Marcus Jones
Joe Mattis
The Gannon men's basketball team has only four regular-season home games remaining, beginning with Thursday night's game against California (Pa.).

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Hosts California (Pa.) Thursday Night at the 'Mill (Video/Game Notes)



GAME DAY CENTRAL
  • When: Thursday, January 22, 2015
  • Where: Erie, Pa.
  • Arena: Hammermill Center (2,800)
  • Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
  • Live Radio: Jet Radio 1400
  • Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
  • Live America One (PPV) Video: Click Here
  • Live Stats: Click Here
  • Tickets: Click Here

GAME 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. The contest will be part of a PSAC doubleheader that begins with the women's teams at 5:30 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

GAME COVERAGE
PENNSYLVANIA STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INFORMATION
ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 13-11
  • First Meeting: January 6, 1950 - at Gannon 54, California (Pa.) 47
  • Last Meeting: January 29, 2014 - at California (Pa.) 62, Gannon 59
  • Series Notes: Gannon has won three of its last four meetings against California (Pa.) and leads the all-time series 13-11. The Golden Knights swept the 2012-13 season series, before the two teams split last year's home-and-home. Gannon is 11-3 all-time against California (Pa.) at the Hammermill Center.

OTHER LINKS
LAST TIME OUT
  • Sophomore A.J. Leahey torched the nets for 27 points on 7-of-11 three-point shooting as the PSAC's best field goal percentage team Pitt-Johnstown downed Gannon 65-57 last Wednesday at the UPJ Sports Center. Senior A'Darius Porter (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland) recorded his second double-double with 10 points and a career-high 16 rebounds.

GANNON STORYLINES
  • Gannon returns home Thursday night for the first time since a 66-48 victory against Edinboro on January 10, a span of 12 days.
  • The Gannon-California (Pa.) contest was originally scheduled for Wednesday night, but was pushed back one day due to the tragic death of senior California (Pa.) women's basketball student-athlete Shanice Clark.
  • Gannon has been idle for seven days due to its PSAC bye date last Saturday.
  • Ten of the final 11 regular-season games will be against Western Division rivals with one non-conference contest at Le Moyne.
  • Senior Adam Blazek (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) ranks ninth all-time at Gannon with 307 career assists. He can move past Todd Stablein (1990-94) and Neal Stoczynski (1973-77) and into eighth place with 15 more assists.
  • Gannon's first 16 opponents have recorded 129 combined victories, representing the most NCAA Division II opponent wins in the country.
  • Head coach John T. Reilly's club has played the toughest schedule in the PSAC, the third-toughest schedule in the Atlantic Region and 28th-toughest schedule in NCAA Division II this season according to the NCAA's latest statistical report released January 12. Gannon's first 16 opponents have produced a combined winning percentage of .603 (129-85). Winston-Salem State (13th, .636, 84-48) and Charleston (27th, .608, 90-58) are the only two Atlantic Region programs with a tougher schedule to date. Only NCAA Division II opponents count in the report.
  • Gannon remains in sole possession of first place in the PSAC Western Division with a 10-2 conference record. The Golden Knights hold the best PSAC record in either division. Indiana (Pa.), Mercyhurst and East Stroudsburg have three conference losses.
  • Blazek ranks 15th all-time at Gannon with 1,336 career points, needing two to jump past Rich Bush (1998-01) and into 14th place. He can move past Mitchell Smith (1985-88) and into 13th place with 46 points.
  • Gannon has dropped out of the nation's top-spot in scoring defense for the first time since the early portion of the season. Cal Poly Pomona is now No. 1 with a 55.8 scoring defense. The Golden Knights are close behind, allowing 56.8 points per game. Gannon has held 12 opponents below 60 points during their first 17 games.
  • The Golden Knights were predicted to defend their PSAC Western Division title in the league's preseason coaches poll.
  • Gannon has won 18 straight games when reaching the 80-point plateau. The Golden Knights' last setback when scoring at least 80 points was a 103-100 overtime loss to Seton Hill in the 2011 Porreco Cup championship game. Gannon is 49-3 all-time under Reilly when scoring at least 80 points.
  • Blazek ranks fifth all-time at Gannon with 169 career three-pointers. He needs 10 three-pointers to move past Chris Hollan (1988-90) and into fourth place.
  • Porter, senior Raphell Thomas-Edwards (Leicester, England/The Gateway School) and Blazek were named to the six-man Preseason All-PSAC Western Division team.
  • Blazek became Gannon's all-time steals leader January 7 against Kutztown, surpassing Butch Warner (1981-85) 6:39 into the contest. The senior currently has 203 career steals.
  • 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.

CALIFORNIA (Pa.) STORYLINES
  • California (Pa.) rides a two-game losing streak into Thursday's game after setbacks against Indiana (Pa.) (69-45) and Seton Hill (63-59).
  • The Vulcans have played well regardless of the venue, producing a 5-3 home record and 6-3 mark away from the Convocation Center.
  • Cal ranks eighth among all NCAA Division II programs in three-point field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to a 28.9-percent showing behind the arc.
  • The Vulcans opened the 2014-15 campaign with a pair of exhibitions at major NCAA Division I schools, falling at Purude (89-52) and VCU (92-43).
  • Cal is looking to avoid its first three-game skid since dropping four consecutive games February 5-15, 2014.
  • Junior Richard Smith ranks second among PSAC players in double-doubles (6) and defensive rebounds per game (5.65).

UP NEXT
  • Gannon will have one day of rest before returning to action Saturday, January 24 at Seton Hill.
  • Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. The women's teams open the conference twinbill at 1 p.m.
  • Saturday's entire doubleheader can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • Gannon and Seton Hill have engaged in a competitive series. Both teams have won three games each since the all-time series began in 2007-08.
  • The Golden Knights dropped a 56-52 decision during their first-ever trip to Seton Hill's McKenna Center last season.
  • Arguably the most memorable game between the two programs came during the 2011 Porreco Cup Championship Game when the Griffins drained a half-court shot at the buzzer to capture a 103-100 double-overtime victory at the Hammermill Center.
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Players Mentioned

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
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
Marcus Jones

#21 Marcus Jones

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Psychology
G
A

#32 A'Darius Porter

6' 7"
Senior
Biology
F
Raphell Thomas-Edwards

#0 Raphell Thomas-Edwards

6' 6"
Senior
Communication Arts
G/F