Grand Canyon edges UC Riverside in 71-69 win

Jan 4, 2015, 08:50 pm

PHOENIX -- Royce Woolridge scored 18 points, including a pair of free throws to pad Grand Canyon's lead with 14 seconds left, to help the Antelopes to a 71-69 win over UC Riverside on Sunday.

DeWayne Russell had a team-high 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting and Joshua Braun added 15 for Grand Canyon (9-8), which shot 47 percent and had to hold off a second-half surge from UC Riverside (7-7).

Trailing by 13 after the break, UC Riverside closed the gap with a 17-6 run that included three 3-pointers from Jaylen Bland to trail 59-57 with 5:19 left but couldn't overtake the Antelopes. Woolridge sank his final two free throws at the other end in the final seconds to cushion Grand Canyon's margin.

Bland led UC Riverside with 26 points, including 6 of 12 from long range, but missed a 3-pointer with 1 second left.