ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's basketball team shot over 50 percent for the third consecutive game to open the season and rolled to a 66-45 victory against NCAA Division II provisional member Roberts Wesleyan Friday night during the 29th annual Gary Miller Classic semifinals at the Hammermill Center.
Friday's verdict pushed Gannon to 3-0 for the first time since the 2008-09 NCAA Division II Elite Eight squad began the season with nine straight wins. The Golden Knights will play in the Gary Miller Classic title game for the first time since that same season. Ironically enough, Gannon will face the same team in the finals as it did in 2008 - Daemen. The Wildcats defeated Virginia Union 82-66 during Friday's first semifinal.
Saturday's championship game will be the third Gannon-Daemen meeting during the last four Gary Miller Classics. The Wildcats knocked off the Golden Knights 67-65 during last year's semifinals. Gannon claimed the 2008 title with a 101-75 win against Daemen in the finals.
Gannon overcame sloppy play that resulted in 29 turnovers Friday night by shooting 52.2 percent (24-46) from the floor. It was the most turnovers by a Golden Knight team since committing 31 during a 59-47 victory against California (Pa.) on January 13, 2010. However, the Golden Knights have now shot over 50 percent during the first three games of the season for the first time since at least the 2001-02 campaign.
Head coach
John T. Reilly's club snapped a 7-7 tie with an 18-1 run that lasted seven minutes and 11 seconds. Seven different Golden Knights scored during the run while Gannon's swarming defense forced Roberts Wesleyan into six turnovers and five missed shots. The Redhawks scored their only point with a free throw. Tyrel Dixon's lay-up with 3:10 remaining in the half represented Roberts Wesleyan's first field goal in eight minutes and 45 seconds.
Adam Blazek's (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) jumper with eight seconds left sent Gannon into the break with its biggest lead of the first half at 31-14.
Roberts Wesleyan was never able to get close during the second half as the lead never dipped into single digits. Leading 51-38, the Golden Knights put the game away by scoring 15 of the game's final 22 points.
Blazek led Gannon's offensive unit with 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Alvin Tucker (Upper Marlboro, Md./Georgetown Prep) added a season-high 14 points and four rebounds off the bench, missing his career-high by three points.
Rogerio Livramento (Central Falls, R.I./Central Falls) completed Gannon's double-digit scorers with 10 points and six rebounds.
It was another team effort for Gannon as all 13 players in uniform played and 10 dented the scoring column. The Golden Knights shot 52.2 percent (24-46) from the field, 16.7 percent (1-6) from three-point range and 81 percent (17-21) from the free throw line.
Dixon headlined the Roberts Wesleyan attack with 16 points, hitting 8-of-14 shots. Devin Grimes narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds despite going 3-of-14 from the field.
Roberts Wesleyan shot 28.6 percent (16-56) from the floor, 12.5 percent (2-16) from three-point range and 64.7 percent (11-17) from the charity stripe.
Gannon improved to 3-0 while remaining perfect in 11 all-time games against Roberts Wesleyan. The Raiders, who are in the second year of a four-year transitional phase from NAIA to NCAA Division II, dropped to 1-2.
In Friday's first semifinal, defending Gary Miller Classic champion Daemen shot 51.9 percent (28-54) en route to an 82-66 victory against Virginia Union. 2011 Gary Miller Classic Most Outstanding Player Casey Sheehan poured in 19 points.
Saturday's consolation game will pit Virginia Union (0-2) and Roberts Wesleyan (1-2) at 5:30 p.m. The title game between Gannon (3-0) and Daemen (8-2) is slated for 7:30 p.m.
