Matthew Dogan
Joe Mattis
Sophomore Matthew Dogan recorded career-highs in points (13) and rebounds (6) in 32 minutes off the bench.
74
Winner Gannon GAN-M 13-7, 12-3 PSAC
71
Slippery Rock ROCK-M 15-6, 10-5 PSAC
Winner
Gannon GAN-M
13-7, 12-3 PSAC
74
Final
71
Slippery Rock ROCK-M
15-6, 10-5 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon GAN-M 29 45 74
Slippery Rock ROCK-M 28 43 71

Next Game:

Mercyhurst University

1/31/2015 | 3:00 PM

Jet Radio 1400

Next Game

Full Schedule
Jan. 31 (Sat) / 3:00 PM
 Mercyhurst University

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Hands Slippery Rock First Home Loss; Remains in PSAC West First-Place Tie

THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: Gannon 74, at Slippery Rock 71
  • Records: Gannon (13-7, 12-3 PSAC), Slippery Rock (15-6, 10-5 PSAC)
  • Location: Slippery Rock, Pa. - Morrow Field House
  • The Short Story: Sophomore Matthew Dogan (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) and true freshman Daniel Kaigler (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) recorded career-highs off the bench with 13 and 10 points, respectively, as the Gannon men's basketball team rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to deal Slippery Rock its first home loss of the season Wednesday night with a 74-71 victory at the Morrow Field House.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Slippery Rock initially held Gannon without a field goal for the first three minutes and 55 seconds while opening a 9-1 lead.
  • Gannon responded with a 10-2 run that tied the contest at 11. Senior Girbran Smith (Nassau, Bahamas/Seton (Ill.) Academy) began the stretch with a pair of three-pointers. Senior Raphell Thomas-Edwards (Leicester, England/The Gateway School) then scored back-to-back buckets to knot the game at the 13:54 mark.
  • The Golden Knights eventually stretched the hot streak into a 21-6 run that lasted seven minutes and 29 seconds. A Dogan three-pointer capped the blitz, giving Gannon a 22-15 lead with 8:48 left in the first half.
  • The momentum swings continued with a Slippery Rock 13-3 run that pushed the Rock back in front, 28-25 with 2:13 showing on the clock.
  • Kaigler then came off the bench to score the half's final two baskets on a lay-up and tip-in to give the Golden Knights a 29-28 lead at the break.
  • Slippery Rock appeared to have the game in control after eight straight points gave the home team a 47-38 lead 4:52 into the final stanza.
  • The home team's advantage sat at 60-52 with 8:47 to play, before Gannon produced the decisive run. The Golden Knights generated a 16-2 rally that turned the eight-point deficit into a six-point lead during the span of six minutes and 25 seconds.
  • The sequence started with 12 consecutive Gannon points. A Kaigler jumper pulled the Golden Knights within a point, before a Dogan triple gave the squad a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Kaigler's third field goal of the run gave Gannon a 68-62 lead with 1:57 remaining.
  • The remainder of the game turned into a Gannon free throw contest. The Rock cut the deficit to three points, but a contested SRU three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark to seal the verdict.
  

GAME NOTES
  • Wednesday's contest featured four ties and seven lead changes.
  • Slippery Rock entered the game with the best rebounding margin (15.0) at any level of the NCAA, but Gannon battled the Rock to an even 28-28 rebounding chart.
  • The Rock also leads the nation in offensive rebounds per game (19.4), but was limited to eight offensive boards. The result was 11.4 offensive rebounds below its average.
  • Adam Blazek (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) led Gannon with 17 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals while playing all 40 minutes for the 13th time this season. His assist total set a career-high, topping his previous high of seven December 20, 2014 at Cheyney.
  • Blazek was Gannon's leading scorer for the second consecutive game and seventh time this season.
  • Dogan tied career-highs in scoring (13) and rebounds (6) in 32 minutes off the bench. He had scored five points and grabbed four rebounds during the previous 13 games. His 32 minutes of playing time equaled one minute less than his total over the last eight contests.
  • Kaigler also set a career-high with 10 points off the bench, hitting 5-of-7 shots and doubling his point total for the season. After playing 29 minutes during the first 19 games, Kaigler logged 18 minutes at Slippery Rock.
  • Smith completed Gannon's foursome of double-digit scorers with 10 points, reaching double digits in scoring for the 12th consecutive game.
  • Gannon shot 52.8 percent (28-53) from the field, including a red-hot 64 percent (16-25) during the second half. The Golden Knight shot 60 percent (6-10) from three-point range and 50 percent (12-24) from the free throw line.
  • The Gannon shooting performance was its best since hitting 59.6 percent (31-52) of its shots December 20, 2014 at Cheyney.
  • The hot shooting came against a Slippery Rock team that led the PSAC in field goal percentage defense (39.7).
  • The Golden Knights' three-point accuracy was their best since posting the same long-range figures February 12, 2014 against Edinboro.
  • Gannon committed only eight turnovers, representing its fewest since having seven November 29, 2013 against Le Moyne. It was the program's fewest during a road game since committing eight January 16, 2013 at Edinboro.
  • Antonio Butler headlined Slippery Rock's scoring attack with 23 points, hitting 7-of-13 shots and all nine free throws.
  • Frank Holloway and Kelvin Goodwin added 20 and 10 points, respectively.
  • Slippery Rock shot 53.1 percent (26-49) from the floor, 42.9 percent (6-14) from behind the arc and 81.3 percent (13-16) from the charity stripe.
  • The Rock generated the highest field goal percentage by a Gannon opponent since Shepherd shot 55.6 percent (30-54) on December 13, 2013.
  • Gannon put four players in double digits for the fifth time this season, improving to 58-14 all-time under head coach John T. Reilly when having four double-digit scorers.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon remained in a first-place tie with Mercyhurst in the PSAC Western Division after Wednesday's victory. Indiana (Pa.) was idle and dropped one-half game back in the standings.
  • The Golden Knights became the first team to win at the Morrow Field House since Indiana (Pa.) earned a 69-55 victory on February 26, 2014.
  • Slippery Rock was 9-0 at home this season with a 23.6 scoring margin during those contests.
  • Gannon swept the season series against Slippery Rock for the second consecutive season, extending its win streak against the Rock to five.
  • The Golden Knights won consecutive games at the Morrow Field House for the first time since the 1986-87 season after posting a 68-61 win there last season.
  • Blazek jumped Todd Stablein (1990-94) and Neal Stoczynski (1973-77) and into eighth place on Gannon's all-time assist chart with 322 career helpers.
  • Gannon improved to 7-1 this season and 135-25 all-time under Reilly when leading at halftime.
  • Ten of Gannon's 20 games have been decided by five points or less. The Golden Knights are 6-4 in those contests.
  • Gannon is now 5-1 this season in games played on Wednesday.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns home for the first time in nine days Saturday, January 31 to host rival Mercyhurst in the 2015 Porreco Cup Game at the Hammermill Center.
  • 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.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

G
6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
Matthew Dogan

#15 Matthew Dogan

G
6' 7"
Sophomore
Pre-Phy. Asst.
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
Daniel Kaigler

#3 Daniel Kaigler

F
6' 6"
Freshman
Communication Arts

Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
G
Matthew Dogan

#15 Matthew Dogan

6' 7"
Sophomore
Pre-Phy. Asst.
G
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
Daniel Kaigler

#3 Daniel Kaigler

6' 6"
Freshman
Communication Arts
F