Grand Canyon set to host ASU in men's hoops at new GCU Arena

PHOENIX, AZ - The Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team will open the 2011-12 season by hosting crosstown foe Arizona State University in an exhibition game at the new Grand Canyon University Arena on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. (time subject to change).

Grand Canyon University Arena will be the latest in the campus’ continued growth and will seat nearly 5,000 fans for basketball in a state-of-the-art venue that will host sporting events, musical performances, speaking engagements and conferences.

The GCU men’s basketball team will be in its third season under the direction of head coach Russ Pennell. Pennell has a 30-28 overall record at GCU and led the team to a 14-12 record last season, the first winning campaign at the school since 2006-07.

The Antelopes will return four starters and are led by senior point guard Kyle Speed, who was a second-team All-Pacific West Conference selection after finishing with the nation’s fourth-best and conference-best 3.37 assist-to-turnover ratio.

He finished second in the league in steals (1.3), fifth in assists (3.5) and 10th in three-point field goal percentage (38.0). Speed led GCU in scoring at 10.0 per game.

Arizona State is allowed to play two exhibitions or scrimmages per season. In the past it has had scrimmages against Division I teams that are close due to NCAA policies, such as New Mexico, UNLV, Texas Tech and St. Mary's.

Many schools in the eastern part of the country play non-Division I teams in exhibitions, but on their own campus. ASU was granted a waiver by the NCAA to travel crosstown and play in the inaugural men’s game at the new GCU Arena.

Season and single game tickets will be on sale to the general public on Sept. 10. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.gcuarena.com or the Grand Canyon University Arena Box Office located at 3300 W. Camelback Road in Phoenix.