PHOENIX — Idaho guard Sydney Gandy historically has been a shooter who when she's hot, she's hot and when she's not, she's not. But when the Vandals needed her the most Sunday, she came through in the clutch.
The 5-foot-5 junior from Long Beach, Calif., scored 17 of her 20 points in the second half, and had five of Idaho's nine points in overtime as the Vandals rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Grand Canyon 81-78 in overtime at GCU Arena.
Senior forward Beyonce Bea had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Idaho (4-6), which rallied from a six-point hole with with 47 seconds remaining in regulation to force the extra period. Freshman guard Rosa Smith chipped in 16 points, five rebounds and 10 assists. Freshman guard Asha Phillips contributed 11 points.
Sydney Palma tallied 20 points for the Lopes (8-2). Naudia Evans added 18 points and five assists. Dominique Phillips finished with 15 points and five rebounds. Evan Zars had 10 points and nine rebounds.
Grand Canyon build a 35-25 halftime lead and was up 54-47 going into the fourth. The Vandals scored the first eight points of the quarter to take a one-point edge, but the Lopes quickly regained the lead and built it to six late in the contest.
However, senior guard Tiana Johnson's 3-pointer pulled Idaho within 72-69. On the ensuing possession, the Vandals forced a turnover. Having to go the length of the court, Gandy came up the court, dribbled and hit a fallaway 24-footer that hit the bottom of the net to send the contest to overtime.
Idaho scored seven of the first nine points in the overtime, as Gandy hit another big 3 and Smith finished the run with a layup for a 79-74 lead with 3:09 left. However, Grand Canyon hit a pair of baskets within a minute to get within a point.
Things got prickly late. Idaho had possession of the ball with under a minute remaining, but Phillips missed a layup and the ball went out of bounds with 21 seconds to go and one second on the shot clock. The inbounds pass went to Phillips, who hesitated a bit and couldn't get the shot off before the buzzer, giving the ball back to the Lopes.
After a timeout and getting possession at halfcourt, Grand Canyon got the ball into Zars, but she dribbled the ball off her foot out of bounds to give the ball back to Idaho.
Phillips was fouled with 12 seconds left, and she missed both free throws, but Johnson forced a held ball situation to give Idaho another shot. Gandy then was fouled and she hit two free throws for a three-point advantage.
After another timeout, Grand Canyon's Evans was able to find Phillips open on the left side, and she made the shot from 22 feet. However, the officials waved the basket off and Idaho survived.
The Vandals next play at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Utah Valley.
IDAHO (4-6)
Bea 6-14 6-8 18, Smith 7-13 0-0 16, Gandy 7-16 2-2 20, Phillips 4-7 3-5 11, Johnson 4-6 0-1 9, Wallace 0-3 0-0 0, Malone 2-3 0-0 5, Allred 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 31-64 11-16 81.
GRAND CANYON (8-2)
Palma 8-13 3-4 20, Collins 1-6 0-0 3, Brown 4-10 0-2 8, Evans 6-11 4-5 18, Zars 4-6 0-1 10, McLeod 0-1 0-0 0, Phillips 6-14 1-4 15, Lane 0-1 0-0 0, Buzzelle 0-2 0-0 0, Krueger 0-1 0-2 0, Marcal 0-4 4-6 4. Totals 29-69 12-24 78.
Idaho 12 13 22 25 9—81
Grand Canyon 12 23 19 18 6—78
3-point goals — Idaho 8-25 (Gandy 4-10, Smith 2-7, Johnson 1-2, Malone 1-2, Allred 0-1, Wallace 0-3), Grand Canyon 8-30 (Zars 2-3, Evans 2-5, Phillips 2-8, Collins 1-2, Palma 1-4, McLeod 0-1, Krueger 0-1, Brown 0-2, Buzzelle 0-2, Marcal 0-2). Fouled out — Bea, Brown. Rebounds — Idaho 43 (Bea 11), Grand Canyon 40 (Zars 9). Assists — Idaho 18 (Smith 10), Grand Canyon 15 (Evans 5). Total fouls — Idaho 18, Grand Canyon 20. A — 397.
