PHOENIX — After the moderator gushed to coach Dan Majerle about Grand Canyon’s student section, the former Suns star turned to Arizona coach Sean Miller.
“I told him to come check it out,” he said.
The coaches weren’t at Talking Stick Resort Arena to announce any home-and-home series, but to promote a Dec. 5 nationally televised Valley of the Sun Shootout, a double-header at the Suns’ arena.
The UA will take on Texas A&M, followed by GCU against St. John’s. This is the completion of a neutral-and-neutral for UA, which traveled to Houston last year to play the Aggies.
However, when the media conference opened up for reporters, questions turned to the schools starting an in-state rivalry.
Last season, GCU traveled to Tucson and was respectable in a 10-point loss to the Wildcats. Afterward, Miller spoke highly of Majerle’s program.
He did so again Wednesday and didn’t discount games with Majerle’s teams in the future. GCU becomes NCAA Tournament-eligible this year after a four-year probation period transitioning from Division II to I.
Majerle said Wednesday that barring injury this should be his best team since he arrived four years ago.
“It’s not something I’m saying because we’re together,” Miller said. “We respect them a great deal. What they’ve done speaks for itself. We played them and if it eventually turns into a home-and-home, so be it. But we’ll continue to talk.”
GCU’s Havocs of 3,000-plus students has turned GCU Arena into one of the most electric college basketball atmospheres in the country, if not the best. GCU picked up a huge endorsement last season from Louisville coach Rick Pitino, whose team trailed the Antelopes by two at the half and eventually pulled away for a nine-point win.
“When I say that we have the best student section in the country, I really mean it,” Majerle said. “We travel great. Our home-court advantage is unbelievable. I’m sure we’ll fill this place as much as we can with purple (for the Dec. 5 St. John’s game). The pride that GCU has is really special. I’m lucky to be a part of it.”
Miller saw film of the Louisville game at GCU last year, and said he understands what Pitino and Majerle are talking about.
“Just when you think about around the country, I would put them in the top 10 percent of what it feels like to play a home game for them with the pageantry and student section and the crowd,” Miller said. “Above and beyond that, his teams play incredibly hard.”
St. John’s provides another step toward building a top-25 program. That has always been the goal since Majerle arrived.
As for playing the UA in Phoenix, well …
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Majerle said. “I would love to play them every year in Tucson. It will only make us better. And they’ve got a great atmosphere.”
On more games with GCU, Miller said, “I wouldn’t say yes, but I wouldn’t say no.”
“The reason we want to play Grand Canyon is because it’s a great game for us,” Miller added. “They have a quality team. If you beat them, it’s a meaningful win. If they beat you, there’s a perception of how it used to be 20 years ago when you can’t play a team in-state if you’re in the Pac-12. Those days are over.”
