GCU Falls to Iowa, 86-74, in NCAA First Round
INDIANAPOLIS - On their first trip to the Big Dance, the Grand Canyon Lopes only made it through one song, falling to second-seeded Iowa, 86-74, in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis.
The Lopes (17-7) played with the Hawkeyes (22-8) but consensus All-American Luka Garza showed why he is the favorite to win national player of tehe year, scoring 24 points for Iowa. GCU was led by senior post Asbjørn Midtgaard, who finished with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
WAC Tournament MVP Jovan Blacksher Jr. added 15 points for GCU. Alessandro Lever put up 13 points, as did Gabe McGlothan, who played 19 minutes off the bench.
The Hawkeyes advance to play Oregon in the second round after the tournament's first COVID-related withdrawl forced VCU to withdraw from the tournament, advancing the Ducks to the Round of 32.