Jair Green Action Photo
Joe Mattis
Gannon attempts to win its seventh consecutive game Saturday afternoon at Clarion.

Men's Basketball Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Puts Six-Game Win Streak On The Line Saturday Afternoon at Clarion (Game Notes)

GAME DAY CENTRAL
When: Saturday, January 13
Where: Clarion, Pa.
Arena: Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium (3,500)
Tip-off: 3 p.m.
Live Radio: Jet Radio 1400
Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
Live Webcast: Click Here
Live Stats: Click Here  

GAME INFORMATION
  • General Admission Ticket Prices: $5
  • Ticket Windows: Open at 12 noon. The contest will be part of a PSAC doubleheader that begins with the women's teams at 1 p.m. 
  • Parking: Click Here
  • Directions: To Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium I GPS Address: 840 Wood Street, Clarion, Pa. 16214

GAME COVERAGE
PENNSYLVANIA STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INFORMATION
ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 37-13
  • First Meeting: January 21, 1949 - Gannon 47, at Clarion 42
  • Last Meeting: February 11, 2017 - Gannon 80, at Clarion 60
  • Series Notes: Gannon has won three consecutive games, 14 of its last 15 and 20 of its last 22 against Clarion. The Golden Knights are 37-13 all-time against the Golden Eagles, including a 24-3 advantage at the Hammermill Center. Gannon is 13-10 at the Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium, winning six of the last seven road contests.

OTHER LINKS
LAST TIME OUT
  • Gannon 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 a result, the Golden Knights won their sixth consecutive game with an 83-69 victory.

GANNON (10-5, 6-3 PSAC) STORYLINES
  • Gannon extended its win streak to six games Wednesday night with an 83-69 victory against Edinboro at the Hammermill Center, 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 moved to 118-9 when scoring at least 80 points during the last 15 seasons, including a 81-7 mark under Reilly.
  • 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 Edinboro's Keshawn 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.
  • Senior Jair Green (Williamstown, N.J./Paul VI) reached double digits in scoring for the seventh straight game, including three consecutive 21-point performances.
  • Gannon returned seven letterwinners and three starters from last year's 18-10 squad.
  • The Golden Knights advanced to the 2017 PSAC Final Four for the third time in four years, before falling to Kutztown (No. 5 in NCAA Division II at the time) 91-85 in overtime.
  • Reilly's program has qualified for 10 NCAA Division II Tournaments since 2000, pushing its all-time total of NCAA Tournament appearances to 24.
  • The Golden Knights have qualified for the postseason (conference or national tournaments) 27 times during the last 33 seasons, advancing to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight five times.
  • Gannon returned three of its top four scorers from a year ago and four of its top six. Overall, the Golden Knights returned 64 percent (1,370-2,152) of their scoring from last year's 18-10 squad.
  • Senior Zay Jackson (Queens, N.Y./Westside) enters Saturday's game at Clarion with 123 career three-pointers in two years, ranking 10th all-time at Gannon. He needs two triples to move past Brandon Andrews (2002-04) and into ninth place.
  • The Golden Knights rank second among all NCAA Division II programs in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.3) and eighth in scoring defense (63.8).
  • Gannon tops all PSAC programs in three-point field goal percentage defense and rebounding defense (29.7) while ranking second in scoring defense (63.8), offensive rebounds per game (14.1) and rebounding margin (9.3).
  • Junior Evan Phoenix (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) sits fifth among all PSAC players in offensive rebounds per game (3.3), sixth in total rebounds per game (8.8), eighth in defensive rebounds per game (5.5) and 10th in field goal percentage (51.8).
  • Gannon's five losses have come against teams with a combined 53-18 record - West Chester (13-1), Wheeling Jesuit (12-2), Kutztown (11-2), Shippensburg (10-3) and Bowie State (7-10).
  • The Golden Knights were predicted to finish second in the PSAC Western Division according to the league's preseason coaches poll. Gannon won back-to-back PSAC Western Division regular-season championships in 2014 and 2015. The Golden Knights won their second PSAC Tournament title since joining the league in 2008-09 three seasons ago.
  • Gannon entered the 2017-18 season 15th among all NCAA Division II programs in all-time winning percentage, beginning the season with a 1,232-699 (63.8 percent) record in 73 seasons. More recently, Gannon was 27th among Division II programs with a .693 winning percentage (203-90) during the 2000s.
  • Head coach John T. Reilly entered the 2017-18 season 24th among active NCAA Division II coaches in career victories (441) and 67th in career winning percentage (.613). He became the 24th active NCAA Division II coach to record 450 career wins January 8, 2018 against Seton Hill. Reilly recorded his 200th victory at Gannon January 11 at Edinboro, becoming the program's first-ever coach to reach 200 wins.

CLARION (3-13, 0-10 PSAC) STORYLINES
  • Clarion dropped its fourth consecutive game Wednesday with a 98-69 home loss to Slippery Rock.
  • The Golden Eagles have lost 13 consecutive PSAC contests, posting their last conference victory February 15, 2017 against Slippery Rock.
  • Senior Cameron Grumley ranks 13th nationally in free throw percentage.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon begins a two-game homestand Wednesday, January 17 against Mercyhurst at the Hammermill Center.
  • The Porreco Pride of Erie Game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
  • Gannon currently holds possession of the Porreco Pride of Erie trophy after sweeping last year's season series, winning 78-73 in overtime at Mercyhurst and 82-76 at the Hammermill Center.
  • Phoenix received the Porreco Pride of Erie Game Changer Award given to the student-athlete who had the most impact on the victory during the first contest last year. He recorded 18 points and 13 rebounds, hitting 7-of-11 shots.
  • Matthew Dogan received the honor during the second match-up after leading all scorers on both sides with 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes.
  • Gannon's two victories last year increased its lead in the all-time series to 52-22.
  • The Golden Knights are 28-9 against the Lakers at the Hammermill Center, but the two rivals have split the last eight games played in downtown Erie.
  • The Gannon-Mercyhurst 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/gannon) and live gameday statistics (http://www.sidearmstats.com/gannon/mbball).
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Players Mentioned

Jair Green

#21 Jair Green

G
6' 4"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
Zay Jackson

#3 Zay Jackson

G
6' 0"
Senior
Criminal Justice
Evan Phoenix

#2 Evan Phoenix

F
6' 9"
Junior
Marketing
Matt Johnson

#12 Matt Johnson

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

#15 Cyril Ogbuagu

F
6' 6"
Freshman
Business

Players Mentioned

Jair Green

#21 Jair Green

6' 4"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
G
Zay Jackson

#3 Zay Jackson

6' 0"
Senior
Criminal Justice
G
Evan Phoenix

#2 Evan Phoenix

6' 9"
Junior
Marketing
F
Matt Johnson

#12 Matt Johnson

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

#15 Cyril Ogbuagu

6' 6"
Freshman
Business
F