PHOENIX – Tarleton State stayed tough against the Western Athletic Conference's top ranked team on Thursday night, but couldn't keep up late in the Texans' 62-43 loss at Grand Canyon.
 
The Texans (7-17, 4-11 WAC) were outscored 21-9 in the fourth quarter at GCU Arena in Phoenix, turning a seven-point final frame difference into a lopsided result. The Lopes (22-5, 14-2 WAC) improved to 6-0 against Tarleton State all-time, sweeping the season series.
 
GCU entered the contest with the 11th best scoring defense in the nation, only allowing 54.8 points per game, and that stayed true as the Lopes forced the Texans into their second lowest scoring output of the season, their lowest since Dec. 10. Tarleton State made just 2-of-14 (.143) from long range, 16-of-48 (.333) shooting overall. Grand Canyon wasn't much better, making 3-of-11 (.273) from distance and 21-of-55 (.382) from the floor, but they got to the free throw line nine more times (17-of-21 to 9-of-12) and outrebounded the Texans 42-29.
 
Miannah Little continued her solid play of late with a team-high 13 points, to go with three rebounds and two assists. Faith Acker contributed 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting and four rebounds in 24 minutes. Elise Turrubiates pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, while Andjela Bigovic led the bench with six points and seven boards.
 
GCU led wire-to-wire on Thursday night, but the game was fairly close until the fourth quarter. GCU led 15-8 after the first, then the teams tied each the second and third quarters, 9-9 and 17-17. The Lopes opened the fourth on a 10-2 run less than three minutes in to go up 15, and maintained that lead the rest of the way.
 
GCU's Jada Holland had a game-high 15 points. Olivia Lane recorded a double-double with 13 points (9-10 FT), 11 rebounds and two steals.
 
The Texans' trip out west gets no easier, as they head to Riverside, California, to take on the WAC's second ranked team, California Baptist, on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT.