Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013 - 1 p.m.
No. 2 Gannon Lady Knights (11-0, 4-0 PSAC West)
at Bloomsburg Huskies (7-2, 2-2 PSAC East)
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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - To close out the year, the No. 2 Gannon Lady Knights will meet the reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion Bloomsburg Huskies in conference-crossover action on Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Nelson Field House with the tip set for 1 p.m. The game will feature a rematch of last season's PSAC title game when the Huskies defeated the visiting No. 7 Lady Knights, 74-57.
SCOUTING THE BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES
- The Bloomsburg Huskies bounced back from a loss to divisional-opponent Shippensburg on Dec. 7, with a pair of road wins in PSAC crossovers against Edinboro and Mercyhurst on Dec. 17 and 18, respectively.
- In recent action, the Huskies defeated Mercyhurst, 71-63, to capture their second-straight crossover-win. The Huskies broke open an eight-point halftime lead against Mercyhurst with a 17-4 run while shooting 68.8 percent from the field in the second half.
- Among the PSAC leaders, the Huskies are atop the league in field-goal percentage (.470) and assists per game (19.0). Two Huskies rank among the top five in field-goal percentage including Adreana Sadowski in second (.609) and Catherine Noack in fifth (.549).
- Head coach Bill Cleary is in his sixth season at Bloomsburg. Cleary holds a 106-47 record at BU. Capturing three straight PSAC Eastern Division titles, Cleary's teams have reached the NCAA tournament in two of the last three seasons.
SERIES HISTORY
Since the first meeting in the 2008-09 season, Gannon holds a 4-1 all-time record against Bloomsburg. Defeating the Huskies in four straight regular-season meetings, including three at the Hammermill Center, the Lady Knights dropped their first loss to the Huskies, 74-57, at the Nelson Field House in last year's PSAC title game on March 9. The Lady Knights hold a 1-1 record against the Huskies at the Nelson Field House.
OUTSIDE THE WILD WEST
In 30 total PSAC crossovers, the Lady Knights hold a 28-2 record since joining the conference in 2008-09. Prior to this season, the Lady Knights posted back-to-back 8-0 records in cross-divisional play against the East. The Lady Knights hold a 15-1 record at the Hammermill Center and a 13-1 record on the road.
NO WIN... OR LOSS FOR YOU
This season, a win or loss during PSAC-crossover action will not count in a team's divisional standings. The result will only be reflected in the overall standings.
LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Knights opened PSAC-crossover action at the Hammermill Center with a pair of victories over Mansifeld and Lock Haven on Dec. 17 and 18, respectively. The Lady Knights utilized a total team effort to defeat the Mansfield Mountaineers, 91-65. All eleven Lady Knights managed to contribute offensively, while each posted double digits in minutes. Junior Nettie Blake (Jersey City, N.J./Marist) led the Lady Knights for the fourth straight game, registering 16 points and seven rebounds. The next night, the Lady Knights used a 37-9 run in the final 11 minutes to capture a 95-64 win over the Lock Haven Lady Eagles. For the second consecutive game, three Lady Knights reached double digits. A new face led the Lady Knights' offensive attack as senior Jen Papich (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) scored a season-high 22 points, while collecting eight rebounds.
STREAK IS ALIVE
The Gannon Lady Knights remain second in the USA Today Sports Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll for the fifth consecutive week. Dating back to 2011-12 season, the Lady Knights have been nationally ranked in 33 consecutive polls and have received votes in the national poll at some point during each of the last eight seasons. The No. 2 position is the Lady Knights' highest national ranking since the team was ranked second in the final 2009-10 USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches' Poll and this season's preseason poll.
LOOKING AHEAD
The No. 2 Gannon Lady Knights will take a break in action heading into the New Year in the midst of a six-game stretch in PSAC-crossover play. Once the calendar turns over, the Lady Knights will conclude divisional-crossover action on the road at East Stroudsburg on Jan. 3 and West Chester on Jan. 4 before returning to the Hammermill Center to host Cheyney on Jan. 8. The Lady Knights are a combined 11-3 against their remaining PSAC East Division opponents.
