Coach Brunelli's Weekly Radio Show

THE GAME BASICS
Matchup: Gannon (21-7) vs. No. 15 Bloomsburg (24-4)
Date: Friday, March 13, 2015
Time: Noon
Location: Hamer Hall | California, Pa.
Short Story: The Gannon women's basketball team will make its sixth appearance in seven years at the NCAA Atlantic Regional hosted by top-seed and 14th nationally-ranked California (Pa.) at Hamer Hall. The sixth-seeded Lady Knights open action in the regional quarterfinals against third-seeded and 15th nationally-ranked Bloomsburg Friday afternoon. The tip is set for noon. The two teams will square off in regional action for the first time. The Lady Knights hold a 6-1 all-time mark against the Huskies. The Maroon and Gold have advanced to the semifinals in sixth straight regional appearances.
 
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GET YOUR TICKETS
Tickets for the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Atlantic Regional will be available at California's Hamer Hall, beginning Friday at 11 a.m. A sellout crowd is not expected for Friday's opening session since the home team will play in the second session. Single-session tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for students. There will be no all-tournament packages available.

SCOUTING NO. 15/THIRD-SEED BLOOMSBURG
- No. 15 Bloomsburg owns a 24-4 overall mark. Entering the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament, the Huskies earned the top seed as the championship host. The nationally-ranked Huskies have won five of their last six games before falling to 18th nationally-ranked California (Pa.) in the conference semifinals, 63-48, on their own home court.
- The Huskies are currently rank 15th in the latest USA Today Sports Top 25 Coaches Poll.
BU has ranked among the top 25 in each of the last 19 polls dating back to last February, which is the longest consecutive streak in school history.
- Bloomsburg earned three major conference awards. Senior guard Marla Simmons was named the PSAC East Athlete of the Year, guard Camden Boehner was selected PSAC East Freshman of the Year and head coach Bill Cleary received PSAC East Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season.
- Among PSAC team leaders, Bloomsburg ranks fifth in scoring offense (71.9) and first in scoring defense (58.0). In the PSAC, the Huskies rank second in field goal percentage defense (.373) and turnover margin (5.54), third in field goal percentage (.433) and assist/turnover ratio (1.04) and fourth in steals (9.93).
- Simmons ranks ninth among PSAC scoring leaders, averaging 14.1 points per game. Adreana Sadowski owns the league's top field-goal percentage at a clip of .565. Sadowski also ranks second in the league in blocked shots per game (2.3).
 
SERIES HISTORY
- Gannon holds a 6-1 all-time mark against Bloomsburg. Three of the last four games have been decided by single digits.
- The two squads met for the first time in program history on Jan. 10, 2009, when first-year PSAC member Gannon defeated host Bloomsburg by the score of 79-52.
- The Lady Knights and Huskies will square off for the first time in NCAA Atlantic Regional play. Facing each other twice in the PSAC Tournament, the teams have earned a split. GU is 5-0 in the regular season against the Huskies.
 
GANNON FAST BREAK POINTS
- Gannon finished the regular season in third place in the PSAC Western Division with an 18-4 mark in league play and a 20-6 overall record. It marked the 13th time in program history that the Lady Knights reached the 20-win milestone.
- This season, the Lady Knights clinched their fourth consecutive trip to the PSAC Tournament « Among the PSAC leaders, Gannon ranks eighth in scoring offense (67.8) and fourth in scoring defense (60.5). On the glass, the Lady Knights occupy second in both rebounding defense (34.6) and rebounding offense (42.1) for a second-ranked rebounding margin of 7.6.
- The Lady Knights rank fourth in the PSAC in assist/turnover ratio (0.99), while registering the third-lowest total turnovers (429).
- Among PSAC rebounding leaders, senior Nettie Blake (Jersey City, N.J./Marist) ranks first in rebounds per game (10.9) and is second in total rebounds (305). In the conference, she is first in both offensive rebounds (122) and offensive boards per game (4.4).
 
LOOKING BACK
Third-seeded Gannon fell to second-seeded and 18th nationally-ranked California (Pa.), 66-53, in the quarterfinal round of the PSAC Tournament March 3 at Hamer Hall. Trailing at the break, the Vulcans rallied in the second half to capture the win by outscoring the Lady Knights, 46-31. Blake led the Lady Knights' scoring with 13 points. It marked the third straight season that the Lady Knights reached the PSAC Quarterfinals, facing the Vulcans each time.
 
HOW WE GOT HERE
Gannon posted a 20-6 overall mark in the regular season. As the Western Division's third-seed in the PSAC Tournament, the Lady Knights defeated Slippery Rock in the first round before falling to No. 18 California (Pa.) in the quarterfinals. During selection Sunday March 8, GU was chosen the NCAA Atlantic Region's sixth seed to earn their fourth consecutive trip to the regional.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
A win and the season continues. A loss and the run is over. The winner of Gannon-Bloomsburg will face the winner of Indiana (Pa.)-Shepherd in the region semifinals March 14, at 5 p.m. The regional championship is scheduled for March 16 at 7 p.m. The other side of the bracket includes California (Pa.), Virginia State, West Chester and West Liberty.
 
GU IN THE NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL
Since making their first appearance in the 1988 NCAA East Regional, Gannon has posted a 13-10 overall mark in the national tournament. The Lady Knights has earned a bid to the region tournament six of the last seven seasons. GU has reached the regional quarterfinals eight times including seven straight seasons.
 
GU IN THE PSAC TOURNAMENT
Since joining the PSAC in the 2008-09 regular season, Gannon has appeared in six of seven conference tournaments. The Lady Knights made their fourth consecutive trip to the PSAC Tournament and third straight appearance in the quarterfinals before falling to host and 18th nationally-ranked California (Pa.), 66-53, March 3. Appearing in 13 total games at the PSAC Tournament, the Lady Knights hold an 8-5 all-time mark.
 
CONFERENCE RECOGNITION
For the second straight season, Blake earned a spot on the All-PSAC Western Division First Team released March 5. A three-time All-PSAC honoree, Blake earned a consecutive All-PSAC First Team selection after securing a second-team honor as a sophomore. The senior forward is averaging 13.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks through 28 games. She has connected at a rate of 49.8 percent (138-277) from the field and 72.2 percent (104-146) from the foul line this season. Blake has registered a career-best 12 double-doubles, bringing her career total to 31.
 
REGIONAL RECOGNITION
For the second straight season, Blake was selected to the 2014-15 Daktronics/Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Atlantic Region Second Team March 12. Last season, she garnered her first all-region honor.
 
RECORD CHASER
Blake's 305 rebounds this season, ranks fourth on Gannon's single-season list. She continues to climb her way up the program's all-time list in multiple categories. Among all-time career leaders in program history, the senior ranks third in most rebounds (1023), most free throw attempts (577) and most free throws made (370), seventh in most field goals made (578), eighth in most points (1,526), ninth in blocked shots (88) and 10th in field goal percentage (.509). Averaging 8.2 rebounds per game in her career, she ranks fifth on the program's all-time list. Appearing in 125 games as a Lady Knight, she is fifth on the career list.
 
FROM OUTSIDE
Senior Brittany Batts (Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County) occupies second at Gannon with 282 career three-pointers. Batts needs 18 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 1,136 career points to occupy 19th on the program's all-time list. Appearing in 124 games as a Lady Knight, the senior is sixth on the all-time list.