10 Things To Know About Grand Canyon U Basketball

Today we learned Kentucky will open its 2014-15 basketball season against Grand Canyon University, a school most of you have probably never heard of. The Phoenix-based, for-profit university will make the trip to Lexington on November 14 to kick off the season as part of the second annual Bill Keightley Classic in Rupp Arena. Tonight we'll study the rather unfamiliar opponent so that we're fully prepared for that first game, or at least a little more educated about GCU athletics. Shall we?   1.) Grand Canyon competes in the WAC, not eligible for postseason play until 2017-18. Grand Canyon accepted an invitation to join the Division I Western Athletic Conference in 2012 and competed in the conference in 2013-14. The University moved up from Division II in 2013 and will not be eligible for postseason competition until 2017-18 after completing the four-year transition. 2.) Thunder Dan Majerle is the head coach. The former Phoenix Suns sharpshooter has one year under his belt at GCU, a 15-15 season with a 10-6 record in the school's first run through the WAC. Majerle was a three-time NBA All-Star during his 14-year career in the league. He also got away with the worst travel in the history of basketball as a member of the Miami Heat... 3.) Jerry Colangelo is a special assistant to GCU President to help athletics' transition to Division I. The former Suns owner and current director of USA Basketball was named "special assistant to the president" in March of 2013 to help the athletic department's move to NCAA Division I athletics. His name is also on campus at the Colangelo School of Sports Business at Grand Canyon. 4.) Associate head coach Todd Lee coached at Kentucky Wesleyan. Lee left Owensboro, Ky. in 2013 after eight seasons as the head coach of the Panthers. Lee said he wasn't looking for a new job at the time but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to work with Majerle and Colangelo. He was 154-81 overall at Wesleyan. 5.) This GCU promo video has LASERS! 6.) Rex Chapman is the network TV color analyst. He will be getting a call from KSR for a full scouting report during our pregame show. 7.) Grand Canyon's athletic teams are known as the 'Antelopes.' Did you know the pronghorn antelope, found in Arizona, is the fastest mammal on foot in the Western Hemisphere? It can sprint up to 60 miles an hour, helping it avoid coyotes and hunters. The pronghorn antelope also carries the only forked horns in the world. Knowledge is power. 8.) 'Lopes Up' is a thing. So is 'Lope Nation.' 9.) Dan Majerle's nephew is a redshirt-junior on the team. Ryan Majerle transferred to play for his uncle after stints at Toledo and Grand Valley State. I'm not sure if "Uncle's Boy" chants have been done before but it's worth a shot when the Antelopes come to Rupp Arena in November. 10.) That Duck Dynasty guy is a fan. Random. Very random.   I think we're good now. Bring on the Lopes!