LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The No. 9 Gannon women's basketball team clinched its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division regular-season title since the 2009-10 campaign Saturday afternoon with a 76-66 victory at Lock Haven.
Gannon, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II Atlantic regional rankings and No. 9 in the
USA Today Sports Division II Coaches' Poll, enters Wednesday's regular-season finale against Slippery Rock with a two-game lead over Edinboro.
The defensive unit was one of the main keys to victory Saturday afternoon. Gannon forced 24 Lock Haven miscues, leading to a 24-12 advantage in points off turnovers. The Lady Knights also limited the Bald Eagles to 39.3-percent (22-56) shooting.
Lock Haven drew first blood on Senior Day, ripping off the first seven points of the game. The Bald Eagles held the Lady Knights scoreless for the first 5:05 and without a field goal for the first 6:13. Hannah Gildea's three-pointer gave the home squad an early 10-1 lead.
Gannon found its groove midway through the first half. Trailing 14-6,
Jen Papich (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) ignited a 13-3 run with a lay-up.
Morgan Neighbors (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville South) and
Mollie Sebald (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Holy Name) sandwiched a Lock Haven three-pointer with a pair of their own.
Nettie Blake (Jersey City, N.J./Marist) then knotted the contest at 17 with an old-fashion three-point play, before two
Doriyon Glass (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman) free throws gave the Lady Knights their first lead at 19-17 with 8:54 left in the first half.
The contest became a stalemate at that point, featuring five ties and three lead changes during the span of four minutes and 20 seconds. Gannon took the lead for good on Blake's lay-up with 4:21 left in the half. The Lady Knights eventually led 33-30 at the break.
Gannon immediately took control from the onset of the second half, scoring the first six points to assume a 39-30 advantage. The run consisted of a Papich lay-up and two free throws from both
Jennie Thies (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern) and
Kelley Sundberg (Mansfield, Conn./E.O. Smith). A Glass three-point bomb pushed the lead into double digits 4:10 into the second half.
Lock Haven cut the difference to five points on three different occasions during the final 15 minutes, but could only get closer one time. The Bald Eagles clawed within 66-63 with 1:17 to play. But Gannon iced the victory by going 10-of-10 at the free throw line during the final 68 seconds.
Papich led Gannon with her second double-double of the season and fourth of her career with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Neighbors tallied 12 points and four assists off the bench, hitting 4-of-7 three-point attempts. Blake recorded 11 points and six rebounds.
Gannon shot 37.7 percent (23-61) from the field, 25 percent (7-28) from three-point range and 71.9 percent (23-32) from the free throw line.
Marrysa Moyer had a monster day for Lock Haven, posting a double-double with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Gildea added 11 markers off the bench.
Lock Haven shot 39.3 percent (22-56) from the floor, 33.3 percent (6-18) from behind the arc and 84.2 percent (16-19) from the charity stripe.
Gannon locked down the PSAC Western Division's top seed with Saturday's victory while improving to 25-3 overall and 19-2 in the conference with its fourth consecutive victory. The Lady Knights also posted their 12th straight win against Lock Haven. The Bald Eagles dropped to 7-18 overall and 4-17 in the PSAC.
Head coach
Cleve Wright's club concludes the regular season Wednesday, February 27 against Slippery Rock at the Hammermill Center. Although the contest will have no effect on PSAC Tournament seeding, it will be of great importance as the Lady Knights try to hold onto the region's top seed. Gannon's lone senior
Kelsey McCoy (Sylvania, Ohio/Sylvania Northview) will be honored during Senior Night activities that will take place with seven minutes left in the men's pregame.
