40th Annual Porreco Cup
ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon men's basketball team concludes its non-conference schedule this weekend by hosting the 40th annual Porreco Cup Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14 at the Hammermill Center. The four-team field has made 43 NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, including 21 in the 2000's.
Friday's semifinals kick off with Barton of the Conference Carolinas facing Winston-Salem State of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) at 5:30 p.m. The nightcap features Gannon against Shepherd of the Mountain East Conference (MEC) at 7:30 p.m. The consolation and championship games are scheduled for Saturday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Ticket windows will open at 4:30 p.m. both nights. Tickets for each doubleheader cost $5 for adults and $3 for non-Gannon students and senior citizens.
All Gannon students are admitted free of charge by showing their school ID at the front door. Tickets can also now be purchased in advance online at
www.gusportstickets.com.
Three of the Porreco Cup's four teams have extensive history with the NCAA Division II Tournament. Gannon headlines the field with 22 appearances, including eight during the 2000's. Winston-Salem State is next, advancing to the Big Dance 14 times. The Rams have played in seven national tournaments during the 2000's. Barton has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including six since 2000.
Gannon (3-3, 2-2 PSAC West) hosts the Porreco Cup in mid-December for the second consecutive year. Previously scheduled for December 29-30 every year, the Porreco Cup was moved last season due to the NCAA Division II's Balance in Life mandatory seven-day break in late December.
Head coach
John T. Reilly's program has won seven of the last 10 Porreco Cup titles, including last year's edition via wins against Notre Dame (Ohio) (81-66) and Virginia State (67-42). The Porreco Cup originally began in 1967 as the Gem City Bowl. The prestigious event was renamed in 1974 in honor of Lou Porreco, the tournament's sponsor. Of the 44 championship trophies given out, Gannon has claimed 23 while reaching the finals 38 times.
Gannon is coming off a 58-54 loss to rival Mercyhurst last Saturday at the Hammermill Center. The Golden Knights have dropped back-to-back home games only nine times since 1998-99. Gannon is 38-9 in home games following a home loss during the last 14 seasons.
Adam Blazek and
C.J. Oldham has been ironmen on the floor this season. Blazek leads the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and ranks 12th nationally in minutes played per game (37.5). Oldham sits fifth among conference players and 47th among all NCAA Division II players with 35.7 minutes per game.
Gannon is the nation's second-best defensive team, allowing only 57.5 points per game. Only Tarleton State (Kan.) has a better mark with a 53.0 average. The Golden Knights also rank 10th nationally in free throw percentage (79.1) and 26th in rebounding margin (9.2).
Shepherd (7-1, 4-0 MEC) was among others receiving votes in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 Poll. The Rams ride a six-game win streak into this weekend's Porreco Cup. The Shepherdstown, W.Va., club is 3-1 against the PSAC with victories against California (Pa.), Mercyhurst and Shippensburg. Shepherd's only loss this season came against Slippery Rock during the Clarion Hotel Conference Challenge.
Brantley Osborne has been Shepherd's top player, averaging 21.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. The senior guard ranks 23rd among all NCAA Division II players in steals (19), 27th in free throw percentage (92.6), 31st in field goals made (60), 34th in three-point field goals (24) and 43rd in scoring.
Winston-Salem State (4-3, 0-0 CIAA) brings a two-game win streak into the weekend after consecutive victories against Lane (99-96 in ot) and Allen (92-58). The Rams were ranked 21st in the NABC Preseason Top 25 and finished 14th in the final 2012-13 national rankings. The squad participated in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third consecutive year in 2012-13. In the process, it reached a national ranking of No. 7 midway through the season. It represented the highest ranking in school history since winning the National Championship in 1968.
The CIAA program participated on the NCAA Division I level from 2006-10. Since making a return to NCAA Division II and the CIAA in the fall of 2010, Winston-Salem State has posted a 48-17 record. Eleven former WSSU players have seen action in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Barton (4-5, 1-1 Conference Carolinas) has alternated wins and losses during its first nine games. The Bulldogs are coming off two straight trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament, including the school's third appearance in the Regional Finals (Sweet 16) last season. The program has made seven NCAA Division II Tournament appearances under head coach Ron Lievense, including a national championship in 2007. The Bulldogs rallied from a 74-67 deficit in the final 45 seconds to end defending NCAA Division II champion Winona State's 57-game win streak in the title game. Current Harlem Globetrotter Anthony Atkinson scored 10 points in the last 39 seconds, including the winning layup at the buzzer for a 77-75 victory.
