Facing a Wyoming team that has won four straight games, the Grand Canyon women’s basketball team returns home and looks to maintain momentum from this week’s 20-point victory with a 1 p.m. Saturday contest against the Cowgirls.
AT A GLANCE
- Coming off its largest margin of victory in the 2026 calendar year, the Lopes return home for a crucial Mountain West game for seeding implications against Wyoming on Saturday.
- GCU enters the weekend in sixth place in the Mountain West, one game behind New Mexico and 1 1/2 games back of Boise State for a top-four seed. Wyoming is seventh, and a win for the Cowgirls would propel them past GCU due to the head-to-head series.
- Graduate guard Casey Valenti-Paea aided GCU to arguably its best offensive game of the season, draining four 3-pointers and finishing with 16 points and seven boards at Utah State on Wednesday. In that win, the Lopes set season highs for 3-pointers made (13), field goals made (32), field goal percentage (57.1%) and assists (21).
- Junior guard Julianna LaMendola leads the squad with 6.2 rebounds per game and has grabbed at least four boards in every game since the season opener. Against MW teams, her numbers move to 6.8 rebounds per game with seven games of six or more rebounds.
- Since Jan. 14, GCU has tallied at least four blocks in each contest it has played. In that five-game span, it is averaging 5.2 blocks per game.
- Senior forward Anisa Jeffries became the third player to move her scoring output to double figures per game against conference foes. She is coming off a 14 point, eight-rebound, four-assist outing at Utah State and is third on the team with 10.1 points per game in conference action.
- The squad pulled down 42 rebounds in the win over Utah State, moving to 5-1 in games the team grabs 40 or more rebounds.
- After shooting less than 70% in back-to-back games, the Lopes shot 81% from the line against the Aggies on Jan. 28. Sophomore guard Chloe Mann went 6 of 6, improving to 86% for the season to rank second best in the conference.
THIS GAME
- Coming off a 20-point victory at Utah State on Wednesday, GCU looks to keep it rolling and improve its conference standing Saturday afternoon versus Wyoming.
- Saturday is the first-ever game between the two programs.
- The Lopes have won four of their past six games, including two of their last three at Global Credit Union Arena.
SCOUTING WYOMING
- Winners of four straight, Wyoming enters Phoenix at 8-12 overall and 5-6 in conference play, one game back of GCU in the seventh position.
- The Cowgirls hold a 7-3 home record but are 1-9 on the road.
- The conference’s top scorer enters Global Credit Union Arena in Malene Pederson, averaging 16.7 points per game. She is first in free throw percentage (87%) and field goal percentage (45.2).
- The Cowgirls average 3.8 blocks per game, second best in the MW, and are led by Jane Rumpf with 24 this season to rank third in the conference.
- A disciplined team, Wyoming averages 12.3 fouls per game, the sixth-lowest average in the nation.
- In its past four games against Air Force, Utah State (twice) and Fresno state, Wyoming has outscored its opposition by an average of 14.5 points with 56 points being the most scored against the Cowgirls in that span.
WHAT’S NEXT?
- For the first time since Jan. 10-14, GCU stays home for its second straight contest and hosts Mountain West leader San Diego State on Wednesday.
- Tipoff is at 6 p.m. Phoenix time on Arizona’s Family Sports Network.
