shemar Wilson turnover (bad pass) (Gabe McGlothan steals) | ||
| 5:08 | | +3 | Lok Wur makes three point jump shot (Gabe McGlothan assists) | 24-31 |
| 4:45 | | Aaron Cash misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:43 | | Gabe McGlothan defensive rebound | ||
| 4:34 | | Ray Harrison turnover (bad pass) (DaJuan Gordon steals) | ||
| 4:29 | | DaJuan Gordon turnover (out of bounds) | ||
| 4:13 | | Lok Wur misses two point layup | ||
| 4:11 | | Duke Brennan offensive rebound | ||
| 4:10 | | Phillip Russell personal foul (Duke Brennan draws the foul) | ||
| 4:10 | | Duke Brennan misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 4:10 | | Tyon Grant-Foster turnover (lane violation) | ||
| 3:59 | | Makaih Williams turnover (bad pass) (Lok Wur steals) | ||
| 3:50 | | Tyon Grant-Foster turnover (lost ball) (Makaih Williams steals) | ||
| 3:46 | | Makaih Williams turnover (double dribble) | ||
| 3:46 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:29 | | Ray Harrison misses two point jump shot | ||
| 3:27 | | Duke Brennan offensive rebound | ||
| 3:25 | | Duke Brennan misses two point layup | ||
| 3:23 | | Aaron Cash defensive rebound | ||
| 3:04 | | +2 | Shemar Wilson makes two point jump shot (Akili Vining assists) | 26-31 |
| 2:55 | | Jovan Blacksher Jr. misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:53 | | Brandyn Talbot defensive rebound | ||
| 2:24 | | Shemar Wilson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:22 | | DaJuan Gordon offensive rebound | ||
| 2:20 | | Tyon Grant-Foster personal foul (DaJuan Gordon draws the foul) | ||
| 2:20 | | +1 | DaJuan Gordon makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-31 |
| 2:20 | | +1 | DaJuan Gordon makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-31 |
| 2:05 | | Ray Harrison misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:03 | | DaJuan Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 1:59 | | DaJuan Gordon turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 1:39 | | Tyon Grant-Foster misses two point jump shot | ||
| 1:37 | | Tyon Grant-Foster offensive rebound | ||
| 1:35 | | Akili Vining personal foul (Tyon Grant-Foster draws the foul) | ||
| 1:35 | | +1 | Tyon Grant-Foster makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-32 |
| 1:35 | | +1 | Tyon Grant-Foster makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-33 |
| 1:21 | | Aaron Cash misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:19 | | Tyon Grant-Foster defensive rebound | ||
| 1:10 | | +2 | Tyon Grant-Foster makes two point jump shot | 28-35 |
| 0:56 | | +3 | Makaih Williams makes three point jump shot | 31-35 |
| 0:30 | | Shemar Wilson personal foul (Ray Harrison draws the foul) | ||
| 0:30 | | Ray Harrison misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 0:30 | | +1 | Ray Harrison makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-36 |
| 0:10 | | Josh Baker personal foul (Makaih Williams draws the foul) | ||
| 0:10 | | +1 | Makaih Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 32-36 |
| 0:10 | | Makaih Williams misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 0:10 | | Gabe McGlothan defensive rebound | ||
| 0:01 | | Ray Harrison misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |