Grand Canyon Basketball Team Faces Travel Challenge in NCAA Tournament

By | Bullscore 16 Mar, 2023

The March Madness of the NCAA tournament can be unpredictable both on and off the court, and that was evident for Grand Canyon University’s men’s basketball team when they encountered a travel fiasco upon arriving in Denver for the tournament.

This year in March Madness travel blunders: Grand Canyon arrived in Denver this afternoon, only to discover the airline it flew on didn't deliver its bags/uniforms/athletic gear, per a GCU spokesperson.

The team practices in two hours and will be wearing regular GCU T-shirts.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 15, 2023

Upon their arrival, the team was shocked to discover that their airline had failed to deliver any of their bags, including uniforms and athletic gear. However, the team received a helping hand from Baylor men’s basketball coach Scott Drew, who provided Grand Canyon with Baylor uniforms for their practice on Wednesday night before their Friday game against Gonzaga.

“We’re gonna hook ’em up,” Drew told CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander. “What are big brothers for?”

Hold up! Just in: As luck would have it, Scott Drew is ALSO in Denver—with Bryce. GCU and Baylor both play there Friday (in different pods).

Grand Canyon's gonna practice in Baylor gear tonight 😂

"We're gonna hook 'em up. What are big brothers for!" Scott Drew just told me.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) March 15, 2023

The loss of their gear was an unfortunate distraction, but the Antelopes remained grateful for the support they received. The program is seeking its first NCAA tournament victory, and Grand Canyon is hoping to overcome this unexpected setback.

While the team waits for their belongings to arrive, Grand Canyon’s band and cheerleading equipment was delivered without issue. The university is optimistic that the rest of their belongings will be delivered by the end of the evening, and that the team will be ready to compete in their opening-round matchup on Friday at 7:35 p.m. ET.

Grand Canyon head coach Bryce Drew expressed his frustration at the unexpected turn of events, saying “Crazy way to start the trip.”

Despite the challenge, the Antelopes are determined to give their best effort on the court and make the most of their NCAA tournament experience.