Box Score PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Dominican University of California men's basketball team jumped to an early lead but fouls and frustration mounted after that as the host Grand Canyon University Antelopes rallied for an 81-54 Pacific West Conference victory on Wednesday night in GCU's new 5,000-seat arena.

Sophomore Connor Haysbert tallied a career- and game-high 21 points on 8 of 11 shooting for the Penguins (3-12/2-2) but Dominican was hurt by turnovers and foul woes. The full-court pressing 'Lopes (8-4/2-2) attempted 18 more foul shots in the contest, notching 12 more free throws, and put the game away by scoring 18 consecutive points to build a 62-36 lead with 10:18 to play.

“We did get off to a good start and handled the pressure pretty well,” said Head Coach Booker T. Harris. “Then they just got more aggressive and got to the rim and got to the line.”

Dominican 6-8 junior center Jacob Noisat, who had a game-high 18 points and game-high 12 rebounds in the Penguins' 72-62 win over Grand Canyon last Tuesday, was hampered by foul trouble. The team's leading scorer and rebounder fouled out with 6:06 to play with three points — eight below his season's average — and a season-low three rebounds. The 29-point defeat was Dominican's worst of the season.

“It was one definitely for the memory bank,” Harris said. “It just goes to show teams in the conference make adjustments when you have to play them again and do things different and turn up the heat on you.”

Ricky Wofford added nine points – seven straight in a two-minute span in the second half – for Dominican while teammate Xander McNally had a team-high six rebounds, game-high four assists and two steals.

The Penguins struggled against Grand Canyon's defense, which recorded 11 blocked shots and 12 steals. Still, Dominican was within striking distance, 44-36, following a Haysbert bucket with 16 minutes left in the game.

“He gave us a good lift,” Harris said. “Especially early on.”

Led by Haysbert, the Penguins started fast. He scored 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first half. His basket off an assist by Myles Carrillo with 12:26 remaining before intermission gave Dominican its largest lead, 17-10.

The Penguins were leading 20-16 with 10:47 to go when Noisat got in foul trouble. The 'Lopes soon after took their first lead of the game, 21-20, with 8:42 remaining in the midst of a streak of 10 unanswered points.

Grand Canyon's lead grew to as many as 12 in the first half before McNally beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer to cut GCU's advantage to 38-29 at half. McNally, who last week was fifth in the nation in steals in NCAA Division II men's basketball, had four assists in the first half. Noisat was limited to nine minutes,  two shots and one point in the first half when Dominican was whistled for 16 team fouls, 10 fewer than Grand Canyon.

At one point in the second half, five minutes in, Dominican had been called for 20 fouls to nine for the 'Lopes and GCU had attempted 27 foul shots, 20 more than the Penguins.
Dominican will play next on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Pacific time against Dixie State College in St. George, Utah where last year the Penguins suffered a 44-point defeat, 84-40, at the hands of the Red Storm. Dominican avenged that loss last Thursday in a 73-72 overtime win over Dixie State at the Conlan Center. Friday's game will be broadcast live at www.dominicanathletics.com/livevideo.