GCU's Sydney Curry dunks in December. Photo: Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Sun Devils and Wildcats are always front and center during college basketball season in Arizona, but you might not have noticed that Grand Canyon University is knocking on the door of another NCAA Tournament appearance.
State of play: The Lopes had their final home game of the regular season Saturday, defeating Stephen F. Austin. The win gave GCU a perfect home record for the first time since the 1991-92 season.
They're narrowly leading the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and whoever wins the upcoming WAC tournament will likely be the conference's only March Madness representative.
Their final regular-season game is Saturday against California Baptist.
Zoom in: Head coach Bryce Drew told Axios GCU is bolstered by a key group of returning players from last year's tournament team.
They include Ray Harrison and Gabe McGlothan, along with a group of five transfers that includes Tyon Grant-Foster, the WAC's leading scorer.
"I think the chemistry, it really meshed together from Day One," Drew said.
Between the lines: The high-scoring Lopes are averaging 79.9points per game (48th in the country), and Drew touted their aggressiveness in attacking the rim, noting they're top 10 in the country in drawing fouls.
