Mattew Dogan
Matt Mead Photography LLC
Senior Matthew Dogan led all scorers on both sides with 23 points and six rebounds.
74
Winner Gannon GAN-M 15-7, 13-5 PSAC
67
California (PA) CAL-M 8-15, 5-12 PSAC
Winner
Gannon GAN-M
15-7, 13-5 PSAC
74
Final
67
California (PA) CAL-M
8-15, 5-12 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon GAN-M 36 38 74
California (PA) CAL-M 36 31 67

Next Game:

at Clarion University

2/11/2017 | 7:30 PM

Jet Radio 1400

Next Game

Full Schedule
Feb. 11 (Sat) / 7:30 PM
at Clarion University

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Hands Cal First Home Loss Since December 10

THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: Gannon 74, at California (Pa.) 67
  • Records: Gannon (15-7, 13-5 PSAC), California (Pa.) (8-15, 5-12 PSAC)
  • Location: California, Pa. - Convocation Center
  • The Short Story: The Gannon men's basketball team roared back from an 11-point first-half deficit and earned a 74-67 victory at California (Pa.) Wednesday night, handing the Vulcans their first home loss since December 10 and completing its first season sweep since the 2012-13 campaign.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Gannon took an early 9-7 lead, before falling behind.
  • California (Pa.) rattled off a 15-2 run over the span of five minutes and 41 seconds to assume a 22-11 lead midway through the first half.
  • The Vulcans' lead stood at 35-28 when the Golden Knights rallied to tie the game during the final two minutes and 16 seconds of the first half.
  • Gannon actually took a brief lead with eight consecutive points. Sophomore Evan Phoenix (Stevensville, Md./Calvert Hall) started the run with a lay-up, before senior Matthew Dogan (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) hit back-to-back jumpers. Phoenix then converted another lay-up with 23 seconds showing to give Gannon a 36-35 lead.
  • A California (Pa.) free throw with four ticks left ended the run and pushed the teams into the break tied at 36.
  • Gannon opened the second half on fire, scoring 11 consecutive points. Junior Zay Jackson (Queens, N.Y./Westside) started and ended the blitz with a jumper and three-pointer. Dogan drained three jumpers between Jackson's shots.
  • California (Pa.) went 0-of-2 from the field, missed two free throws and turned the ball over three times during Gannon's opening run. The Vulcans didn't score until three minutes and 14 seconds expired.
  • The home squad pulled within 53-48 midway through the second half, but Gannon answered with seven straight points to regain control. Phoenix hit back-to-back jumpers, before Jackson's nailed a three-pointer for a 60-48 advantage at the 7:45 mark.
  • California (Pa.) continued to fight, cutting the deficit to 60-55 with 6:03 to play and 63-61 with 3:53 remaining after a mini 6-0 burst.
  • Freshman Jimmy Berger (Medina, Ohio/Saint Ignatius) canned a huge three-pointer that gave Gannon breathing room at 68-63 with 1:55 left on the clock.
  • The Golden Knights then iced the victory with four free throws, before a Dogan lay-up with one second left accounted for the final 74-67 score.

GAME NOTES
  • Four of Gannon's five starters reached double digits in scoring.
  • Dogan led all scorers on both sides with 23 points and six rebounds, hitting 4-of-6 three-pointers.
  • Junior Damon Miraud (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) nearly recorded his third consecutive double-double, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds.
  • Phoenix and Jackson added 16 points each.
  • Berger finished with 10 points, eight assists and four rebounds.
  • Gannon shot 54.7 percent (29-53) from the field, including a red-hot 58.3-percent (14-24) clip during the second half. The Golden Knights shot 40 percent (6-15) from three-point range and 66.7 percent (10-15) from the free throw line.
  • Cordell Smith headlined the California (Pa.) scoring attack with 15 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals.
  • Luka Andjusic and Tony Richardson followed with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
  • California (Pa.) shot 41.3 percent (26-63) from the floor, 19.2 percent (5-26) from behind the arc and 66.7 percent (10-15) from the charity stripe.
  • Gannon out-rebounded California (Pa.) 42-24.
  • California (Pa.) recorded a 26-13 advantage in points off turnovers and 11-0 difference in bench points.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon's magic number to clinching the PSAC Western Division's second seed is one. The Golden Knights will earn a PSAC Tournament first-round bye and a quarterfinal home game with one more victory or one more Mercyhurst loss.
  • The Golden Knights snapped Cal's six-game home win streak, handing the Vulcans their first loss at the Convocation Center since December 10.
  • Gannon completed its first season sweep of Cal since the 2012-13 campaign.
  • The Golden Knights won for only the fourth time in 13 games all-time on the Vulcans' home floor.
  • Jackson has reached double digits in scoring during 21 straight games while Dogan has done so in 19 consecutive contests.
  • Gannon improved to 14-1 when reaching the 70-point plateau this season.
  • The Golden Knights were tied at halftime for the fifth time this season.
  • Gannon's 34 defensive rebounds were its most since having 34 during an overtime game against Millersville on November 21, 2015. It represented the first time in regulation since a 66-48 victory against Edinboro at the Hammermill Center on January 10, 2015.
  • The Golden Knights out-rebounded their opponent by double digits for the ninth time this season.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon concludes a three-game road swing Saturday, February 11 at Clarion.
  • 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 leads the all-time series against Clarion 36-13.
  • The Golden Knights have won 13 of their last 14 games against the Golden Eagles and 19 of their last 21.
  • Gannon will be looking for its seventh season sweep of Clarion during its nine years as a member of the PSAC.
  • The Golden Knights are 12-10 all-time at Clarion's Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium.
  • Gannon had won five straight games on the Golden Eagles' home floor until a 67-46 loss during last year's season opener. 
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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