Girbran Smith
Joe Mattis
Senior Girbran Smith's three-pointer with 16 seconds remaining moved Gannon back into first place in the PSAC West.
53
Winner Gannon GAN-M 12-7, 11-3 PSAC
51
Seton Hill SHU-M 6-12, 5-9 PSAC
Winner
Gannon GAN-M
12-7, 11-3 PSAC
53
Final
51
Seton Hill SHU-M
6-12, 5-9 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon GAN-M 26 27 53
Seton Hill SHU-M 24 27 51

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1/28/2015 | 8:00 PM

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Wins at Seton Hill on Smith's Late Three-Pointer; Moves Back Into First Place

THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: Gannon 53, at Seton Hill 51
  • Records: Gannon (12-7, 11-3 PSAC), Seton Hill (6-12, 5-9 PSAC)
  • Location: Greensburg, Pa. - McKenna Center
  • The Short Story: Senior Girbran Smith's (Nassau, Bahamas/Seton (Ill.) Academy) three-pointer with 16 seconds left propelled the Gannon men's basketball team to a 53-51 victory Saturday afternoon at Seton Hill. As a result, the Golden Knights moved back into a tie for first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division with eight league games remaining.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Neither team was able to generate scoring runs during a low-scoring first half which featured no lead larger than three points.
  • A lay-up by true freshman Daniel Kaigler (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) with five seconds showing on the clock gave the Golden Knights a 26-24 lead at halftime.
  • Gannon was the first team to generate a decent-sized lead midway through the second half. Trailing 38-36, senior Adam Blazek (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) scored six consecutive points to move Gannon ahead 42-38 with 9:30 to play.
  • Blazek produced the one-man run with a three-point bomb, before converting a lay-up while being fouled.
  • The Gannon lead ballooned to 48-40 with another mini 6-0 run. Leading 42-40, Blazek scored again on a lay-up. Junior Jean Yves Toupane (Dakar, Senegal/Lee (Maine) Academy) followed with back-to-back jumpers, giving the Golden Knights their largest lead of the afternoon with 5:57 remaining.
  • Seton Hill rallied with eight consecutive points to knot the game at 48. The Griffins held Gannon scoreless for four minutes and 56 seconds during the run. A three-pointer by David Windsor tied the game with 1:22 left.
  • The Windsor triple was the first of four big shots as both teams traded blows during the final 82 seconds.
  • Toupane answered Windsor's three-pointer with a jumper, giving Gannon the lead back at 50-48 with 1:01 showing on the clock.
  • Windsor countered with another three-pointer 26 seconds later, pushing the Griffins back in front 51-50.
  • Then it was Smith's turn with 16 ticks remaining, drilling a three-pointer to put Gannon up 53-51.
  • Following a pair of time-outs, Windsor finally misfired on a three-point attempt as the horn sounded to secure Gannon's two-point victory.

  
GAME NOTES
  • The first half featured nine lead changes and five ties. The largest lead for both teams during the first 20 minutes was three points.
  • The second half included six lead changes and six ties.
  • Gannon generated a 39-20 rebounding advantage, representing the sixth difference of at least 19 rebounds this season.
  • The rebounding total included a 16-2 edge on the offensive glass which led to a 13-4 advantage in second-chance points.
  • Five Golden Knights grabbed at least six rebounds.
  • Blazek led Gannon with 18 points, four three-pointers, four rebounds, four assists and three steals while playing all 40 minutes for the 12th time this season. The 18 points equaled his highest scoring output since netting 30 at Cheyney on December 20.
  • Blazek was Gannon's leading scorer for the sixth time this season, but the first time since the Cheyney game on December 20.

GAME NOTES
  • Smith was the only other Golden Knight in double digits with 10 points and six rebounds. He has reached double digits in scoring during 11 consecutive games.
  • Gannon shot 38.5 percent (20-52) from the floor, 38.9 percent (7-18) from three-point range and 66.7 percent (6-9) from the free throw line.
  • Kameron Taylor headlined Seton Hill's scoring attack with 16 points and seven rebounds, hitting 7-of-12 shots.
  • Windsor added 12 points as the Griffins' only other double-digit scorer.
  • Seton Hill shot 43.9 percent (18-41) from the floor, 33.3 percent (4-12) from behind the arc and 78.6 percent (11-14) from the charity stripe.
  • Gannon's seven three-pointers represented its most since going 8-of-15 from long range December 20 at Cheyney.
  • The Golden Knights turned the ball over 16 times, leading to a 17-4 edge in points off turnovers for Seton Hill.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon moved back into a tie for first place in the PSAC Western Division with Saturday's victory. The Golden Knights are deadlocked with rival Mercyhurst at 11-3. Indiana (Pa.) enters tonight's game at Clarion with a 10-3 mark.
  • The Golden Knights improved to 6-1 this season and 134-25 all-time under head coach John T. Reilly when leading at halftime.
  • Nine of Gannon's 19 games have been decided by five points or less. The Golden Knights are 5-4 in those contests.
  • Gannon is now 5-1 this season in afternoon games.
  • The Golden Knights forged ahead in their all-time series against Seton Hill by a 4-3 count. The squad is 1-1 at the McKenna Center.
  • Gannon held its 13th opponent this season under 60 points.
  • The Golden Knights were involved in a game that included 108 combined points or less for the fifth time this season.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon continues its brief two-game road swing Wednesday, January 28 at Slippery Rock.
  • Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. The women's teams open the conference twinbill at 6 p.m.
  • Wednesday's entire doubleheader can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • Slippery Rock is one game behind Gannon in the PSAC Western Division standings. Only one game in the loss column separates Mercyhurst, Gannon, Indiana (Pa.) and Slippery Rock.
  • Gannon will attempt to produce its second consecutive season sweep of Slippery Rock after a 64-51 victory at the Hammermill Center on November 19.
  • The Golden Knights have won four straight contests against the Rock, including a 73-69 double-overtime win in last year's PSAC Quarterfinals at the 'Mill.
  • Gannon has alternated wins and losses during its last six trips to Slippery Rock's Morrow Fieldhouse. The Golden Knights are 7-7 all-time on the Rock's home floor.
  • The two PSAC Western Division rivals have clashed in the PSAC Quarterfinals during the last two seasons.
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Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

G
6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
Girbran Smith

#25 Girbran Smith

G/F
6' 3"
Senior
Comm. Arts
Daniel Kaigler

#3 Daniel Kaigler

F
6' 6"
Freshman
Communication Arts
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

G/F
6' 7"
Junior
Interdisciplinary Studies

Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
G
Girbran Smith

#25 Girbran Smith

6' 3"
Senior
Comm. Arts
G/F
Daniel Kaigler

#3 Daniel Kaigler

6' 6"
Freshman
Communication Arts
F
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

6' 7"
Junior
Interdisciplinary Studies
G/F