Jean Yves Toupane
Alex Edelman
Senior Jean Yves Toupane's 15 free throws were the most by a Golden Knight since February 14, 2004.
66
Slippery Rock ROCK-M 10-10, 5-9 PSAC
71
Winner Gannon University GAN-M 4-13, 3-11 PSAC
Slippery Rock ROCK-M
10-10, 5-9 PSAC
66
Final
71
Gannon University GAN-M
4-13, 3-11 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Slippery Rock ROCK-M 37 29 66
Gannon University GAN-M 30 41 71

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Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

1/27/2016 | 7:30 PM

Jet Radio 1400

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Jan. 27 (Wed) / 7:30 PM
 Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Hangs Tough In 71-66 Victory Against Slippery Rock (Video)

THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 71, Slippery Rock 66
  • Records: Gannon (4-13, 3-11 PSAC), Slippery Rock (10-10, 5-9 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Hammermill Center
  • The Short Story: Senior Jean Yves Toupane (Dakar, Senegal/Lee (Maine) Academy) scored 18 points in the final six minutes and the Gannon men's basketball team out-rebounded the ninth-best rebounding team in NCAA Division II by a 34-23 count en route to a 71-66 victory Saturday afternoon during the Athletics Hall of Fame Game at the Hammermill Center.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Neither team was able to generate a lead larger than four points until the final 78 seconds of the first half. The first 18 minutes featured six lead changes and three ties.
  • Leading 30-28, Slippery Rock rolled off a mini 5-0 run. Erik Raleigh hit a pair of free throws followed by an Abdul King three-pointer for a 35-28 lead.
  • The two teams split the final four points, before Slippery Rock went to the break with a 37-30 advantage.
  • The Rock scored the first basket of the second half to assume its biggest lead of the afternoon at 39-30.
  • Gannon then awoke with an 11-1 run that tied the contest. A triple by freshman C.J. Asuncion-Byrd (Greenwich, Conn./St. Thomas More), a jumper by sophomore Isaiah Eisendorf (Los Angeles, Calif./Springbrook, Md.) and a jumper by senior Tony Boykins (Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix) brought the Golden Knights within 40-39.
  • Toupane then drained two free throws to push Gannon in front 41-40 with 13:15 remaining.
  • The Rock missed both field goal attempts and turned the ball over four times in six possessions during the Gannon run.
  • Slippery Rock responded and appeared to regain control of the game. Trailing 44-42, the Rock produced a 16-6 run to assume a 58-50 lead at the 6:18 mark.
  • But as it did before, Gannon recovered from the punches. Toupane connected on back-to-back tough jumpers to spur a 13-2 rally. Ten of those 13 points came off the shooting hand of Toupane, including his consecutive baskets that gave the Golden Knights a 63-60 edge with 35 seconds left.
  • The remainder of the game turned into a free throw shooting contest as both teams strategically fouled. Toupane went 8-for-8 from the line during the final 18 seconds.
  • The game-clinching play came with three seconds left. Gannon found Toupane behind the defense on an inbound play. He was then fouled going up for a lay-up and Juwan Strothers was called for an intentional foul. Toupane hit both free throws and then two more after being immediately fouled again to seal the 71-66 victory.

GAME NOTES
  • Saturday's contest was Gannon's Annual Athletics Hall of Fame Game as seven inductees were honored at halftime. The 1974-75 men's basketball team was also honored during pregame festivities. After being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989, the team celebrated their 40-year anniversary last year.
  • Toupane led all scorers on both sides with 27 points and seven rebounds, including a 15-of-16 chart from the free throw line. He scored 18 points during the final six minutes.
  • Asuncion-Byrd joined Toupane in double figures with 14 points.
  • Gannon shot 44.7 percent (21-47) from the field, 40 percent (4-10) from three-point range and 86.2 percent (25-29) from the free throw line. 
  • Cornelius Brown headlined the Slippery Rock attack with 17 points, going 8-of-12 from the field.
  • King and Malcolm Richardson added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
  • Slippery Rock shot 45.7 percent (21-46) from the floor, 23.5 percent (4-17) from behind the arc and 76.9 percent (20-26) from the charity stripe.
  • The game featured 13 lead changes and five ties.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Slippery Rock entered the contest as the ninth-best rebounding team in NCAA Division II with an 8.8 rebounding margin, but Gannon produced a large 34-23 edge in rebounds.
  • The Rock ranks sixth nationally with 15.05 offensive rebounds per game, but was limited Saturday afternoon to only four.
  • Gannon defeated Slippery Rock for the seventh time in the last eight meetings.
  • The Golden Knights have won the last five encounters at the Hammermill Center where they are 18-5 all-time against the Rock.
  • Gannon out-rebounded its fifth consecutive opponent.
  • The Golden Knights produced a double-digit advantage in rebounds for the fourth time this season.
  • All eight Golden Knights who played more than one minute scored.
  • Gannon was 25-of-29 at the line, converting 86.2 percent. It represented the most attempts since taking 30 during a 66-61 victory at Edinboro on February 4, 2015. The percentage was the highest since hitting 88.5 percent (23-26) of the attempts during a 62-50 win at Shippensburg on January 4, 2015. The free throw made were the most since making 29 during a 75-64 victory at Pitt-Johnstown on February 22, 2014.
  • Slippery Rock's four three-pointers were the fewest by a Gannon opponent this season. Three other opponents have tied the mark.
  • The Rock's four offensive rebounds also tied the low mark for a Gannon opponent this season.
  • Gannon won after trailing at halftime for the second time this season.
  • The seven-point deficit was the largest halftime deficit overcome by the Golden Knights to win a game since erasing a 30-18 halftime deficit during a 77-73 victory at Edinboro on February 8, 2012.
  • Toupane's 15-of-16 free throw chart represented the most free throws made and attempted by a Golden Knight since 2016 Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Geoff Husted went 17-of-19 during a 75-67 victory at Ashland on February 14, 2004.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon concludes a mini two-game homestand Wednesday, January 27 against rival Edinboro at the Hammermill Center.
  • Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
  • The contest can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG online stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • Gannon has won six of its last eight meetings against Edinboro to assume a 66-36 advantage in the all-time series.
  • Edinboro snapped a four-game losing streak in the series with a 105-102 double-overtime victory at home on December 16.
  • Gannon has won the last two encounters played at the Hammermill Center where it is 37-13 all-time against the Fighting Scots.
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Players Mentioned

Tony Boykins

#33 Tony Boykins

G
6' 3"
Senior
Communication Arts
Isaiah Eisendorf

#2 Isaiah Eisendorf

F
6' 6"
Sophomore
Psychology
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

G/F
6' 7"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
C.J. Asuncion-Byrd

#3 C.J. Asuncion-Byrd

G
6' 3"
Freshman
Business

Players Mentioned

Tony Boykins

#33 Tony Boykins

6' 3"
Senior
Communication Arts
G
Isaiah Eisendorf

#2 Isaiah Eisendorf

6' 6"
Sophomore
Psychology
F
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

6' 7"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
G/F
C.J. Asuncion-Byrd

#3 C.J. Asuncion-Byrd

6' 3"
Freshman
Business
G