GAME #19: Seattle University has played well defensively over the past three games, allowing just 53 points per game. However, the Redhawks need to get their offense on track in order to come out on the winning end Saturday night against Division I and WAC newcomer Grand Canyon.
SCOUTING GRAND CANYON: The Antelopes come into the weekend with a 7-10 overall record, including a 2-2 record within the Western Athletic Conference. Grand Canyon last played on Saturday, Jan. 11, before facing Idaho this past Thursday. The Antelopes are scoring 70.2 points per game and giving up 70.4 points per contest. As a team, Grand Canyon is shooting 42.5 percent from the field, including 34.2 percent from behind the three-point line, and 74.1 percent from the free throw line. Killian Larson is averaging a double-double for the Antelopes with 15.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, while Jerome Garrison is contributing 13.7 points per contest. Daniel Alexander has started the last nine games for Grand Canyon, shooting 50.6 percent from the field, including 45.1 percent from the three-point line, in averaging 12.8 points per game.
SERIES HISTORY: This is the second meeting all-time between Seattle U and Grand Canyon. On Dec. 17, 2002, in Phoenix, Grand Canyon held off Seattle U for a 78-77 victory. Darnell Lyons led the Redhawks with 22 points and four steals. Delano Somers led Grand Canyon with 24 points.
THUNDER DAN: Dan Majerle is the first-year head coach at Grand Canyon University as the Antelopes make the transition to Division I status. Majerle is very familiar with Seattle and KeyArena from his 14-year NBA career with the Phoenix Suns, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Miami Heat. Majerle faced the Seattle Supersonics 42 times during the regular season, with his teams and the Sonics splitting those meetings at 21 wins apiece. In the regular season, Majerle averaged 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game against the Sonics. While Majerle was with Phoenix, the Suns and Supersonics battled in a seven-game Western Conference Final series after the 1992-93 regular season, with the Suns winning the series 4-3. In that series, Majerle averaged 17.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. In fact, 23 years ago to the day of tonight’s meeting, the Suns defeated the Sonics in Phoenix, 128-113, with Majerle collecting 16 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocked shots. Majerle was 17-5 against Seattle’s NBA team in Phoenix, but just 7-17 against the Sonics in Seattle, including 6-12 at the old Seattle Center Coliseum, 1-1 during the 1994-95 season at the Tacoma Dome, and 0-4 in KeyArena at Seattle Center.