Grand Canyon defeats San José St 76-58
Grand Canyon Dominates San José St in Conference Showdown
The Grand Canyon Antelopes (Home) proved too much for the visiting San José State Spartans, winning 76-58 in a closely contested conference matchup at Global Credit Union Arena on January 10th.
As expected, the home crowd was electric, and their team responded with a dominant performance. The Lopes took an early lead, outscoring San José St by 16 points in the first half (42-26) to set the tone for the rest of the game. Grand Canyon's Efe Demirel led the way with 14 points, shooting a perfect 71.4% from the field.
The Spartans struggled to contain Demirel and his teammates, who outrebounded San José St by five (33-28) and committed just 14 turnovers. The Lopes' defense also forced 11 steals and four blocks, stifling the Spartans' offense.
San José St's Ben Roseborough was the only bright spot for the visitors, scoring 23 points on 36.8% shooting. However, his teammates struggled to find their rhythm, going just 19-52 from the field overall (37.0%).
In contrast, Grand Canyon's Makaih Williams led the team with five assists, eight points, and four rebounds. Nana Owusu-Anane also had a strong all-around game, grabbing 11 rebounds and scoring seven points.
The final margin was 18 points, with Grand Canyon leading by as many as 23 at times. The Lopes' largest lead came midway through the second half, when they extended their advantage to 25 points (68-43).
Overall, Grand Canyon's balanced performance made for a convincing win in conference play. The team's strong defense and rebounding helped them overcome a slow start and outlast San José St.
Advanced Statistics
Grand Canyon's efficient offense was highlighted by its shooting percentages: 46.0% from the field, 63.0% from two-point range, and 30.0% from three-point range. The Lopes also shot 83.0% from the free-throw line, thanks in part to their strong performance from the paint (32 points).
San José St's struggles from beyond the arc (6/19) were a major factor in the Spartans' loss. The team also committed 14 turnovers and struggled with rebounding, going just 28.0% from the offensive glass.
The advanced statistics further underscored Grand Canyon's dominance, with an effective field goal percentage of 53.5% and a true shooting percentage of 58.5%.