EDINBORO, Pa. – The No. 6 Gannon women's basketball team turned the ball over 21 times and failed to hit a three-pointer for the first time since February 9, 2011 while dropping a 65-52 decision Wednesday night at two-time defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion Edinboro.
Outside of an early 2-0 lead on
Doriyon Glass' (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman) lay-up 22 seconds in, Gannon found itself playing from behind the entire game. Edinboro slowly took control late in the second half. Leading 24-19, the Fighting Scots generated a 7-0 run. Kiara Brown ignited the small burst with a three-pointer, before adding two free throws. A Laurel Lindsay lay-up pushed the Boro lead to 31-19 with 4:39 left in the first half. The advantage eventually sat at 36-26 when the first-half buzzer sounded.
The entire second half was played on more even terms, but neither team was able to generate a big run. Edinboro produced the biggest second-half run when it scored the first six points to grab a 42-26 edge 2:07 into the final period. The difference hovered between 11 and 16 points the rest of the way.
Nettie Blake (Jersey City, N.J./Marist) was superb off the bench, scoring a career-high 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds. The sophomore went 8-of-14 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.
Jen Papich (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) was the only other Lady Knight in double digits with 12 points.
Gannon shot 40.8 percent (20-49) from the field and 75 percent (12-16) from the free throw line. The statistic of the night was the Lady Knights' 0-of-10 showing from three-point range. The nation's fifth-best three-point shooting team was held without a three-pointer for the first time since going 0-of-9 during a 78-73 loss to Edinboro on February 9, 2011.
Brown was the main engine for Edinboro. The senior guard scored 26 of the Fighting Scots' 65 points. She also added six assists and five rebounds while being the only Boro player in double digits.
Edinboro shot 44.2 percent (23-52) from the floor, including a 52-percent (13-25) clip when it jumped out to a big lead during the first half. The Fighting Scots shot 33.3 percent (6-18) from behind the arc and 86.7 percent (13-15) from the charity stripe.
Gannon, ranked sixth in the
USA Today Sports Division II Coaches' Poll, dropped to 15-2 overall and 9-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) with its first loss since a 70-59 setback against top-ranked Ashland on November 10. The 14-game win streak spanned two months and six days. Edinboro improved to 11-3 overall and 8-2 in conference play.
Head coach
Cleve Wright's group will try to regroup Saturday, January 19 against California (Pa.) at the Hammermill Center. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
