ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon men's basketball team was hoping the results would be different nearly three months after Lake Erie earned a 59-45 victory in the Gary Miller Classic semifinals November 27 at the Hammermill Center. However, the Storm forced 17 Gannon turnovers and out-rebounded the Golden Knights 40-32 en route to a 66-61 victory Monday night.

Lake Erie became the first visiting team to win twice at the Hammermill Center in the same season since Cheyney accomplished the feat in 1985-86. The Wolves posted a 61-58 regular-season victory, before defeating Gannon 65-62 in the NCAA Division II East Regional that season.

Gannon led 31-30 at halftime despite getting pounded 24-11 on the boards during the first 20 minutes. The Storm had 13 offensive rebounds to offset its 32.3-percent (10-31) shooting in the first half. As a result, the visitors out-scored the Golden Knights 10-2 in second-chance points.

The first half featured four ties and seven lead changes. Neither team was able to produce a lead larger than four points until Gannon used a 9-1 run to seemingly take control late in the half. The Golden Knights snapped a 21-21 tie with a George Johnson (Arlington, Va./Wakefield) three-pointer and Danard Crouch (Syracuse, N.Y./Anthony Henninger) lay-up.

Following a Lake Erie free throw, Tanner Furno (Columbus, Ohio/Whetstone) threw down a dunk and Filmore Bouldes (Romulus, Mich./Romulus) added two freebies.

Lake Erie then arguably won the game in the final two minutes of the first half. With Gannon leading 30-22 and threatening to put the game away, the Storm answered with an 8-1 run over the final 1:38.

Matt Grendel's steal and lay-up with four seconds left sent the Storm into the intermission trailing 31-30, but with the momentum and plenty of energy.

Lake Erie came out in the second half the same way it ended the first half. Ethan Bradshaw made a lay-up 16 seconds into the stanza, followed by a Grendel three-pointer 1:14 later for a 35-31 lead. In all, the Storm out-scored Gannon 13-1 during three minutes and eight seconds that spanned both halves.

The lead exchanged hands six times over the next 10 minutes. Steve Piotrowicz (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) snapped the game's fifth tie with a three-pointer at the 10:31 mark. Moments later, Bradshaw swung the game into Lake Erie's favor for the rest of the evening. The junior guard ignited an 8-0 run with back-to-back three-pointers. Grendel's lay-up with 6:17 remaining pushed the Lake Erie lead to 50-45.

Gannon's offense went dry during the critical time, going without a field goal for 4:44 until Crouch's lay-up with 5:47 to play. The Storm stretched its lead to eight points twice in the final 2:44, before settling for a 66-61 victory.

Johnson led the Gannon offensive unit with 13 points and five assists. Piotrowicz and Furno added 10 points each.

Gannon shot 40.7 percent (22-54) from the field, 26.1 percent (6-23) from three-point range and 78.6 percent (11-14) from the free throw line.

Grendel led all scorers with 19 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Bradshaw was the other part of Lake Erie's big one-two punch with 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

The Storm shot 36.8 percent (21-57) from the floor, 33.3 percent (6-18) from behind the arc and 66.7 percent (18-27) from the charity stripe.

Gannon dropped to 11-12 while Lake Erie improved to 10-15. The Golden Knights return to action Wednesday, February 17 at Edinboro. Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

For a complete box score from Monday's Gannon-Lake Erie men's basketball game, please click here.