ERIE, Pa. - The No. 4 Gannon women's basketball team will welcome first-year Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) member Seton Hill to the Hammermill Center on Saturday afternoon for their seventh annual Pink Zone game with the tip set for 1 p.m. In addition to the events surrounding Pink Zone, the day will also mark the induction of the GU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2014 during halftime of the men's game. Admission to the PSAC West Division doubleheader is free. Fans are encouraged to wear pink or purchase a t-shirt at the game in uniting with the Lady Knights in their fight against breast cancer.

Doors will open for one of the most anticipated doubleheaders every year at noon. The contest will be part of a PSAC doubleheader that begins with the women's teams at 1 p.m. Due to a conference schedule that left Gannon with only one Saturday home doubleheader during the second semester, the Pink Zone and Athletics Hall of Fame Game will be wrapped into one afternoon.

Most of the festivities for the seventh annual Pink Zone game will revolve around the women's contest, but there will be plenty of opportunities to support the cause throughout the day. The Lady Knights, coached by Jim Brunelli, are closing in on $100,000 since the initiative began in 2007. Gannon has raised nearly $85,000 in support of breast cancer research. All proceeds will stay local with the Erie chapter of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Linked by Pink. The Lady Knights hold a 4-2 overall mark in Pink Zone games.

Funds will be raised in part through the sale of Pink Zone t-shirts. The shirts can be purchased in the Hammermill Center front lobby and by contacting the Gannon women's basketball offices at (814) 871-5791. Cost is $12 or two for $20. The Lady Knights will also raise money through gameday raffles and other activities. Cancer survivors will be recognized as part of a ceremonial tip during Saturday's pregame at approximately 12:45 p.m.

The game's sponsors include Gannon University, the Gannon University Athletics Department, Erie Insurance, Ambridge Rose Spa and Salon, Giant Eagle, Johannes Chiropractic, Junior's Last Laugh, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Larese Floral Design, Meadville Medical Center, Panera Bread, Romolo Chocolates, Silkscreen Unlimited, UPMC Hamot, UPMC Health Plan and WJET-24/FOX-66. General donations can be made by contacting the Gannon University women's basketball offices at 814-871-5791.

Fans will be able to purchase raffle tickets and participate in silent auctions for a plethora of baskets and gifts in the front lobby of the Hammermill Center. Dawn Sokol, an eight-year breast cancer survivor and member of the Pink Zone committee, will read the pre-game prayer. Miranda Cummings, whose mother Kim is a three-year breast cancer survivor, will sing the national anthem and Sandy Jordano will speak on behalf of Linked by Pink at halftime of the women's game.

Saturday's doubleheader will also be Gannon's Athletics Hall of Fame Game. The Class of 2014 will be honored during halftime of the men's game, before being formally inducted Saturday night during a sold-out banquet in the Yehl Ballroom of the Waldron Center. This year's inductees include former men's basketball standout Danny Adamson '80; former women's soccer great Erin Cray Pizzo '01, '06M; former women's basketball standout Kelly Reedy Elwell '85, '93M; former men's swimming great Brett Lindenmuth '97; former wrestling standout Lantz Schwabenbauer '01, former men's soccer great Terry Waldorf '91 and former women's lacrosse standout Debra Wood Konjanovski '99, '02M. Former football legend Pete Karuba '51 will be inducted posthumously. Rick "Stats" Klapthor '79 will be inducted as the 2014 Distinguished Service Award recipient.

SCOUTING THE SETON HILL GRIFFINS
- In the midst of their inaugural season in the PSAC, the Seton Hill Griffins are currently tied for fourth in the West Division with Indiana (Pa.).
- After falling in two consecutive divisional road-games, the Griffins are back on track following a 65-39 win over visiting Mercyhurst on Jan. 29. Prior to the two-game stumble, the Griffins were riding a five-game win streak.
- To open the second half of divisional play, the Griffins dominated Mercyhurst in the second half to capture the win. The Griffins turned their seven-point at the break into a 26-point victory, holding the Lakers to only 16 points in the second half.
- A group of three Griffins are averaging double-digits including Katie Gattuso (16.4 points per game), Paige Alviani (15.8) and Tiara Stossel (11.9). Recording double-doubles in 17 consecutive games, Gattuso is also pulling in 11.8 rebounds per game.
- Among the PSAC team leaders, the Griffins rank fifth in scoring defense (62.5). From the field, the Griffins are fourth in shooting percentage (.440) and second in defending percentage (.385).
- Head coach Mark Katarski is in his first season with the Griffins after spending the previous two seasons as an NCAA Division I assistant with the Niagara Purple Eagles of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).

SERIES HISTORY
- The Lady Knights hold a 3-0 edge over the Seton Hill Griffins in the all-time series, defeating the Griffins by double-digits each time.
- In their lone visit to the Hammermill Center, the Griffins suffered an 80-60 loss to the Lady Knights in the 2010 NCAA Atlantic Regional semifinals.
- In the Lady Knights' first conference road-test of the year, they defeated the Griffins, 80-66, on Nov. 23. The contest marked the first conference game between the two and the Griffins' first PSAC home-game in the team's inaugural season of PSAC play.

LAST TIME OUT
The No. 4 Gannon Lady Knights captured its first regular-season series sweep over PSAC West Division opponent California (Pa.) Vulcans since the 2009-10 season with a 65-57 victory, at the Convocation Center on Jan. 29. The win marked the Lady Knights first victory at the Convocation Center, snapping the Vulcans' five-game unbeaten streak on home court. The Lady Knights were led by senior Jen Papich (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while playing every second of the game in a season-high 40 minutes. Papich picked up her third double-double of the season and sixth of her career. Trailing the Lady Knights the entire game, an 11-4 Vulcans' run gave the home squad its first lead of the game, 49-48, with 4:37 left. The Vulcans lead only lasted for 19 seconds before Blake nailed a pair of free throws for a 50-49 Gannon lead with 4:18 remaining followed by a three by Neighbors. Consecutive GU layups spelled the Vulcans' fight to get back in the game, holding the Lady Knights' lead at six, 59-53, with just over two minutes remaining before the final six Gannon points came from the foul line in the win.

JUUUUUST A BIT OUTSIDE
According to the latest NCAA national rankings to include games through Jan. 30, junior Brittany Batts leads the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (52.6) and is second in threes per game (3.60). Batts ranks atop both categories in the PSAC. The Lady Knights have tallied 152 total treys through their win at California (Pa.) on Jan. 29. Registering double figures in threes this season are Batts (72), sophomore Morgan Neighbors (Westerville, Ohio/South Westerville) (34), junior Mollie Sebald (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Holy Name) (14) and senior Kelley Sundberg (Mansfield, Conn./E.O. Smith) (13). Batts and the rest of the Lady Knights are burying their long-range attempts, ranking ninth in the nation in field goal percentage.

IRON IS KIND
In three of their last four games, the Lady Knights have shot over 50 percent from the field. In the win over California (Pa.) on Jan. 29, the Lady Knights hit 53.5 (23-43) percent, while shooting over 50 percent in each half. On the other side of the ball, the Lady Knights have held their opponents to under 30 percent from the field, including California (Pa.) at 29.9 percent and Pitt-Johnstown at 28.8 percent.

LOOKING AHEAD
Gannon holds a 28-9 lead in the all-time series with Slippery Rock. The Lady Knights have captured victories in 20 of their last 21 meetings between the two squads, including 13 straight at the Hammermill Center. In 20 all-time tilts at the 'Mill, the Lady Knights hold a 17-3 advantage on home court. The Rock have not secured a win at the 'Mill in 20 years with their last on Jan. 22, 1994, by the score of 81-74. As conference opponents, the Lady Knights are 9-1 against the Rock, sweeping the last two season series. Earlier this season on Dec. 4, the then-second ranked Lady Knights managed to sneak past host Slippery Rock, 76-73, at the Morrow Field House. The visiting Rock enter their matchup with the Lady Knights on Wednesday, Feb. 5, ranked ninth in the PSAC West Division with a divisional mark of 1-8 and 4-15 overall record. The Rock have dropped their last two since taking Seton Hill to overtime in a 75-70 home-win.