Girbran Smith
Joe Mattis
Senior Girbran Smith was Gannon's leading scorer for the fourth consecutive game with 16 points and eight rebounds.
48
Edinboro EDIN-M 7-8, 4-7 PSAC
66
Winner Gannon University GAN-M 11-5, 10-1 PSAC
Edinboro EDIN-M
7-8, 4-7 PSAC
48
Final
66
Gannon University GAN-M
11-5, 10-1 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Edinboro EDIN-M 25 23 48
Gannon University GAN-M 37 29 66

Next Game:

at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

1/14/2015 | 7:30 PM

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Next Game

Full Schedule
Jan. 14 (Wed) / 7:30 PM
at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Locks Down Edinboro 66-48; Wins Seventh Consecutive Home Game (Video/Photos)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 66, Edinboro 48
  • Records: Gannon (11-5, 10-1 PSAC), Edinboro (7-8, 4-7 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Hammermill Center
  • The Short Story: The Gannon men's basketball team limited Edinboro to 31 points below its scoring average while getting 27 bench points en route to a 66-48 victory Saturday night at the Hammermill Center. It represented the Golden Knights' seventh consecutive home win.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Edinboro scored the game's first five points, before Gannon answered with the next five points. The two squads then traded punches until the Fighting Scots regained control.
  • The visitors snapped a 7-7 tie with a mini 6-1 run to assume a 13-8 lead with 12:03 left in the first half.
  • Gannon followed with a crushing 23-4 blitz that lasted nine minutes and five seconds. Junior Tony Boykins (Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix) ignited the run with a three-pointer, before redshirt senior Rich Austin (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) tied the game with a jumper.
  • Gannon hit five three-pointers during the run, including a pair from both senior Girbran Smith (Nassau, Bahamas/Seton (Ill.) Academy) and junior Jean Yves Toupane (Dakar, Senegal/Lee (Maine) Academy). Back-to-back triples from the duo combined with a jumper by senior Raphell Thomas-Edwards (Leicester, England/The Gateway School) capped the run, giving the Golden Knights a 31-17 advantage with 2:58 left in the opening half.
  • The home squad eventually went to halftime with a 37-25 lead.
  • Edinboro made a run early in the second half, scoring 12 of the first 15 points to claw within 40-37 at the 16:03 mark.
  • Gannon withstood the rally and countered with eight consecutive points to regain control.
  • Moments after senior Adam Blazek (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) started the answer with a lay-up, Smith scored with his back to the hoop on an athletic tip-in that brought the Hammermill Center crowd to its feet.
  • Redshirt freshman Marcus Jones (Brantford, Ontario/Athlete Institute Academy) followed with two free throws, before a jumper by senior A'Darius Porter (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland) gave the Golden Knights a 48-37 lead with 12:16 remaining.
  • Leading 50-42, Gannon ripped off a 12-2 run that put the game away. Blazek netted five points during the blitz, including a three-pointer to give the Golden Knights a 62-44 advantage with 5:21 to play. Smith also produced a three-point play during the run, converting a lay-up while being fouled.
  • Edinboro never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

GAME NOTES
  • Gannon limited Edinboro to 31 points below its scoring average of 79 points per game. The Fighting Scots were limited to their lowest offensive output since a 57-41 loss at Cheyney on January 6, 2007.
  • The Golden Knights held their third opponent this season under 50 points.
  • Smith was Gannon's leading scorer for the fourth consecutive game and ninth time this season with 16 points and eight rebounds.
  • Austin was the only other Golden Knight in double digits with 10 points, a season-high nine rebounds and three assists in 20 minutes off the bench.
  • Thomas-Edwards missed his sixth double-double by one point, chipping in nine points and 12 rebounds.
  • Four Golden Knights had at least eight rebounds as Gannon recorded 50 team rebounds in a game for the second time this season.
  • Gannon shot 41 percent (23-56) from the floor, 35.3 percent (6-17) from three-point range and 77.8 percent (14-18) from the free throw line.
  • The Golden Knights produced advantages in the paint (34-24), on second-chance points (18-8) and by their bench (27-13).
  • Gannon's 50-29 rebounding edge represented the fourth time this season the team out-rebounded its opponent by at least 21 boards.
  • Jaymon Mason headlined Edinboro's scoring attack with 21 points and four rebounds, hitting 6-of-12 field goals and 7-of-8 free throws.
  • Tommy Scales was the only other Fighting Scot in double digits with 10 points, all during the first half.
  • Edinboro shot 30.5 percent (18-59) from the floor, 18.8 percent (3-16) from behind the arc and 64.3 percent (9-14) from the charity stripe.
  • The Fighting Scots' shooting percentage was the lowest by a Gannon opponent since Cheyney shot 22.6 percent (12-53) on January 8, 2014.
  • Edinboro's three-point accuracy was the lowest by a Gannon opponent since the Fighting Scots shot 16.7 percent (2-12) on February 12, 2014.
  • Gannon committed only nine turnovers, finishing in single digits during consecutive games for the first time since at least the 2001-02 season.
  • The two teams combined to commit only 12 turnovers, the fewest in a game involving Gannon since at least the 2001-02 season.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon remained in sole possession of first place in the PSAC Western Division with a 10-1 conference record. The Golden Knights hold the best PSAC record in either division. Indiana (Pa.) sits one game back in the loss column.
  • The Golden Knights won their third consecutive game against Edinboro, improving to 65-35 in the all-time series and 37-13 at the Hammermill Center.
  • Gannon led at halftime for the fifth time during the first 16 games, winning all five contests.
  • The Golden Knights have won seven consecutive home games, marking their longest home streak since winning 12 in a row from December 14, 2013 until November 19, 2014.
  • With the best scoring defense in NCAA Division II, the Golden Knights held their 12th opponent in 16 games under 60 points.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon hits the road Wednesday, January 14 at Pitt-Johnstown. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday's contest begins a four-game stretch to conclude the month of January that includes three road contests.
  • Gannon has won six consecutive games against Pitt-Johnstown and leads the all-time series 16-3.
  • Pitt-Johnstown's last victory in the series was a 69-62 verdict during the 1998 Gary Miller Classic Championship Game.
  • Gannon is a perfect 5-0 at UPJ's Sports Center. All five encounters on the Mountain Cats' home floor have been decided by 11 points or less.
  • The Golden Knights clinched the 2013-14 PSAC Western Division regular-season top seed at the UPJ Sports Center last year with a 75-64 victory on February 22.
  • Wednesday's contest can be heard on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG stream at www.wergfm.com.
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Players Mentioned

Rich Austin

#23 Rich Austin

F
6' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Mgt. and Marketing
Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

G
6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
Marcus Jones

#21 Marcus Jones

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Psychology
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
Tony Boykins

#33 Tony Boykins

G
6' 3"
Junior
Communication Arts
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

G/F
6' 7"
Junior
Interdisciplinary Studies

Players Mentioned

Rich Austin

#23 Rich Austin

6' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Mgt. and Marketing
F
Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
G
Marcus Jones

#21 Marcus Jones

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Psychology
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
Tony Boykins

#33 Tony Boykins

6' 3"
Junior
Communication Arts
G
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

6' 7"
Junior
Interdisciplinary Studies
G/F