The Grand Canyon Antelopes will take on Saint Mary’s in the NCAA Tournament first round on Friday as a No. 12 seed.
Grand Canyon tore through the Western Athletic Conference in the regular season at a record of 17-3 in conference play to earn the top seed in the WAC Tournament before defeating Seattle U on Friday and UT Arlington on Saturday in the championship game.
Head coach Bryce Drew has now brought the ‘Lopes to the NCAA Tournament three out of the last four years since taking over for Dan Majerle in the 2020-21 season, when Drew during his debut season led GCU to its first-ever appearance in the Big Dance. The team holds a record of 0-2 in previous outings, falling to Gonzaga 82-70 last year as a No. 14 seed and taking an 86-74 defeat versus second-seeded Iowa in 2021.
Time and TV channel for Grand Canyon vs. Saint Mary’s in NCAA Tournament 1st round
Grand Canyon’s matchup against Saint Mary’s is set for Friday at 7:05 p.m. MST on truTV.
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Grand Canyon is led by WAC Player of the Year Tyon Grant-Foster, one of the best stories in college basketball.
Grant-Foster originally played junior college basketball in Iowa before transferring to Kansas as a junior. He then spent one season there before going to DePaul, when at halftime of his debut, he collapsed in the locker room and would later require two heart surgeries. He went 16 months without playing basketball and was told he would never play again before he was cleared to come back.
Grant-Foster then committed to GCU after practically missing two seasons and has been tremendous, averaging a conference-high 19.8 points per game to go with 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.7 steals.
In addition to Grant-Foster, the ‘Lopes have two starters back from last year’s tourney team in senior guard Rayshon Harrison and senior forward Gabe McGlothan. Playing off the bench is fifth-year senior guard Jovan Blacksher, who like McGlothan was also on the 2021 NCAA Tournament squad.