THE GAME BASICS
Matchup: Gannon (18-6, 16-4 PSAC) at No. 18 California (Pa.) (22-3, 18-2 PSAC)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Convocation Center | California, Pa.
Short Story: The Gannon women's basketball team returns to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action with its final road test of the regular season. The Lady Knights will take on No. 18 California (Pa.) Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center. The tip is set for 3 p.m. The matchup features two of the top-three squads in the Western Division. The Lady Knights have won 11 of their last 13 games, including a 71-63 victory over the Vulcans at the Hammermill Center Jan. 22. Cal has strung together eight consecutive victories since the loss to the Lady Knights.
 
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SCOUTING NO. 18 CALIFORNIA [PA.]
- No. 18 California (Pa.) owns a 22-3 overall mark and 18-2 record in PSAC action to share the lead in the Western Division. The nationally-ranked Vulcans have won eight consecutive games including 11 of their last 12. Cal's only loss during their current stretch came against Gannon Jan. 22, 71-63. The game marked the first for the Vulcans since the loss of senior Shanice Clark, who passed away Jan. 18.
- In consecutive weeks, the Vulcans have been ranked in the USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches Poll. Moving up two spots, the team holds the 18th spot this week. The Vulcans were ranked in five straight polls before falling out of the top 25 near the end of January.
- Cal owns a 4-1 mark against nationally-ranked opponents this season.
- Among PSAC team leaders, the Vulcans rank fourth in scoring offense (73.6) and third in scoring defense (59.3). In the PSAC, Cal ranks first in turnover margin (8.6) and steals per game (12.6). The Vulcans also own the conference's third-lowest turnover total (364) and third-best field goal percentage (.429).
- Three Vulcans rank among the top-15 scoring leaders in the PSAC. Miki Glenn ranks fifth in the league, averaging 15.2 points per game. She is followed by Emma Mahady in eighth (14.9 ppg) and Kaitlynn Fratz in 15th (13.5 ppg). Glenn also ranks second in steals per game (2.8) and fifth in assists per game (4.1).
 
SERIES HISTORY
- Gannon holds a 19-14 mark in the all-time series against California (Pa.). The Lady Knights have won six straight against the Vulcans, including eight of the last nine meetings. The last five games have been decided by single digits.
- Three of the six previous games have occurred in the postseason with two at the PSAC Tournament and the other at an NCAA Atlantic Regional.
- The Vulcans own a 10-4 mark on home court against the Lady Knights, winning three of the last four contests. Since moving into the Convocation Center during the 2011-12 season, the Vulcans hold a record of 2-1.
 
GANNON FAST BREAK POINTS
-  Gannon currently occupies third place in the PSAC Western Division with a 16-4 mark in league play and a 18-6 overall record.
- Among the PSAC leaders, Gannon ranks ninth in scoring offense (68.4) and fifth in scoring defense (61.2). On the glass, the Lady Knights occupy second in rebounding defense (35.1) and sixth in rebounding offense (41.8) for a second-ranked rebounding margin of 6.7.
- The Lady Knights rank third in the PSAC in assist/turnover ratio (1.05), while sharing the second-lowest total turnovers (347).
- In the conference, junior Amanda Berchtold (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (2.7) and third in assists per game (4.6). Berchtold entered the week ranked sixth in assist/turnover ratio among national leaders.
- Among PSAC rebounding leaders, senior Nettie Blake (Jersey City, N.J./Marist) ranks first in both rebounds per game (10.9) and second in total rebounds (261). In the conference, she is first in both offensive rebounds (101) and offensive boards per game (4.2). Entering this week, the senior ranked 18th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game and 20th in rebounds per game.
- The Lady Knights' final remaining regular-season game following Saturday's matchup at No. 18 California (Pa.) will come against PSAC Western Division opponent Seton Hill 
- Dating back to the 2012-13 season, Gannon has won 39 of their last 41 games at the Hammermill Center.
- For the third straight season, the Lady Knights opened a campaign with nine consecutive home victories.  
 
LOOKING BACK
In consecutive games, the Gannon women's basketball team was able to overcome a second-half deficit en route to a victory. Trailing by 13 points in the opening minute of the second half, the Lady Knights rallied for a 74-71 win over Le Moyne at the Hammermill Center Tuesday evening in a non-conference matchup. Taking a break in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action, the Lady Knights closed their non-conference slate with a win. The Lady Knights were led by senior Mollie Sebald (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Holy Name) with 19 points followed by senior Brittany Batts (Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County) with 16 and Blake with 15.
 
NEXT UP
Following Saturday's meeting at No. 18 California (Pa.), only one game remains in Gannon's regular-season slate. The Lady Knights close out the regular season at the Hammermill Center against divisional opponent Seton Hill Feb. 25. The matchup will mark Senior Night for four Lady Knights including Sebald, Batts, Blake and senior Candice Hendricks (Randallstown, Md./McDonogh). In the short-lived all-time series against Seton Hill, GU has won all five meetings. Earlier in the season, the Lady Knights captured an 81-62 victory over host Seton Hill Jan. 24, at the McKenna Center. Outscoring the Griffins by a 41-24 advantage, the Lady Knights used a strong-second half performance to seal the win. Led by Blake with 18 points and 15 rebounds, four Lady Knights reached double-figure scoring.
 
NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL RANKINGS
The Lady Knights are ranked seventh in the initial NCAA Division II Atlantic regional ranking released Feb. 18. The rankings only considered games played through Sunday, Feb. 15, and doesn't include the Lady Knights' 74-71 win over non-conference opponent Le Moyne Feb. 17. Livingstone (N.C.) claimed the top spot in the regional ranking with a 21-1 record against both NCAA Division II and in-region competition. California (Pa.) (21-3, 21-3), Indiana (Pa.) (21-2, 21-2), Bloomsburg (20-3, 20-3) and Charleston (W.Va.) (19-5, 19-5) completed the top five. West Chester (19-4, 19-4), Gannon (17-6, 17-5), Fairmont State (W.Va.) (19-6, 19-6), Johnson C. Smith (18-5, 18-5) and Edinboro (17-7, 17-7) rounded out the top 10.
 
RECORD CHASER
Blake continues to climb her way up the program's all-time list in multiple categories. Among all-time career leaders in program history, Blake ranks third in both most rebounds (979) and most free throw attempts (557), fourth in most free throws made (356), eighth in most points (1,468), ninth in both most field goals made (556) and blocked shots (84) and 10th in field goal percentage (.507). Averaging 8.1 rebounds per game in her career, she ranks fifth on the program's all-time list. Appearing in 121 games as a Lady Knight, she is tied for seventh on the career list.
 
TERRIFIC KID
Freshman McKenna Shives (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) was selected the PSAC Western Division Women's Basketball Rookie of the Week announced by the conference office Feb. 16. It marks the second time this season that Shives has received a conference honor. She averaged 9.5 points and three rebounds, as Gannon swept Clarion and Pitt-Johnstown in PSAC Western Division action this past week. She compiled 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal in 37 combined minutes.
 
FROM OUTSIDE
Batts occupies second at Gannon with 276 career three-pointers. Batts needs 24 to break Jacki Windon's school record of 299. In an 82-43 win over Cheyney Dec. 20, she became the 26th Lady Knight in school history to record 1,000-career points. So far, she has compiled 1,104 career points to occupy 20th on the program's all-time list. Appearing in 120 games as a Lady Knight, the senior is tied for ninth on the all-time list.