Raphell Thomas-Edwards
Joe Mattis
Gannon enters the final round of PSAC Western Division play in a three-way tie for first place.

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Travels to Slippery Rock Wednesday Night for PSAC West Battle (Video/Game Notes)



GAME DAY CENTRAL
  • When: Wednesday, January 28, 2015
  • Where: Slippery Rock, Pa.
  • Arena: Morrow Field House (3,000)
  • Tip-off: 8 p.m.
  • Live Radio: Jet Radio 1400
  • Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
  • Live Video: Click Here
  • Live Stats: Click Here

GAME INFORMATION
  • General Admission Ticket Prices: $8 Adults | $5 Visiting PSAC Students with ID | $3 Age 6-High School | Free Under Six Years Old
  • Ticket Windows: Open at 5 p.m. The contest will be part of a PSAC doubleheader that begins with the women's teams at 6 p.m. 
  • Directions: To Morrow Field House I GPS Address: 1 Morrow Way Slippery Rock, PA 16057

GAME COVERAGE
PENNSYLVANIA STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INFORMATION
ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 24-12
  • First Meeting: January 18, 1948 - Slippery Rock 57, at Gannon 48
  • Last Meeting: November 19, 2014 - at Gannon 64, Slippery Rock 51
  • Series Notes: Gannon has won four consecutive games against Slippery Rock and leads the all-time series 24-12. With an 8-7 all-time record at the Morrow Field House, the Golden Knights are looking to win conscutive games at the Morrow Field House for the first time since the 1986-87 season. Gannon will also attempt to complete its second consecutive season sweep of Slippery Rock after a 64-51 victory at the Hammermill Center on November 19, 2014.

OTHER LINKS
LAST TIME OUT
  • Senior Girbran Smith's three-pointer with 16 seconds left propelled Gannon to a 53-51 victory last Saturday 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.

GANNON STORYLINES
  • Gannon begins the second half of PSAC Western Division play Wednesday night at Slippery Rock. The Golden Knights are in the midst of a final 10-game stretch that includes seven road affairs.
  • Eight of the final nine 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 314 career assists. He can move past Todd Stablein (1990-94) and Neal Stoczynski (1973-77) and into eighth place with eight more assists.
  • Gannon's first 19 opponents have recorded 182 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 fourth-toughest schedule in the Atlantic Region and 31st-toughest schedule in NCAA Division II this season according to the NCAA's latest statistical report released January 26. Gannon's first 19 opponents have produced a combined winning percentage of .569 (182-138). Winston-Salem State (11th, .585, 137-97), Fairmont State (12th, .584, 163-116) and UVa.-Wise (25th, .571, 136-102) are the only Atlantic Region programs with a tougher schedule to date. Only NCAA Division II opponents count in the report.
  • Gannon, Indiana (Pa.) and Mercyhurst sit in a three-way tie for first place in the PSAC Western Division with 11-3 conference records. Slippery Rock is only one game back at 10-4.
  • Blazek ranks 14th all-time at Gannon with 1,361 career points, needing 21 to jump past Mitch Smith (1985-88) and into 13th place. He can move past Bronze Simpson (1992-96) and into 13th place with 57 points.
  • Gannon is the country's top defensive team, allowing 56.8 points per game. The Golden Knights have held 13 opponents below 60 points this season. Cal Poly Pomona is the next best NCAA Division II defensive team. The Broncos are only 0.3 point behind the Golden Knights' defensive total.
  • 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 174 career three-pointers. He needs five three-pointers to move past Chris Hollan (1988-90) and into fourth place.
  • Senior A'Darius Porter (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland), 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 208 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.

SLIPPERY ROCK STORYLINES
  • Slippery Rock rides a three-game win streak into Wednesday's contest after consecutive victories against No. 21 Indiana (Pa.) (75-71), Clarion (72-60) and California (Pa.) (64-62).
  • The Rock is a perfect 9-0 this season at home, winning those games by an average of 23.6 points.
  • Slippery Rock leads NCAA Division II in rebounding margin (15.0) and offensive rebounds per game (19.4).
  • The Rock tops the PSAC in field goal percentage defense, limited opponents to a .397 shooting percentage.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns home Saturday, January 31 to host rival Mercyhurst in the 2015 Porreco Game.
  • Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. The women's teams open the conference twinbill with the Eighth Annual Pink Zone at 1 p.m.
  • Saturday's Gannon-Mercyhurst men's contest can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • Admission for the entire doubleheader is free of charge.
  • Gannon leads the all-time series 49-20, including a 26-8 mark at the Hammermill Center.
  • The Golden Knights will attempt to complete their first season sweep of the Lakers since the 2008-09 campaign after posting a 46-44 victory November 22 at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
  • Mercyhurst has won three of the last four match-ups played at the Hammermill Center.
  • The rivalry has been evenly contested during the last five seasons. Four of those five years have resulted in a season split.
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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