For a fleeting stretch inside Provident Credit Union Event Center, San Jose State (6-19, 1-13 MW) looked ready to give its home crowd something lasting. The Spartans found rhythm, shared the ball, and briefly seized control against a well-disciplined Grand Canyon squad (16-9, 9-5 MW).
But as has too often been the case in a season defined by thin margins and thinner depth, momentum proved fragile for the Spartans.
Grand Canyon’s 94–79 victory ultimately hinged on interior dominance, second-half execution, and the small defensive details Spartans head coach Tim Miles lamented afterward. The Antelopes shot a blistering 62.1 percent from the field and poured in 55 second-half points, turning a three-point halftime edge into comfortable separation.
Still, the night did not begin as a runaway. San Jose State weathered an early surge, answered with perimeter shooting, and even built a double-digit first-half lead before Grand Canyon closed the half on a decisive 13-0 run.
“We had a mostly strong first-half and did some really good things, especially on the offensive end until the last four or five possessions,” Miles said. “Then, in the second half, we couldn’t get a loose ball, and then we couldn’t get a defensive stop, and then we lost a little bit of willpower, and that’s just too much to overcome.”
The numbers reinforced Miles’ frustration. Grand Canyon outscored the Spartans 54–22 in the paint and won the rebounding battle decisively, translating physicality into efficiency and extra chances.
Colby Garland paced the Spartans with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, while Pasha Goodarzi added 15 and Adrian Myers contributed 13 in an efficient night from deep and the line.
Yet the Spartans’ 17 total rebounds as a team underscored the uphill climb against Grand Canyon’s size and activity.
“You just can’t have that kind of defensive effort with loose basketballs and lack of rebounding and everything inside and expect to win,” Miles said.
Grand Canyon, meanwhile, leaned on balance and efficiency. Jaden Henley’s 24 points and Makaih Williams’ 14-point, eight-rebound performance set the tone, while the Antelopes’ collective shooting surge in the second half (75% from the field) sealed the outcome.
Miles pointed to belief as much as execution when describing his animated early second-half timeout that followed another Grand Canyon push.
“You don’t want guys to fall into, ‘Okay, we’ve lost this many in a row and we’re not going to win,’” Miles said. “We have to always strive to win the game and I felt like we looked a little listless to start that second half.”
“I know it’s hard to believe you’re going to win when you haven’t been winning,” Miles added.
Even when San Jose State responded with improved pace and moments of attack, the matchup puzzle remained unsolved.
“It’s a constant chess match with missing pieces,” Miles said. “If you’re going to give up this, we’ll lose that and vice versa. There was no good outcome when you’re shorthanded.”
And so, Valentine’s Day closed not with celebration, but with another lesson in hopeful resilience for a Spartan team still searching deeply for the formula that turns competitive stretches into complete games.