Grand Canyon holds off Utah Valley for 3rd straight WAC title, another trip to the dance

LAS VEGAS — Just when it looked like it was slipping away, Grand Canyon’s season was rescued by the guy the Lopes beat in last year’s WAC championship game.

Guard Makaih Williams, who played at UT Arlington last year, made a big defensive play to turn the ball back to the Lopes, then nailed a 3-pointer to give them an eight-point lead with 8:18 left.

A few minutes later, he made another steal. Then, came the veterans, guys with March Madness experience, who drove the Lopes to a third straight WAC Tournament title and trip to the NCAA Tournament with an 89-82 win over top-seed Utah Valley before a raucous crowd of 3,780 at Orleans Arena late Saturday night.

“His speed really helped,” coach Bryce Drew said. “They were trying to pick up Ray (Harrison) full court and try to wear him out. We needed someone to come in and handle the ball. We had JaKobe (Coles) in foul trouble. Tyon (Grant-Foster) was getting in foul trouble. Makaih did a great job in that high-ball screen. They started switching. He did a good job with his speed, making things happen on offense.”

This will be GCU’s fourth trip to the dance in five years under Drew, who thanked the three veterans next to him in the post-game media room. They were tournament MVP Coles, 2024 WAC tourney MVP Grant-Foster and 2023 tournament MVP Ray Harrison.

They all factored in big this week, especially Saturday.

“(Harrison) has shown up to this tournament three straight years, and has been incredible, making clutch play after clutch play,” Drew said. “I couldn’t be happier for him. He came across country to Phoenix. Didn’t know anything about us. He’s been loyal, which in today’s age is hard to find. He’s been loyal. He came here three straight years to do this.”

When the Lopes got down 19-10, Harrison showed that big-game experience, hitting three tough shots during a 13-4 run that tied the score at 23.

Lok Wur gave the Lopes a 29-26 lead with successive 3s, and the Lopes never let the Wolverines lead again. In the last 3 1/2 minutes of the half, UTA scored only one point, as GCU’s defense, with Coles on the bench with three fouls, contested everything.

“It’s just being aggressive,” said Harrison, who led six players in double figures with 18 points. “When I’s aggressive, it’s not only good for me but my teammates, as well. I know Coach trusts me with the ball down the stretch.”

Harrison even threw one down for a dunk, splitting defenders, which impressed Coles, who had 13 points in 19 minutes.

“I told this dude (Friday) night, when we were talking, ‘You can dunk, you need to go for one,’ ” Coles said. “He did it for me today.”

The Lopes are now 11-1 in WAC tournament games under coach Bryce Drew.

With stars Coles and Grant-Foster in foul trouble, the Lopes turned to others, such as Williams (12 points, two assists, two steals, a block), Wur (12 points, making 3-of-5 3-pointers) and center Duke Brennan (16 points, 10 rebounds), to hold it down.

Their toughness and poise (eight turnovers, seven steals, seven blocks) led to this grind-it-out championship.

They needed everybody to chip in with Tanner Toolson having his best game for Utah Valley, making 6-of-9 3-pointers and scoring 28 points.

When Drew went with a lineup of four guards, moving Collin Moore to the four, the Lopes made it work in the last four minutes of the half to build t 40-33 lead.

“Ray was really good in that stretch,” Drew said. “We got some stops and made some shots at the other end. I thought that was big stretch heading into the locker room with Tyon and JaKobe in foul trouble.”