Zay Jackson Action Photo
Joe Mattis
Senior Zay Jackson soared for a team-high 24 points during Gannon's 83-69 victory against Edinboro.
69
Edinboro EDIN-M 10-4, 7-3 PSAC
83
Winner Gannon University GAN-M 10-5, 6-3 PSAC
Edinboro EDIN-M
10-4, 7-3 PSAC
69
Final
83
Gannon University GAN-M
10-5, 6-3 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Edinboro EDIN-M 29 40 69
Gannon University GAN-M 47 36 83

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at Clarion University

1/13/2018 | 3:00 PM

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Jan. 13 (Sat) / 3:00 PM
at Clarion University

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Rolls Past Rival Edinboro 83-69; Extends Win Streak to Six (Video)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Gannon 83, Edinboro 69
  • Records: Gannon (10-5, 6-3 PSAC), Edinboro (10-4, 7-3 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Hammermill Center (Gary Miller Court)
  • The Short Story: The Gannon men's basketball team held the nation's fifth-leading scorer Keshawn Liggins 17 points below his average, pounded out a 42-18 edge in the paint and dominated the first half with a 47-29 scoring advantage Wednesday night against rival Edinboro at the Hammermill Center. As the result, the Golden Knights rolled to an 83-69 victory, extending their season-high win streak to six.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Gannon was off and running early. After Edinboro grabbed its only lead of the evening at 7-6, the Golden Knights ripped off 14 consecutive points to assume an early grasp on the game.
  • Senior Zay Jackson (Queens, N.Y./Westside) accounted for nine of the 14 points, igniting the run with a jumper and three-pointer. Another jumper by Jackson capped the blitz, giving Gannon a 20-7 edge with 12:04 remaining in the first half.
  • The Gannon defense held Edinboro without a point for three minutes and 52 seconds during the 14-0 run.
  • Edinboro battled back and pulled within 22-16 after back-to-back three-pointers from Anthony Coleman.
  • Gannon responded a few minutes later with three straight jumpers from freshman Devin Smith (Baltimore, Md./Newtown), junior Joe Fustine (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) and senior Jair Green (Williamstown, N.J./Paul VI) to turn a seven-point lead into a 31-18 advantage with 6:57 showing on the clock.
  • The home team's lead ballooned to 42-23 with a 7-0 run moments later. Jackson drilled a three-pointer, before Green added a jumper and tip-in.
  • After Gannon extended its lead to a first-half best 20 points (47-27), Edinboro hit a pair of free throws and went into the halftime locker room trailing 47-29.
  • The Golden Knights kept the motor running after the break. A 9-2 run near the midway point of the second half gave head coach John T. Reilly's squad its biggest lead of the evening at 71-40.
  • Edinboro tried to rally with a 19-0 blitz that cut the deficit to 73-62 at the 5:31 mark.
  • The Fighting Scots got as close as 79-69 with 2:13 to play, but were never able to cut the deficit to single digits before falling by a final score of 83-69.

GAME NOTES
  • Jackson led the Gannon offensive unit for the eighth time this season with 24 points and four three-pointers.
  • Green followed with 21 points, hitting 10-of-15 shots.
  • Phoenix completed Gannon's trio of double-digit scorers with his fourth double-double of the season and 11th during his two-year Golden Knight career. He finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
  • Redshirt sophomore Frank Webb Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Our Lady of Mount Carmel) added a season-high nine points in 18 minutes off the bench.
  • Gannon shot 50 percent (33-66) from the field, 33.3 percent (5-15) from three-point range and 70.6 percent (12-17) from the free throw line. 
  • Coleman was the lone Fighting Scot to reach double digits, exploding for 32 points and six rebounds. He was 11-of-20 from the field and 7-of-12 from long range.
  • Edinboro shot 39 percent (23-59) from the floor, 37.9 percent (11-29) from behind the arc and 85.7 percent (12-14) from the charity stripe.
  • Gannon out-rebounded Edinboro 44-29, including a 15-8 edge on the offensive glass that led to a 16-5 advantage in second-chance points.
  • The Golden Knights dominated the Fighting Scots inside with a 42-18 scoring edge in the paint.
  • Gannon dished out 20 assists compared to only eight turnovers. Eight different Golden Knights recorded an assist.
  • Twelve Golden Knights saw playing time with 10 grabbing at least one rebound.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon extended its win streak to six games, matching its longest win streak since winning eight straight January 3-25, 2017.
  • The Golden Knights captured its sixth consecutive home victory. It represents the program's longest home win streak since winning the final six home contests of the 2014-15 campaign.
  • Gannon improved to 8-1 when leading at halftime and 8-1 when reaching the 70-point plateau.
  • The Golden Knights are now 81-7 under Reilly when scoring at least 80 points.
  • Gannon out-rebounded its opponent for the eighth straight contest and 14th time in 15 games.
  • The Golden Knights held their opponent under 70 points for the 14th consecutive game.
  • Edinboro entered the contest with an 80.3 scoring average, but was held 11.3 points below its norm.
  • Gannon out-rebounded its opponent by double digits for the sixth time this season and fourth time during the last six contests.
  • The Golden Knights committed single-digit turnovers in consecutive games for the first time since at least the 2001-02 campaign. Archive records are only readily available from the 2002-03 season to present.
  • Sophomore Matt Johnson (Chicago, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) tied a season-high with five assists compared to only one turnover in 17 minutes at point guard.
  • Freshman Cyril Ogbuagu (Lagos, Nigeria/Riverdale Baptist (Md.)) set a new season-high in rebounds with six.
  • Gannon's defense was superb again, holding Liggins 17 points below his average on 2-of-9 shooting. He entered the game No. 1 in the PSAC and No. 5 nationally with 24 points per game.
  • The Golden Knights also limited Edinboro sharpshooter Jaymon Mason nearly eight points below is 16.6 average. Mason finished with nine points, going 4-of-13 overall and 1-of-7 from behind the arc.
  • Gannon shot at least 50 percent for the fifth time this season.
  • The Golden Knights had at least 20 assists in consecutive games for the first time since doing so in five straight games January 3-14, 2017.
  • Green reached double digits in scoring for the seventh straight game, including three consecutive 21-point performances.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns to the highways Saturday, January 13 for a PSAC Western Division contest at Clarion.
  • Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.
  • Saturday's contest will be the only road affair during a current five-game stretch that includes two home games on each side of the road trip.
  • Gannon has won three straight games, 14 of its last 15 and 20 of its last 22 against Clarion.
  • The Golden Knights have won six of their last seven games played on the Golden Eagles' home floor.
  • Gannon is 24-3 all-time against Clarion at the Hammermill Center in comparison to a 13-10 mark at Tippin Gymnasium.
  • The Gannon-Clarion contest can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG online stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • Outlets to follow the game include a live video broadcast (https://portal.stretchinternet.com/clarion/portal.htm?eventId=406822&streamType=video) and live gameday statistics (https://portal.stretchinternet.com/clarion/portal.htm?eventId=406822&streamType=video).
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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
Matt Johnson

#12 Matt Johnson

G
5' 11"
Sophomore
Sport and Exercise Science
Cyril Ogbuagu

#15 Cyril Ogbuagu

F
6' 6"
Freshman
Business
Devin Smith

#4 Devin Smith

G
6' 2"
Freshman
Undeclared
Frank Webb Jr.

#1 Frank Webb Jr.

G
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
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
Matt Johnson

#12 Matt Johnson

5' 11"
Sophomore
Sport and Exercise Science
G
Cyril Ogbuagu

#15 Cyril Ogbuagu

6' 6"
Freshman
Business
F
Devin Smith

#4 Devin Smith

6' 2"
Freshman
Undeclared
G
Frank Webb Jr.

#1 Frank Webb Jr.

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Criminal Justice
G