CHEYNEY, Pa. – The Gannon women's basketball team earned a 55-41 victory over Cheyney in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover game Saturday afternoon at Cope Hall. The Lady Knights were led by Caitlyn Lowe's (Gettysburg, Pa. / Gettysburg) 9-of-16 shooting performance as the junior guard poured in 24 points off the bench.

Cheyney scored the opening basket of the game but that would represent the Wolves only lead of the game as Gannon would control the scoring and lead by as many as 18.

The Lady Knights shot just 38 percent from the field but were propelled by and 11-of-29 shooting performance from behind the arc. The Wolves shot 31.5 percent from the field, hitting just two of their 12 three-point attempts. 

After the Nadirah Brown three-pointer to open the game Amanda Dacek (Middleburg Heights, Ohio / Berea) answered with a three of her own to tie the game at 17:24. It would be Gannon's only basket during the games first seven minutes as the Lady Knights would struggle to start the offensive effort. However, Cheyney remained scoreless during the stretch allowing Dacek's second three pointer at the 12:47 mark to give Gannon a 3-7 lead.

Both teams turned up the scoring from there with Lowe and Jessie Tamerlano (North Royalton, Ohio / North Royalton) adding baskets on back-to-back possessions for Gannon. Kelley Sundberg (Mansfield, Conn. / E.O. Smith) recorded assists on both scores.

After a pair of free throws from Jennifer Papich, (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Fox Chapel) Julie Kleber (Suffern, N.Y. / Suffern) hit a long-range shot that gave Gannon a 16-7 edge midway through the first half. 

Cheyney would score the next three baskets to cut the Gannon lead to three points. Lowe turned it on from there, scoring the game's next eight points. The junior guard hit triples on back-to-back shots before adding a layup to regain the nine point lead. The Lady Knights would hold a 27-16 lead heading into the second half.

Gannon shot just 32 percent in the first half but managed to maintain the lead with 6-of-8 shooting from the free throw line and adding 15 points from behind the arc.

Gannon wasted no time in adding to its lead in the second half using an 11-5 run to extend the lead to 38-21 at the 11:38 mark. Nine of the 11 points came from long-range shots from Lowe. 

From that point, the Wolves couldn't cut the lead to less than 13 points as Gannon was 6-of-16 from behind the arc in the second half. 

For the game Lowe hit six of her 11 three-point attempts with a block and a steal in 24 minutes off the bench. Julie Kleber hit two three-pointers, adding eight points. The senior also had two assists and two steals.

Papich scored just three points, but was big on the boards with 10 of Gannon's 34 rebounds. 

Dacek and Sundberg had six and five assists respectively, while Shanna Thompson (Shaker Heights, Ohio / Shaker Heights) had six rebounds.

Cheyney was lead by Brown's 11 points. Lachelle Miller was the only other player in double digits, with 10 points.

Gannon improves to 7-3, while Cheyney falls to 4-7. Gannon will take on Shippensburg tomorrow, Sunday, January 9 to complete PSAC crossover play. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.

For a complete box score from today's Gannon-Cheyney women's basketball game, please click here.