Gannon Golden Knights
Alex Edelman
The Gannon men's basketball team tips off the 2015-16 regular season Wednesday night at Clarion.

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Opens Regular Season Wednesday Night at Clarion (Video/Game Notes)



GAME DAY CENTRAL
  • When: Wednesday, November 18, 2015
  • Where: Clarion, Pa.
  • Arena: Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium (3,500)
  • Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
  • Live Radio: Jet Radio 1400
  • Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
  • Live Video: None
  • Live Stats: Click Here

GAME INFORMATION
  • General Admission Ticket Prices: $5 Adults
  • Ticket Windows: Open at 4:30 p.m. The contest will be part of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) doubleheader that begins with the women's teams at 5:30 p.m.
  • Parking: Free | General parking for basketball games is available in lots 11, 12, 14,16, R, U and X
  • Directions: To Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium I GPS Address: 840 Wood Street, Clarion, Pa. 16214

GAME COVERAGE
PENNSYLVANIA STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INFORMATION
ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 34-12
  • First Meeting: January 21, 1949 - Gannon 47, at Clarion 42
  • Last Meeting: February 11, 2015 - Gannon 78, at Clarion 71
  • Series Notes: Gannon has won 11 consecutive games against Clarion and leads the all-time series 34-12. The Golden Knights have won five straight games at Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium where they own an 12-9 record. The current win streak includes home-and-away season sweeps the last five seasons.

OTHER LINKS
LAST TIME OUT
  • Gannon dropped a pair of road contests at NCAA Division I programs during the exhibition season. Senior Jean Yves Toupane averaged 16 points and 5.5 rebounds during setbacks at the University of Pittsburgh (80-50) on November 6 and George Washington (92-47) on November 7.

GANNON STORYLINES
  • Gannon is 55-16 all-time in season openers, but only 7-10 in season openers played on the road. The Golden Knights have dropped their last two openers played on the road, coming last season at Glenville State (57-51) and 2011-12 at East Stroudsburg (90-89).
  • Head coach John T. Reilly's club opens the season with a conference game for the third time in the last five years. In addition to the loss at East Stroudsburg in 2011-12, Gannon defeated California (Pa.) (59-51) in the 2013-14 opener at the Hammermill Center.
  • Gannon opens the season on the road for the fifth time in the last eight years after beginning at home during 21 of the previous 23 years.
  • The Golden Knights will need to find new leaders this year following the graduation of their top five scorers. The squad returns only 18 percent (364-2,026) of its total scoring from a year ago.
  • Gannon was predicted to finish fourth in the PSAC Western Division according to the league's preseason coaches poll. The Golden Knights have won back-to-back PSAC Western Division regular-season championships and won their second PSAC Tournament title since joining the league in 2008-09 last year.
  • The Golden Knights enter the 2015-16 season 12th among all NCAA Division II programs in all-time winning percentage, beginning the season with a 1,207-670 (64.3 percent) record in 71 seasons. More recently, Gannon was 27th among Division II programs with a .693 winning percentage (203-90) during the 2000s.
  • Reilly enters the 2015-16 season 32nd among active NCAA Division II coaches in career victories (416) and 53rd in career winning percentage (.625). He became the 30th active NCAA Division II coach to record 400 career wins December 17, 2014 against West Chester. Reilly recorded his 180th victory at Gannon February 21 at California (Pa.), becoming the program's all-time winningest coach.
  • Gannon recorded its third consecutive 20-win season last season, finishing 23-9 overall. The victory total represented the program's most since the 2008-09 Elite Eight team went 30-4.
  • The Golden Knights won eight consecutive games and 12 of 13 during last season's stretch run. The squad was 6-1 in February, solidifying its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 24th in program history.
  • Gannon finished as the country's top-ranked defensive unit last season, allowing 56.6 points per game.
  • The Golden Knights have won 18 straight games when reaching the 80-point plateau. Gannon's last setback when scoring at least 80 points was a 103-100 overtime loss to Seton Hill in the 2011 Porreco Cup championship game. The program is 49-3 all-time under Reilly when scoring at least 80 points.
  • Gannon was listed among others receiving votes in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) preseason national rankings.

CLARION STORYLINES
  • Clarion opened its regular season last weekend with two losses at the Shepherd Tournament.
  • After a 90-78 loss to Wheeling Jesuit, the Golden Eagles fell 89-87 against Shepherd on a last-second shot.
  • Clarion was picked seventh in the PSAC West according to the league's preseason coaches poll.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon opens its home schedule this weekend with a pair of PSAC crossover contests at the Hammermill Center.
  • The Golden Knights host Millersville on Saturday, November 21 and Shippensburg on Sunday, November 22.
  • Both games can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • Gannon is 10-4 all-time against Millersville, including a 6-1 mark at the Hammermill Center.
  • The Golden Knights haven't hosted the Marauders since a 74-52 victory in 2010-11. The last three encounters have occurred on Millersville's home floor.
  • Gannon has never lost to Shippensburg, owning a perfect 8-0 record in the all-time series.
  • The Golden Knights are 5-0 all-time against the Raiders at home, but the two programs haven't met in Erie since 2011-12.
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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
Raphell Thomas-Edwards

#0 Raphell Thomas-Edwards

G/F
6' 6"
Senior
Communication Arts
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

G/F
6' 7"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies

Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
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
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

6' 7"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
G/F