PHOENIX (Interstat) — Grand Canyon used a dominant first-half performance and a balanced offensive attack to pull away from San Jose State for a 76-58 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday night at a sold-out GCU Arena.

A crowd of 7,003 saw the Antelopes improve to 10-5 on the season, while the Spartans fell to 5-11.

The game was effectively decided in the opening 20 minutes, as Grand Canyon built a commanding 42-26 halftime lead. The Antelopes shot 48.5 percent from the field in the first half while holding San Jose State to just 32 percent shooting. Grand Canyon’s defense was particularly disruptive, forcing nine Spartan turnovers in the first half, which it converted into 13 points. The Antelopes also established a clear advantage in the paint early, outscoring San Jose State 20-8 in that area before the break.

San Jose State guard Ben Roseborough, a Sacramento, California, native, provided nearly all of his team’s offense in the first half, scoring 15 of his game-high 23 points. His efforts kept the Spartans within striking distance, but they could not string together enough stops to seriously threaten the Antelopes’ lead.

Grand Canyon’s depth and inside presence proved overwhelming. Seven-foot-one center Efe Demirel of İzmit, Turkey, was a force, scoring 14 points, many on easy looks near the basket. Wing Dusty Stromer of Sherman Oaks, California, provided a critical spark off the bench, hitting three first-half 3-pointers en route to 12 points. The Antelopes’ backcourt controlled the tempo, with Makaih Williams of Long Beach, California, dishing out five assists and Brian Moore of Harlem, New York, adding seven points and three assists.

The most important sequence of the game occurred late in the first half, extinguishing any hope of a Spartan rally. After a Roseborough jumper cut the Grand Canyon lead to 33-26 with just over four minutes remaining, the Antelopes closed the period on a devastating 9-0 run. The surge was capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Stromer, the second coming with 29 seconds left after an offensive rebound, sending the home team into the locker room with a 16-point advantage and all the momentum.

San Jose State never recovered. The Spartans played the Antelopes evenly in the second half, each team scoring 34 points, but could not chip the deficit below 14 points. Grand Canyon’s lead ballooned to as many as 24 points in the final minutes.

Melvin Bell of Chicago led San Jose State’s secondary scoring with 17 points, but he was hampered by seven turnovers. As a team, the Spartans committed 13 turnovers, which Grand Canyon turned into 21 points. The Antelopes also won the battle in transition, outscoring San Jose State 17-10 on fast breaks.

Grand Canyon’s offensive efficiency was stark, scoring 76 points on 71 possessions for a rating of 107.7. San Jose State managed only 58 points on 68 possessions, an offensive rating of 84.7. The Antelopes also outshot the Spartans from the field, 45.6 percent to 36.5 percent, and from the free-throw line, making 15 of 18 attempts compared to San Jose State’s 14 of 22.

Jaden Henley of Ontario, California, rounded out the double-figure scorers for Grand Canyon with 11 points, three assists and a game-high four steals, keying the defensive effort that set the tone.

The victory extended Grand Canyon’s home winning streak and continued a positive start to the calendar year following a road win at Boise State earlier in the week. San Jose State, meanwhile, dropped its fourth consecutive game and continues to search for consistency away from home.

Grand Canyon next travels to face New Mexico on Tuesday. San Jose State returns home to host Air Force, also on Tuesday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in a rematch in San Jose on Feb. 14.