Journey to Division I: Barstool’s Season Inside Grand Canyon University Basketball Vol. 4

This will be a season-long blog featuring Grand Canyon University. We will have weekly journal entries bringing you inside access to Grand Canyon University during their first year eligible for postseason at the Division I level. The blogs will be bringing you weekly experiences from the team, staff and fans. 

Vol. 1: Click Here

Vol. 2: Click Here

Vol. 3: Click Here 

Well, the season is finally here. Grand Canyon – and the rest of Division I teams – tip off the 2017-18 season on Friday. With that in mind, I wanted to do something different for this blog. The first three entries were longer and filled with words. This one I figured I might as well let Dan Majerele and Joshua Braun get you ready for the season.

If you haven’t read any of these yet or need to get caught up, I’m following Grand Canyon basketball this year in its first year eligible for postseason play at the Division I level. The Antelopes finished the transition period to Division I and are now able to compete in both the WAC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. The other catch here is this is by far the most talented team we’ve seen complete the transition period to Division I in recent memory. Since they made the move to Division I in 2013-14 – the same year Majerle took over the program – they have gone 81-45 overall and 40-17 in conference play. Grand Canyon has never finished worse than 3rd in the WAC.

I highly suggest catching a game if you can of Grand Canyon. They like to get up and down the court (average offensive possession lasts 16.6 seconds last year) while they really get in your shorts defensively. Last year GCU ranked 90th in AdjD on KenPom and turnovers on 21% of possessions (36th best in the country). This year Grand Canyon brings in Casey Benson, a big time transfer from Oregon (can read about him in Vol. 2) to play alongside Joshua Braun in the backcourt. Braun averaged 17.5 points per game last year while shooting 41.6% from the 3-point line.

Grand Canyon opens its season at 9:00 Friday night at home against Florida A&M. You can catch all their games including ones against St. John’s, Boise State, Louisville and Illinois by just clicking here.  

In the mean time, here’s Dan Majerle and Joshua Braun with a video for Stoolies: