2014 Gary Miller Classic
The 31st Annual Gary Miller Classic features Gannon (2-2), Le Moyne (4-1), Alderson Broaddus (3-1) and Slippery Rock (3-1). Contests are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. both nights.

Men's Basketball Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Hosts 31st Annual Gary Miller Classic This Weekend (Game Notes/Video)




GAME DAY CENTRAL
  • Event: 31st Annual Gary Miller Classic
  • When: Friday, November 28, 2014 & Saturday, November 29, 2014
  • Where: Erie, Pa.
  • Arena: Hammermill Center (2,800)
  • Tip-off: 5:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
  • Tickets: Click Here

CLASSIC LINE-UP & MEDIA OUTLETS
  • Friday, November 28, 2014
    • 5:30 p.m. | Slippery Rock (3-1) vs. Alderson Broaddus (3-1)
    • 7:30 p.m. | Le Moyne (4-1) vs. Gannon (2-2)
      • Live Radio: Jet Radio 1400
      • Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
      • Live America One (PPV) Video: Click Here
      • Live Gameday Statistics: Click Here
  • Saturday, November 29, 2014
    • 5:30 p.m. | Slippery Rock vs. Le Moyne
    • 7:30 p.m. | Alderson Broaddus vs. Gannon

CLASSIC INFORMATION
  • General Admission Ticket Prices: $5 adults / $3 Non-Gannon students / $3 Senior Citizens
  • All Gannon students, staff and faculty are admitted free of charge by showing their school ID
  • Ticket Windows: Open at 4:30 p.m. 
  • Parking: Free on-street parking | Paid parking garage located on Peach Street between 7th and 8th streets
  • Directions: To Hammermill Center I GPS Address: 620 Peach Street, Erie, Pa. 16501

GARY MILLER CLASSIC HISTORY
  • The Gary Miller Classic returns to a classic format for the 31st edition in 2014.
  • Gannon has won six Gary Miller Classic titles during the last nine years and 12 in the last 16.
  • The Golden Knights had won six consecutive titles prior to the 2005 edition, the longest streak in the last 25 years of the classic's championship/consolation format.
  • Gannon has won 17 Gary Miller Classic titles and is 44-10 in tourney play.
  • The Gary Miller Classic began in 1984 with a single-game format. Gannon defeated Franklin 101-64 in the season-opening event played at the Erie Civic Center. The Golden Knights proceeded to knock off Penn State Behrend 80-62 in the 1985 classic, before the event began to move towards its current format.
  • The Gary Miller Classic changed to a two-game affair in 1986 when Mercyhurst defeated Thiel 111-75 and Gannon defeated Penn State Behrend 72-54.
  • It became a two-day, four-team event beginning in 1987 and has remained in the same format ever since.

GAME COVERAGE
PENNSYLVANIA STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INFORMATION
ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN | Gannon Vs. Le Moyne
  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 29-16
  • First Meeting: February 24, 1952 - at Gannon 60, Le Moyne 58
  • Last Meeting: November 29, 2013 - Le Moyne 65, at Gannon 62 (Gary Miller Classic Semifinals)
  • Series Notes: Gannon leads the all-time series 29-16 despite dropping a 65-62 decision to Le Moyne in the Gary Miller Classic semifinals last season. It represented the Dolphins' first victory at the Hammermill Center since the 1988-89 campaign. Gannon is 19-5 all-time against Le Moyne at home.

ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN | Gannon Vs. Alderson Broaddus
  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 2-0
  • First Meeting: March 15, 2009 - at Gannon 67, Alderson Broaddus 65 (NCAA Tournament Second Round)
  • Last Meeting: November 30, 2013 - at Gannon 55, Alderson Broaddus 54 (Gary Miller Classic Consolation Game)
  • Series Notes: Gannon has won both meetings against Alderson Broaddus in program history, but both have come down to the final shot. A Kyle Goldcamp basket with six seconds left gave Gannon a 67-65 victory in the NCAA Tournament second round in 2009. The Golden Knights later advanced to the Elite Eight with a victory against Kutztown two nights later.

OTHER LINKS
LAST TIME OUT
  • Gannon rallied from a 16-point deficit in the final 10:01 to stun rival Mercyhurst 46-44 last Saturday at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
  • The Golden Knights scored 21 of the final 24 points, including three consecutive three-pointers from seniors Girbran Smith and Adam Blazek during the final two minutes.

GANNON STORYLINES
  • Gannon concludes a brutal opening month this weekend with the 31st Annual Gary Miller Classic. The Golden Knights's first six opponents have included three NCAA Division II Tournament opponents and two rivals which qualified for the PSAC Tournament last season. Gannon's first six opponents produced a combined 117-60 record last season, winning 66.1 percent of their games. They averaged 19.5 victories in 2013-14. This season, those six teams are a combined 18-9.
  • The Golden Knights rank second among all NCAA Division II teams in scoring defense, allowing 51.5 points per game. Albany State (Ga.) is the only school with a tougher defense, surrendering 50.7 points per game.
  • Blazek ranks 20th all-time at Gannon with 1,162 career points, needing 26 to jump past Ron Johnson (1966-70) and into 19th place. He can move past Mike Crawford (1988-92) and into 18th place with 98 more points.
  • Gannon begins a seven-game homestand this weekend after playing three of its first four contests on the road. The squad won't hit the road again until December 20 at Cheyney..
  • The Golden Knights have been predicted to defend their PSAC Western Division title according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
  • Blazek ranks second all-time at Gannon with 181 career steals. The senior guard needs 16 steals to break Butch Warner's (1981-85) school record of 196.
  • Seniors A'Darius Porter (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland), Raphell Thomas-Edwards (Leicester, England/The Gateway School) and Blazek were named to the six-man Preseason All-PSAC Western Division team.
  • Gannon was listed among others to watch in the Division II Bulletin preseason national rankings.
  • Blazek earned Preseason NCAA Division II All-America honorable-mention accolades from the Sporting News. The publication released a preseason top 10 and preseason All-Americans in its annual Sporting News College Basketball Yearbook.

Le MOYNE STORYLINES
  • Le Moyne brings a 4-1 mark into this weekend's action.
  • The Dolphins were listed among others receiving votes in the latest NABC Top 25 Poll.
  • In the latest NCAA Division II statistical release prior to Tuesday's loss at Mansfield, Nate Gause ranked sixth nationally in scoring with 27.5 points per contest.
  • Le Moyne played in the 2014 NCAA Division II Tournament, dropping a 73-62 decision to St. Anselm in the first round.

ALDERSON BROADDUS STORYLINES
  • Alderson Broaddus rides a three-game win streak into the Classic.
  • The Battlers have posted regional victories against Ohio Dominican, Virginia Union and Bowie State.
  • The defending Great Midwest Athletic Conference champions are coming off a 24-5 record last season.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns to PSAC action Wednesday, December 3 against Clarion at the Hammermill Center. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
  • The Golden Knights have won nine consecutive games against the Golden Eagles and lead the all-time series 32-12.
  • Clarion is 3-20 all-time at the Hammermill Center, dropping 14 consecutive games on Gannon's home floor. The Golden Eagles' last victory at the Hammermill Center was an 83-80 verdict during the 1981-82 season.
  • The contest can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG stream at www.wergfm.com.
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Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

G
6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
A

#32 A'Darius Porter

F
6' 7"
Senior
Biology
Girbran Smith

#25 Girbran Smith

G/F
6' 3"
Senior
Comm. Arts
Raphell Thomas-Edwards

#0 Raphell Thomas-Edwards

G/F
6' 6"
Senior
Communication Arts

Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
G
A

#32 A'Darius Porter

6' 7"
Senior
Biology
F
Girbran Smith

#25 Girbran Smith

6' 3"
Senior
Comm. Arts
G/F
Raphell Thomas-Edwards

#0 Raphell Thomas-Edwards

6' 6"
Senior
Communication Arts
G/F