ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon women's basketball team will try to bounce back from a loss Wednesday to No. 5 Edinboro, but faces a tough road challenge in California (Pa.). The Lady Knights will travel for a 3 p.m. game against the Vulcans on Saturday, January 14.
The Fighting Scots earned a 72-62 win in a battle of nationally ranked teams on Wednesday. Gannon shot 50 percent from the field but was hampered by a 13-of-28 performance from the free throw, hitting just 9-of-20 attempts in the second half.
In addition, the Edinboro full-court press defense lived up to its reputation, forcing the Lady Knights to commit a season-high 28 turnovers. The Fighting Scots converted the miscues to a total of 34 points.
Suffering their first conference loss, Gannon now holds an 8-1 record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and an 11-2 mark overall.
Jen Papich (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Fox Chapel) continues to lead the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points. The sophomore needed just one rebound for a double-double against the Fighting Scots.
Nettie Blake (Jersey City, N.J. / Marist) leads the rebounding effort for Gannon, averaging 8.5 and ranking fifth in the PSAC. The true freshman is the owner of four double-doubles this season and averages 10.5 points for the offense.
Cal (8-5, 5-4) boasts the league's second-ranked scorer in Amy Johns. The senior is 42nd in the country in scoring with 17.7 points per contest. The 5-foot-10 forward also grabs 7.1 rebounds a game. The only other starter to average double digits for the Vulcans is senior guard Danielle Luckett with 10.2
California (Pa.) ranks second in the conference and 21st in the nation in three pointers per game with 7.3. The long-range attack features three players shooting better than 40% from behind the arc; Stephanie Michael (42.4), Megan Kermond (41.3) and Johns (42.9).
The series between Gannon and California (Pa.) is even at 4-4 since the Lady Knights joined the PSAC in 2008. Gannon went 3-0 against the Vulcans in 2009-10 before being swept in the two match-ups last season. California (Pa.) holds a slight edge in the overall series 12-11.
