GCU’s “punched ticket” from their WAC Tourney victory sits on display at their Selection Sunday party at Havoc House on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in Phoenix Arizona. (Photo by Mihir Sinhasan/Cronkite News)
PHOENIX – GCU is leaving Las Vegas as a winner – not via the blackjack table, but in the form of co-conference champions.
For the first time in school history, the Lopes hit a two-team parlay in the same season. The GCU men’s and women’s basketball teams both won a Western Athletic Conference tournament championship and automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
“We went two for two,” said GCU women’s coach Molly Miller, whose team takes a 30-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament. “It says a lot about the university and the support they’ve done and shown to the basketball programs.”
As their respective selection shows unfolded Sunday, players and coaches on the men’s and women’s teams knew they would be selected, it was just a matter of finding out where they would be seeded, who they would face and where they would be playing.
Both emerged as 13-seeds, although Miller and the women’s team knew almost from the jump where they would be placed, watching the selections live at their watch party on campus.
GCU’s Women’s Basketball team waits for their name to be called on the ESPN Selection Show at Havoc House on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mihir Sinhasan/Cronkite News)
The GCU women (32-2) travel to Waco, Texas, to face fourth-seeded Baylor (27-7) Friday. The host Bears are coming off a Sweet Sixteen appearance last season.
“Sometimes it is a waiting game, but right off the bat, we knew we were called,” Miller said. “It was exciting news. To get together and celebrate, that is pretty special.”
Meanwhile, men’s coach Bryce Drew and his players had to wait a bit longer to find out they are headed to Seattle for a Friday matchup against fourth-seeded Maryland, which finished second in the Big Ten with a 25-8 record. GCU finished 26-7.
“Obviously excited. What a blessing it is to be in the NCAA Tournament,” Drew said. “It was nice to know that we were in since our name was called so late, and not be on the bubble and be all stressed out.”
Miller and the Lopes captured the WAC women’s title Saturday with a 65-62 win over UT Arlington, while the men’s team knocked off top-seeded Utah Valley, 89-82, in men’s championship later the same night.
“Our fans were tremendous. They conserved a lot of energy, they cheered for the women in the afternoon and then came back and cheered for us at night.” Drew said. “Really cool for our school to have both programs in the NCAA Tournament.”
The berth sends the men’s team to a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and fourth overall, but the women’s ticket marks new territory for the program with their first-ever March Madness appearance.
Under the leadership of Bryce Drew, GCU men’s basketball has achieved a third consecutive Men’s NCAA Tournament berth. (File photo by Griffin Greenberg/Cronkite News)
“(It’s) surreal,” Miller said. “You kind of reflect on the body of work that you have done up to this point. It’s a lot of hard work. Unseen hours, dedication. To see (our name called) is really rewarding.”
The women’s team hasn’t lost a game since Nov. 18 at Oregon, and its 30-game streak includes victories against Arizona, Arizona State and Northern Arizona.
Yet, despite all the success, the team still felt a wave of emotion on Selection Sunday.
“It is very emotional,” said guard Tiarra Brown. “At the same time, it is new to us and not just us, the players, but the program as well. So it is very exciting.”
The men’s team said goodbye to the WAC with a third consecutive conference tournament championship. The Lopes move to the Mountain West Conference next season.
Grand Canyon University is making history in the Grand Canyon state: None of Arizona’s university programs had won men’s and women’s conference basketball championships in the same year before the Lopes pulled it off this season.
GCU women’s basketball coach Molly Miller has led her team to the program’s first Women’s NCAA Tournament appearance. (File photo by Griffin Greenberg/Cronkite News)
Now with GCU written in ink in both brackets, it’s prep time for the big dance.
“We thought Arizona would be a likely opponent, but the committee does things sometimes you don’t understand,” Drew said of the men’s draw. “Having Maryland come all the way out to the West Coast is interesting, how that came to be. But we are very happy to be on the West Coast where it feels like home.”
The GCU women’s team won’t have the luxury of a neutral court. They’re facing Baylor on its own floor.
“Waco will get rowdy, I am excited to experience that.” Miller said. “My sister already sent me a brief scouting report, so we are going to get to work and put together a good game plan.”
Miller’s players are just happy to be in the tournament, regardless of the venue.
“Keep going, keep fighting. That’s all we got, and that’s all we are going to do,” ” said guard Trinity San Antonio.
The women tip off at 12:30 p.m. Arizona time Friday. The ball goes up in Grand Canyon’s men’s game shortly after that at 1:35 p.m.
