Box Score
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - With the potential game-tying shot sailing over the rim as time expired, the No. 2 Gannon women's basketball team managed to sneak past host Slippery Rock University, 76-73, on Wednesday evening at the Morrow Field House. The Lady Knights remain unbeaten on the season, posting a 7-0 overall mark and a 3-0 record in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division action. With the loss, the Rock fall to 1-6 overall and 0-3 in divisional play.
Five Lady Knights reached double-digits in the win. Senior Jen Papich (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Fox Chapel) led the Lady Knights with 16 points, adding four rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Off the bench, sophomore Morgan Neighbors (Westerville, Ohio / Westerville) tied a career game-high 15 points. In the last two games, the sophomore has scored a combined 29 points after not reaching double figures in the first five games of the season.
For the seventh-straight game, junior Brittany Batts (Leesburg, Va. / Loudoun County) reached double digits, adding 14 points with three assists to tie a career game-high. Junior Nettie Blake (Jersey City, N.J. / Marist) scored 10 points to go along with a team-high nine rebounds. The Lady Knights shot 42.9 percent (27-63) on the day.
D'Asia Chambers led the Rock, registering game-highs in both points (30) and rebounds (8). Aidan Geise added 15 points to the Rock's totals to go along with four rebounds, a block and a steal. The Rock buried 50.8 percent (30-59) of their shots including 54.8 percent (17-31) in the second half.
The Rock came running out of the gate with a 6-0 lead in the opening 1:45 forcing a Gannon timeout to regroup. Following a missed three-point attempt by Papich, the Lady Knights did not give up until the senior struck with a layup off a fast break to score the Lady Knights first point with 2:57 off the clock. Starting there, the Lady Knights went on a 13-0 run in a span of 2:40 to capture a 13-6 lead over the Rock.
A three by Batts gave the Lady Knights an 18-11 lead before the Rock answered back with their own deep-shot by Geise, pulling within four. Back-to-back Rock threes erased the Lady Knights' lead tying the game at 20-20 with 9:41 left in the opening half.
An 11-0 run including a pair of Blake layups and a three by Neighbors reestablished the Lady Knights' lead, 31-20. A quick layup by Chambers moved the Lady Knights' lead back down to single digits, 31-22, heading into the under-four timeout with 3:40 remaining.
Neighbors led the Lady Knights on a 6-0 run in a span of 28 seconds off her second three-pointer and a trio of free throws for a 37-23 lead. The Lady Knights would work their lead to 15 points heading into the break until the Rock's Erica Aiello hit a jumper as time expired resulting in a Lady Knights' 44-31 lead.
Trailing by 13 at the start of the second half, the Rock continually battled through the first 10 minutes to pull within three, 60-57. In the span, the Rock outscored the Lady Knights, 26-14.
The Rock did not go away in the remaining time. The Lady Knights worked their lead to nine, 70-61, with 5:18 left off a layup by junior Mollie Sebald (Broadview Heights, Ohio / Holy Name). The Rock pulled within six of the Lady Knights before a Sundberg layup moved the Lady Knights' lead back to eight, 75-67.
With the Lady Knights holding the lead with two minutes remaining, a steal by Aiello led to a Rock offensive-opportunity. A shooting foul on a three-point play led Geise to the line, as she hit all three attempts with 1:05 left. A jumper by Chambers with 24 seconds remaining pulled the Rock within two, 75-73.
On the in-bound play, Papich was fouled by Geise. With Papich at the line, she hit her first attempt to push the Lady Knights' lead to 76-73. Papich would miss her next attempt resulting in a defensive rebound by Chambers with 16 seconds left. The Rock stormed down the court in the remaining time, as Aiello pulled up to hit the game-tying three to force overtime, which would sail over the rim handing the Lady Knights a 76-73 victory.
The rebound battle finished at 35 for each team. The Lady Knights' bench provided 21 points, including 15 points by Neighbors alone, while the Rock's reserves were only able to contribute two points.
Gannon will host crosstown-PSAC rival the Mercyhurst Lakers at the Hammermill Center on Dec. 7, as part of a conference doubleheader. The Lady Knights open the day's action with a 5:30 tip.
