CMU Looks to Extend Streak Against Majerle-led Grand Canyon
11/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Central Michigan Game Notes 
| Grand Canyon Game Notes
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - So far, all good for the Central Michigan men's basketball team.
At least the final results, anyway.
The Chippewas are 4-0 for the first time since 2000-01 heading into Saturday's non-conference game at McGuirk Arena against Grand Canyon (2-3), which is coached by CMU Hall of Famer Dan Majerle. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
While third-year Chippewa coach Keno Davis is pleased with the fast start he, like any coach, sees plenty of room for improvement.
"We've got a long way to go, and if we were playing great basketball right now -- that would be good, but to see us have a lot of room for improvement right now is the biggest positive as these games on our schedule continue to get tougher and tougher," Davis said. "I see our team continuing to improve throughout the year."
He has also seen significant improvement compared with last season, particularly on defense and rebounding.
The Chippewas are allowing an average of 54.5 points per game after surrendering 73.8 per a year ago, and they're outrebounding opponents by more than 13 per game. Last season, the Chippewas were outrebounded by an average of nearly three per game.
"I believed that we would improve in those areas, but that we might not see as much of that improvement so early in the year," Davis said. "Now as I look at our team compared to last year, we've made a pretty sizeable jump both physically and in our execution on defense and on the boards. And if we can continue to improve from that mark we could be a tough team in those areas."
Another statistical factor that bodes well, Davis said, is the fact that in each of their four games, the Chippewas have been led by a different player in both scoring and rebounding.
Blake Hibbitts, Chris Fowler, John Simons and Braylon Rayson have each taken a turn in leading the Chippewas in scoring, while Hibbitts, Simons, Rayshawn Simmons and Austin Stewart has each topped the rebounding list.
"One game we'll have a great rebounding night," Davis said, "the next game we'll have a great defensive night, the next game a great outside shooting night, the other game a great overall shooting. We're doing it in a variety of different ways."
Grand Canyon, which is located in Phoenix, is in its second year under Majerle, and its second in Division I after moving up from Division II.
The Lopes went 15-15 overall a year ago and finished 10-6 (third place) in the Western Athletic Conference after being picked to finish eighth.
Grand Canyon opened the season with an 85-45 loss at top-ranked Kentucky. On Tuesday, the Lopes lost at home to Buffalo, 80-64.
The Lopes returned two starters, 6-foot-9 Daniel Alexander and 6-3 guard Jerome Garrison. Royce Woolridge, another 6-3 guard and the son of the late Orlando Woolridge, is the Lopes' leading scorer at 14.0 points per game.
Garrison and Ryan Majerle, Dan Majerle's nephew, average 10-plus points per game. The Lopes are averaging 59.6 points per game and allowing 65, and it being outrebounded by eight-plus per.
"From what I've seen, coach Majerle has a quality team on his hands, one that has come off a pretty successful year last season," Davis said. "He's done a really good job with them in a short amount of time. They have a lot of their talent back. It'll be a good test for us."
