Evan Phoenix
Matt Mead Photography LLC
Sophomore Evan Phoenix's sixth double-double featured a career-high 25 points and 12 rebounds.
80
Winner Gannon GAN-M 16-7, 14-5 PSAC
60
Clarion CLAR-M 6-18, 3-15 PSAC
Winner
Gannon GAN-M
16-7, 14-5 PSAC
80
Final
60
Clarion CLAR-M
6-18, 3-15 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon GAN-M 40 40 80
Clarion CLAR-M 24 36 60

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Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

2/15/2017 | 7:30 PM

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Feb. 15 (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 Rolls at Clarion 80-60; Clinches PSAC West's No. 2 Seed

THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: Gannon 80, at Clarion 60
  • Records: Gannon (16-7, 14-5 PSAC), Clarion (6-18, 3-15 PSAC)
  • Location: Clarion, Pa. - Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium
  • The Short Story: The Gannon men's basketball team took control with a 13-2 run over the final 5:33 of the first half and rolled to an 80-60 victory against Clarion Saturday night at the Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium, clinching the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division's No. 2 seed in the process. Sophomore Evan Phoenix (Stevensville, Md./Calvert Hall) led the way with his sixth double-double, recording a career-high 25 points and 12 rebounds.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Neither team was able to produce a lead larger than three points during the opening 12 minutes that featured eight lead changes and four ties.
  • Trailing 18-16, Gannon scored seven consecutive points to assume a 23-18 lead with 8:16 left in the first half. Senior Matthew Dogan (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) and junior Damon Miraud (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) converted lay-ups, before freshman Jimmy Berger (Medina, Ohio/Saint Ignatius) nailed a three-pointer.
  • Gannon held a 27-22 edge, before ending the half on a 13-2 run over the final five minutes and 33 seconds. Sophomore Evan Phoenix (Stevensville, Md./Calvert Hall) accounted for seven of those points, including five free throws and a tip-in right before the buzzer.
  • The Gannon defense limited Clarion to only four shots during the half-ending run, forcing misses on all four. In addition, the Golden Knights forced six turnovers. The Golden Eagles' only points during the run came at the free throw line.
  • Gannon's late blitz created a 40-24 lead at the intermission. 
  • The Golden Knights opened the second half with a pair of free throws by Berger and lay-up by Dogan to push their lead into the 20's at 44-24.
  • Clarion made one last push with the next seven points, cutting the deficit to 46-33 at the 15:49 mark.
  • Junior Zay Jackson (Queens, N.Y./Westside) countered with back-to-back three-pointers that ignited a string of 11 straight points. Phoenix followed with an old-fashion three-point play, before a Dogan lay-up pushed the lead to 57-33 with 13:07 to play.
  • A three-pointer from Dogan at the 11:01 mark gave the Golden Knights their biggest lead of the evening, 62-35.
  • Clarion was never able to get closer than 19 points the rest of the way, before Gannon secured an 80-60 victory.

GAME NOTES
  • Four of Gannon's five starters reached double digits in scoring for the third consecutive game.
  • Phoenix recorded his sixth double-double with a career-high 25 points and 12 rebounds, hitting 7-of-12 shots and 11-of-14 free throws.
  • Dogan followed with 14 points and four assists.
  • Berger added 12 points and eight assists with only one turnover in 36 minutes at point guard.
  • Miraud completed Gannon's group of double-digit scorers with 11 points and eight rebounds.
  • Gannon shot 56.9 percent (29-51) from the field, including performances of at least 56 percent during each half. The Golden Knights shot 45.5 percent (5-11) from three-point range and 77.3 percent (17-22) from the free throw line.
  • B.J. Andrews headlined the Clarion scoring attack with 15 points.
  • Jamani Pierce and Akeem Williams chipped in 10 points each.
  • Clarion shot 42.6 percent (20-47) from the floor, 32 percent (8-25) from behind the arc and 85.7 percent (12-14) from the charity stripe.
  • Gannon out-rebounded Clarion 36-17.
  • The Golden Knights recorded a 44-18 advantage in points in the paint and 20-4 difference in second-chance points. 
  • The contest featured eight lead changes and four ties during the opening 11 minutes.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon clinched the PSAC Western Division's second seed as well as a PSAC Tournament first-round bye and quarterfinal home game that accompanies it.
  • The Golden Knights can't finish any higher or lower as Indiana (Pa.) has already clinched the division's top seed.
  • Gannon completed its seventh season sweep of Clarion during nine years as a PSAC member.
  • The Golden Knights have won 14 of their last 15 games against the Golden Eagles and 20 of their last 22 to assume a 37-13 lead in the all-time series.
  • Dogan reached double digits in scoring for the 20th consecutive game.
  • Berger dished out at least eight assists for the 10th time in 2016-17.
  • Gannon improved to 15-1 when reaching the 70-point plateau this season.
  • The Golden Knights out-rebounded their opponent by double digits for the 10th time this season.
  • Gannon players have recorded 17 double-doubles this season, tying for 14th-most in NCAA Division II this season.
  • The Golden Knights have won six of their last seven road games.
  • Gannon improved to 77-6 all-time under head coach John T. Reilly when scoring at least 80 points.
  • The Golden Knights shot 50 percent or better for the eighth time this season.
  • Clarion dropped its 13th consecutive PSAC contest. It hasn't won a conference game since a 77-70 home victory against Bloomsburg on December 10.
  • The Golden Eagles' 17 rebounds were the fewest by a Gannon opponent since Cheyney had 16 during an 82-51 home loss to the Golden Knights on December 20, 2014.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon finally returns home Wednesday, February 15 against Edinboro at the Hammermill Center.
  • Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
  • It will be Gannon's first home game in two weeks.
  • The contest can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG online stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • Wednesday marks the 105th all-time meeting between the two local rivals with the Golden Knights holding a 67-37 lead in the series.
  • Gannon will be looking for its third season sweep in the last four years after earning an 80-69 victory at the McComb Fieldhouse on January 11.
  • The Golden Knights are 37-14 all-time against the Fighting Scots at the Hammermill Center, but Edinboro has been victorious four times during its last six trips to Erie.
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Players Mentioned

Matthew Dogan

#15 Matthew Dogan

G
6' 7"
Senior
Physician Assistant
Jimmy Berger

#21 Jimmy Berger

G
6' 2"
Freshman
Mechanical Engineering
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
Jimmy Berger

#21 Jimmy Berger

6' 2"
Freshman
Mechanical Engineering
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