Jair Green Action Photo
Joe Mattis
Senior Jair Green dished out a career-high six assists with no turnovers while adding nine points during Friday's victory.
59
W. Virginia Wesleyan WVWC-M 0-5
78
Winner Gannon University GAN-M 3-2
W. Virginia Wesleyan WVWC-M
0-5
59
Final
78
Gannon University GAN-M
3-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
W. Virginia Wesleyan WVWC-M 24 35 59
Gannon University GAN-M 39 39 78

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11/25/2017 | 7:30 PM

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 Northern Michigan University

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Cruises Into Gary Miller Classic Finals with 78-59 Win Against West Virginia Wesleyan (Video)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 78, West Virginia Wesleyan 59
  • Records: Gannon (3-2), West Virginia Wesleyan (0-5)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Hammermill Center
  • The Short Story: Four of Gannon's five starters reached double digits in scoring and the Golden Knights committed only eight turnovers en route to a 78-59 victory against NCAA Division II Atlantic Region foe West Virginia Wesleyan Friday night during the 34th Annual Gary Miller Classic semifinals at the Hammermill Center. Northern Michigan punched its ticket to Saturday's title game with a 71-69 win against St. Rose during Friday's first semifinal.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER

Gannon-West Virginia Wesleyan
Box Score: Click Here
Video Highlights: Click Here
Webcast Replay: Click Here
 
St. Rose-Northern Michigan
Box Score: Click Here
Webcast Replay: Click Here

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The two teams traded punches for the opening five minutes, before Gannon surged ahead. Trailing 9-6, the Golden Knights put together nine straight points.
  • Senior Jair Green (Williamstown, N.J./Paul VI) tied the contest when he scored while being fouled and converted the ensuing free throw. Senior Gerrell Williams (Lorain, Ohio/Clearview) put the home squad ahead with a dunk and back-to-back lay-ups by Green and senior Damon Miraud (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) extended the lead to 15-9 with 14:01 left in the first half.
  • Gannon held a 21-17 lead when the Golden Knights generated seven straight points to push their advantage into double digits. Juniors Joe Fustine (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) and Evan Phoenix (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) made consecutive lay-ups followed by a three-pointer from senior Zay Jackson (Queens, N.Y./Westside). The burst gave Gannon a 28-17 edge at the 5:11 mark.
  • The Gannon defense held West Virginia Wesleyan scoreless for 5:22 and without a field goal for 7:30 while assuming control.
  • The Golden Knights' lead continued to balloon during the final minutes of the first half. Leading 30-21, head coach John T. Reilly's club produced a 9-0 blitz. Jackson accounted for seven of the nine points, including two free throws that pushed the lead to 39-21 with under a minute to play.
  • West Virginia Wesleyan managed the final three points of the half, before heading to the intermission with a 39-24 deficit.
  • The visitors were never able to cut the Gannon lead to single digits during the second half. The Golden Knights assumed their biggest advantage of the night at 76-54 with 2:22 remaining after a mini 6-0 run.
  • West Virginia Wesleyan scored five of the final seven points before the horn sounded to signal a 78-59 Gannon victory.

GAME NOTES
  • Gannon and West Virginia Wesleyan tangled in the second semifinal of the 34th Annual Gary Miller Classic.
  • Four Golden Knights reached double digits, topped by Jackson's 17 points and three assists.
  • Phoenix and Miraud followed with 16 and 12 points, respectively. Both student-athletes had seven rebounds.
  • Williams completed Gannon's group of double-digit scorers with 10 points.
  • Green, the Golden Knights' fifth starter, finished with nine points and a career-high six assists to go along with no turnovers in 31 minutes.
  • Gannon shot 52.5 percent (32-61) from the field, 50 percent (3-6) from three-point range and 73.3 percent (11-15) from the free throw line. 
  • Luke Layhew was the only West Virginia Wesleyan player able to get into double figures with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
  • West Virginia Wesleyan shot 48.9 percent (23-47) from the floor, 14.3 percent (2-14) from behind the arc and 78.6 percent (11-14) from the charity stripe.
  • Gannon out-rebounded West Virginia Wesleyan 36-22.
  • The Golden Knights generated advantages in points in the paint (48-32), points off turnovers (23-6) and second-chance points (21-5).
  • Gannon dished out 21 assists compared to only eight turnovers.
  • Thirteen Golden Knights saw playing time.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon advanced to the Gary Miller Classic championship game for the third consecutive year, improving to 47-14 all-time in the Thanksgiving Tournament.
  • Northern Michigan moved into Saturday's title game with a 71-69 victory against St. Rose during Friday's first semifinal. Isaiah Johnson scored the go-ahead basket on a tip-in with nine seconds left, before St. Rose missed two shots during the waning seconds.
  • Gannon and West Virginia Wesleyan were meeting for the first time since the 2003-04 season and for the first time at the Hammermill Center since the 1995-96 campaign.
  • Both Miraud and Williams posted season-highs in scoring.
  • Fustine hauled down a career-high nine rebounds while celebrating his birthday.
  • Gannon posted season-highs in field goal percentage (52.5), assists (21) and assist-to-turnover difference (+13, 21-8). 
  • The Golden Knights' six three-point attempts were their fewest since hitting 3-of-5 during a 59-57 overtime victory at California (Pa.) on February 21, 2015.
  • West Virginia Wesleyan's 22 rebounds were the fewest by a Gannon opponent since Clarion had 17 during an 80-60 home loss to the Golden Knights on February 11. 
  • Gannon has out-rebounded all five opponents this season.
  • The Golden Knights recorded their biggest margin of victory during the Gary Miller Classic semifinals since a 66-45 win against Roberts Wesleyan in 2012.
  • Gannon improved to 71-17 under Reilly when having at least four Golden Knights reach double digits in scoring.

UP NEXT
  • The 34th Annual Gary Miller Classic concludes Saturday, November 25 with two games at the Hammermill Center.
  • St. Rose and West Virginia Wesleyan battle in the consolation game at 5:30 p.m., before Gannon and Northern Michigan fight for the title at 7:30 p.m.
  • The championship game pits former Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) foes. The Wildcats remain a longtime member of the conference while the Golden Knights left the GLIAC in 2008 to join the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
  • Gannon and Northern Michigan last met in the 2010 Gary Miller Classic finals with the Golden Knights pulling out a 79-68 win.
  • The Wildcats hold a slim 8-7 lead in the all-time series.
  • Gannon is 5-3 against Northern Michigan at the Hammermill Center, winning the last two match-ups on Gary Miller Court.
  • Saturday's championship game can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG online stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • Outlets to follow both of Saturday's games include a live video broadcast (https://portal.stretchinternet.com/gannon) and live gameday statistics (http://www.sidearmstats.com/gannon/mbball).
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Players Mentioned

Joe Fustine

#24 Joe Fustine

G/F
6' 3"
Junior
Risk Management/Accounting
Jair Green

#21 Jair Green

G
6' 4"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
Zay Jackson

#3 Zay Jackson

G
6' 0"
Senior
Criminal Justice
Damon Miraud

#23 Damon Miraud

G/F
6' 5"
Senior
Criminal Justice
Evan Phoenix

#2 Evan Phoenix

F
6' 9"
Junior
Marketing
Gerrell Williams

#5 Gerrell Williams

G
6' 3"
Senior
Criminal Justice

Players Mentioned

Joe Fustine

#24 Joe Fustine

6' 3"
Junior
Risk Management/Accounting
G/F
Jair Green

#21 Jair Green

6' 4"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
G
Zay Jackson

#3 Zay Jackson

6' 0"
Senior
Criminal Justice
G
Damon Miraud

#23 Damon Miraud

6' 5"
Senior
Criminal Justice
G/F
Evan Phoenix

#2 Evan Phoenix

6' 9"
Junior
Marketing
F
Gerrell Williams

#5 Gerrell Williams

6' 3"
Senior
Criminal Justice
G