The Grand Canyon Antelopes men's basketball team represents Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. They are a member of the Mountain West Conference. They are led by head coach Bryce Drew and play their home games at Global Credit Union Arena. They made the jump to NCAA Division I and joined the WAC on July 1, 2013. They joined the Mountain West on July 8, 2025, one year earlier than their expected 2026 departure.
During their time as a member of the NAIA, they were national champions in 1975, 1978, and 1988. Since joining Division I in 2013–14, the Antelopes have appeared four times in the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2025.
History Grand Canyon College was founded in 1949. In their first year, they hired Howard Mansfield as coach of the Antelopes basketball team, the first sports team sponsored by the school.
The Antelopes played in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) through the 1989–90 season before moving up to NCAA Division II for the 1990–91 season.
In March 2013, former Phoenix Suns shooting guard Dan Majerle became the 13th men's basketball coach. Majerle oversaw GCU's transition into NCAA Division I basketball in the WAC. The Antelopes began playing in Division I for the 2013–14 season, and became a full member eligible for postseason play in the 2017–2018 season.
In March 2020, Majerle was fired after seven seasons as head coach of GCU's men's basketball team. In May 2020, Majerle sued the university for breach of contract, alleging that the university did not give reason to terminate him or make any severance payments. The lawsuit was dismissed the following year with an unclear resolution.
On March 17, 2020, Bryce Drew was named the new GCU men's basketball head coach. Immediately prior to arriving at GCU, he was head coach of the Vanderbilt University men's basketball team.
Postseason
NCAA Division I tournament results Grand Canyon has appeared in four NCAA Division I tournaments. Their combined record is 1–4.
2021#15First Round#2 Iowa L 74–862023#14First Round#3 Gonzaga L 70–822024#12 First RoundSecond Round #5 Saint Mary's #4 Alabama W 75–66L 61–722025#13First Round#4 MarylandL 49–81
NCAA Division II tournament results The Antelopes have appeared in ten NCAA Division II tournaments. Their combined record is 5–10.
1992 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional 3rd-place game UC RiversideChico State L 61–74W 88–87 1993 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional 3rd-place game Cal State BakersfieldChico State L 68–98W 103–98 1994 Regional Quarterfinals San Francisco State L 79–84 OT 1995 Regional Quarterfinals UC Davis L 88–92 OT 1996 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinals Alaska-AnchorageCal State Bakersfield W 105–96 OTL 65–71 1997 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinals UC DavisCal State Bakersfield W 78–66L 70–80 1998 Regional Quarterfinals Cal State Los Angeles L 58–53 2007 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinals Seattle PacificHumboldt State W 87–65L 81–95 2012 Regional Quarterfinals Western Washington L 73–79 2013 Regional Quarterfinals Seattle Pacific L 59–85
NAIA tournament results The Antelopes have appeared in 10 NAIA tournaments. Their combined record is 18–7 and they are three-time NAIA national champions (1975, 1978, 1988).
1973 First round Winona State L 64–70 1974 First roundSecond Round Virginia StateIndiana (PA) W 67–65L 65–66 1975 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Game WillametteIllinois WesleyanWisconsin-ParksideAlcorn StateMidwestern State W 83–60W 66–63W 70–54W 88–68W 65–54 1976 First roundSecond Round Central State (OH)Newberry W 57–52L 58–65 1978 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Game CumberlandHawaii-HiloCentral State (OH)Texas A&M-CommerceNebraska-Kearney W 70–64W 83–67W 88–82 5OTW 74–69W 79–75 1979 First round Marymount (KS) L 74–79 1980 First round Clarion L 75–83 1988 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship Game HastingsFort Hays StateCollege of IdahoWaynesburgAuburn-Montgomery W 103–75W 101–95W 99–96 OTW 108–106W 88–86 OT 1989 First round Western Montana L 65–79 1990 First roundSecond Round Briar CliffSouth Carolina-Upstate W 72–66L 69–75
CIT results The Antelopes have appeared in three Division I CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) Tournaments. Their combined record is 2–3.
2014 First Round Pacific L 67–69 2015 First Round Northern Arizona L 70–75 2016 First RoundSecond RoundQuarterfinals South Carolina StateJackson StateCoastal Carolina W 78–74 W 64–54L 58–60
CBI results The Antelopes have appeared in the Division I College Basketball Invitational (CBI) two times. Their combined record is 0–2.
2018 First Round Mercer L 73–78 2019 First Round West Virginia L 63–77
Record year-by-year
* Ineligible for NCAA Tournament during transition to Division I from 2013–2017 seasons.
Antelopes in the NBA, G League and Summer League 8 former Grand Canyon players have played at least one game in the NBA , G League or NBA Summer Camp.
Bayard Forrest1977-1979 Phoenix SunsHoracio Llamas1996-1997, 1997-1998Sioux Falls Skyforce, Phoenix SunsSean Miller-Moore 2023-2024 Westchester KnicksGabe McGlothan2024–2025, 2025-2026, 2026- PresentGrand Rapids Gold, Noblesville Boom, Indiana Pacers (Preseason), Maine CelticsChance McMillian2025-2026Santa Cruz Warriors Ray Harrison2025-2026Long Island NetsTyon Grant-Foster2026San Antonio Spurs Summer League Jaden Henley2026Detroit Pistons Summer League
References
External links