Grand Canyon’s shooting overwhelms Utah State in Aggies’ eighth-straight loss
Utah State Women’s Basketball’s second-half surge wasn’t enough to overcome Grand Canyon’s relentless shooting and pace as the Aggies fell 86-66 to the Antelopes at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Jan. 28.
The game began with promise for Utah State, which forced four turnovers in the opening minutes and moved the ball well offensively but struggled to convert quality looks. Aaliyah Gayles set the tone defensively early, disrupting passing lanes and pressuring the ball, while the Aggies executed their half-court sets cleanly.
Shots, however, didn’t fall. Grand Canyon capitalized by building a 16-8 lead after the first quarter as Utah State’s defensive execution outpaced its offensive production.
The imbalance only widened in the second quarter. While the Aggies continued to generate interior looks and second-chance opportunities, Grand Canyon caught fire from deep. Casey Valenti-Paea and Ines Zounia fueled a barrage of 3-pointers as the Lopes shot 8-for-15 from beyond the arc in the first half, stretching the lead to 44-28 at the break.
Utah State’s offense stalled for long stretches, including a four-minute scoring drought, while Grand Canyon’s ball movement and spacing repeatedly created open perimeter looks.
“We got the shots — we did not make the shots,” said head coach Wesley Brooks. “Shot making is the difference in the game. If we make shots, this is a totally different game.”
The Aggies showed renewed life in the third quarter behind Gayles, who found her rhythm after a slow start. She scored quickly to open the half and began attacking downhill, helping Utah State stabilize offensively. Paloma Muñoz Herreros added energy on the glass, and the Aggies briefly cut into the deficit during a stretch of improved execution.
However, Grand Canyon continued to answer every push, maintaining control through consistent scoring in the paint and excellent perimeter shooting.
Despite trailing by as many as 22, Utah State refused to fold. Early in the fourth quarter, the Aggies went on a 15-6 run, sparked by defensive plays from Elise Livingston and Gayles, along with aggressive downhill attacks and a transition three from Muñoz Herreros off a Gayles steal. Utah State cut the margin to single digits, briefly injecting momentum into the building.
“You’ve got to keep pressing, you’ve got to keep hunting,” Brooks said. “We stuck together. We fought hard.”
But the comeback stalled under the weight of turnovers, missed layups and Grand Canyon’s composure. The Lopes closed the game with a flurry of threes, finishing 13-for-25 from deep, while Utah State’s mistakes mounted late as the deficit stretched back out.
Gayles was the clear bright spot, finishing with a career-high 24 points while anchoring both ends of the floor. After opening the game 1-for-7, she shot efficiently the rest of the way, attacking mismatches, creating in transition and leading Utah State’s late surge.
“Just take it day by day,” Gayles said. “We’ve got to defend the three better, treat everybody as shooters and keep building confidence, especially with our younger players.”
Brooks echoed that sentiment, pointing to development and continuity as the program’s long-term foundation. With a young rotation and several players returning next season, he emphasized growth over results in the short term.
“We’re starting to build continuity that this program hasn’t had,” Brooks said. “These freshmen are going to get better. Their sophomore year will be better. Their junior year will be better. By their senior year, Utah State’s going to be pretty good.”
Utah State forced 23 turnovers but scored just 11 points off them, a stat that reflected the night’s central issue — opportunity without conversion.
“The only stat that matters is: did it go in or did it go out,” Brooks said. “Shooting covers a multitude of sins.”
In the end, Grand Canyon’s efficiency, spacing and shot making proved too much, turning early Aggie energy into a 20-point loss. But beneath the final score, Utah State showed flashes of a developing team identity with pressure defense, downhill attacking and emerging young contributors.
“I’m proud of our fight,” Brooks said. “We’re not where we want to be yet, but we will get there.”