Zay Jackson
Matt Mead Photography LLC
Junior Zay Jackson reached the 20-point plateau Wednesday night for the fourth consecutive game.
54
Slippery Rock ROCK-M 10-10, 6-8 PSAC
57
Winner Gannon University GAN-M 13-5, 11-3 PSAC
Slippery Rock ROCK-M
10-10, 6-8 PSAC
54
Final
57
Gannon University GAN-M
13-5, 11-3 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Slippery Rock ROCK-M 28 26 54
Gannon University GAN-M 24 33 57

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Indiana University of Pennsylvania

1/28/2017 | 3:00 PM

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Jan. 28 (Sat) / 3:00 PM
 Indiana University of Pennsylvania

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Rallies From Second-Half Deficit Against the Rock To Win Eighth Straight Game (Video)

THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 57, Slippery Rock 54
  • Records: Gannon (13-5, 11-3 PSAC), Slippery Rock (10-10, 6-8 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Hammermill Center (Gary Miller Court)
  • The Short Story: The Gannon men's basketball team placed four starters in double digits and rallied from an eight-point second-half deficit to win its eighth consecutive game with a 57-54 victory against Slippery Rock Wednesday night at the Hammermill Center.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Slippery Rock took the first sizable lead with a mini 6-0 run that gave the visitors an early 10-6 advantage.
  • The Rock then led for all but 67 seconds of the final 15:40 of the first half.
  • Two free throws from senior Matthew Dogan (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) midway through the opening stanza gave Gannon a 12-11 edge.
  • Slippery Rock responded with seven straight points to assume its biggest lead of the half at 18-12 with 8:54 showing on the clock.
  • Gannon countered with a 9-2 blitz and regained a 21-20 lead on junior Zay Jackson (Queens, N.Y./Westside)'s lay-up at the 4:36 mark.
  • As it did the previous time it surrendered the lead, Slippery Rock grabbed the lead right back. The Rock held a four-point advantage twice during the final two minutes and ultimately went to halftime with a 28-24 lead.
  • The visitors opened the second half with back-to-back lay-ups to assume their biggest lead of the evening at 32-24 after 18 seconds of action.
  • Gannon followed with a 13-4 run that pushed the Golden Knights ahead 37-36. Four different players scored during the rally, including the last five points by Jackson who gave the home squad a lead with an old-fashion three-point play and jumper.
  • The two teams then exchanged the lead five times and forged four ties during the span of 10 minutes and 40 seconds.
  • Trailing 49-47, Gannon regained control for the final time with a brief 7-0 run. Dogan created the game's eighth tie with a pair of free throws at the 4:01 mark, before Jackson gave the Golden Knights a lead they wouldn't relinquish with another free throw. A pair of lay-ins by sophomore Evan Phoenix (Stevensville, Md./Calvert Hall) capped the rally for a 54-49 lead with 1:58 to play.
  • Gannon appeared to seal the victory when Jackson hit two free throws with 11 seconds left for a 56-52 lead, but Slippery Rock's Christal Malalu was fouled six seconds later and made both free throws.
  • The inbound pass was knocked loose and eventually forced a jump ball with 0.7 second on the clock. Gannon held the possession arrow and proceeded to inbound the ball to junior Damon Miraud (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) who was fouled after the catch with the buzzer sounding. However, the officiating crew put 0.3 second back on the clock and put Miraud at the line shooting two.
  • Miraud made the first and missed the second. Slippery Rock grabbed the rebound, but was unable to get the full-court shot off before the final horn sounded to signal a 57-54 Gannon victory.

GAME NOTES
  • Jackson led all scorers on both sides for the fourth consecutive game with 20 points. He finished 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
  • Miraud followed with 13 points and eight rebounds.
  • Phoenix and Dogan chipped in 10 points each.
  • Gannon shot 36.7 percent (18-49) from the field, 12.5 percent (1-8) from three-point range and 71.4 percent (20-28) from the free throw line.
  • Merdic Green headlined the Slippery Rock scoring attack with 15 points, hitting 7-of-13 shots.
  • Amir Maddred posted a double-double off the bench with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
  • Slippery Rock shot 36.7 percent (22-60) from the floor, 20 percent (2-10) from behind the arc and 61.5 percent (8-13) from the charity stripe.
  • The Rock out-rebounded Gannon 43-31, including a 15-8 edge on the offensive glass.
  • The game featured 10 lead changes and eight ties.
  • Gannon and Slippery Rock allowed only four combined fast-break points.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon won its season-high eighth consecutive game, representing the program's longest win streak since winning eight straight (Feb. 11-March 8, 2015) en route to the 2015 PSAC Championship.
  • Slippery Rock became the first team to out-rebound Gannon since Indiana (Pa.) produced a 38-27 edge eight games ago on December 30.
  • Gannon was last out-rebounded at home against California (Pa.) on February 17, 2016.
  • Jackson has reached double digits in scoring during 17 straight games, reaching the 20-point plateau six times during the last eight games. He has scored at least 20 points during four consecutive contests.
  • Dogan netted double-digit points for the 15th consecutive game.
  • Gannon owns its best 18-game record since the 2012-13 squad was 15-3.
  • The Golden Knights won their sixth consecutive game against the Rock at the Hammermill Center, improving to 19-5 all-time in the all-time series at home.
  • Gannon's 57 points were its fewest during a victory since defeating Mercyhurst 55-46 at home on January 31, 2015.
  • The Golden Knights held an opponent to a pair of three-pointers for the second time this season. Cheyney finished 2-of-12 on November 20.
  • Slippery Rock's 10 three-point attempts were the fewest taken by an opponent since the Rock took eight during a 71-45 loss at the Hammermill Center in the 2015 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Quarterfinals.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon continues its three-game homestand Saturday, January 28 against No. 6 Indiana (Pa.) at the Hammermill Center.
  • Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.
  • The contest can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG online stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • The contest will be part of Gannon's Athletics Hall of Fame Doubleheader that precedes the Hall of Fame Banquet Saturday night in the Yehl Alumni Room of the Waldron Campus Center.
  • The 2017 inductees will be honored during halftime of Saturday's men's game. The group includes men's basketball standout Darryl Freeman '91; wrestling great Doug Joseph; softball standout Jackie Mozga '99; men's soccer great Colin Petersen '01; football standout Sterling Pierce '03; women's soccer great Amanda (Sharbaugh) Spaeder '12, '13M; women's basketball standout Tonya (Treharne) Kline '89 and men's basketball great Mel Witherspoon '68. Joe Mattis '69 will be inducted as the 2017 Distinguished Service Award recipient.
  • Indiana (Pa.) has posted three consecutive victories against Gannon to assume a 23-21 lead in the all-time series.
  • The Golden Knights had won five of the previous six encounters, including a season sweep in 2013-14.
  • IUP already owns a 64-57 victory over Gannon on December 30 at the Kovalchick Complex.
  • The Golden Knights are 14-8 all-time against the Crimson Hawks on their home floor, winning three of the last four encounters there.
  • The most memorable home game during that run came March 8, 2015 when Girbran Smith hit the game-winning three-pointer with two seconds left to claim the 2015 PSAC Championship.
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Players Mentioned

Matthew Dogan

#15 Matthew Dogan

G
6' 7"
Senior
Physician Assistant
Zay Jackson

#3 Zay Jackson

G
6' 0"
Junior
Criminal Justice
Damon Miraud

#23 Damon Miraud

F
6' 5"
Junior
Criminal Justice
Evan Phoenix

#2 Evan Phoenix

F
6' 9"
Sophomore
Marketing

Players Mentioned

Matthew Dogan

#15 Matthew Dogan

6' 7"
Senior
Physician Assistant
G
Zay Jackson

#3 Zay Jackson

6' 0"
Junior
Criminal Justice
G
Damon Miraud

#23 Damon Miraud

6' 5"
Junior
Criminal Justice
F
Evan Phoenix

#2 Evan Phoenix

6' 9"
Sophomore
Marketing
F