• Score: Gannon 70, Slippery Rock 68
• Records: Gannon 11-8, 8-5 PSAC, Slippery Rock 10-9, 8-6 PSAC
• Location: Slippery Rock, Pa. – Morrow Field House
• The Short Story: The Gannon Lady Knights had a 12-point lead melt away in the final five minutes at Slippery Rock before Nicole LaCava (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) saved the day with a pair of free throws in the final three seconds. LaCava tallied a team-high 20 points as Gannon pulled out a 70-68 victory over the Rock.
   

• Box Score: Click Here
• LaCava Game-Winner: Click Here

• Slippery Rock began the game with a 10-2 advantage through the first five minutes.
• Nicole LaCava (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) began to turn the tide with a bucket at the 4:34 mark that kick-started an 11-4 run for Gannon to close within 14-13 at the first break.
• Gannon took its first lead of the game, 15-14, in the opening 11 seconds of the second quarter with LaCava netting a layup in the paint.
• The Lady Knights pushed the lead to seven, 29-22, after Julia Braungart (Southampton, N.J./Camden Catholic) drained her second three-pointer of the first half with 4:29 on the clock.
• Gannon went up 38-22 just before the halftime, completing a massive 30-8 run that spanned a quarter and a half.
• The Lady Knights were 10-2 when leading at the break and Wednesday night followed in line with that trend.
• Maggie Mitchell (Newark, Ohio/Newark) began the third quarter with a triple that had Gannon on top, 41-28.
• Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) and M. Mitchell went back and forth scoring for Gannon. The two combined for the first nine points in the quarter.
• LaCava made the final bucket of the quarter, sending Gannon to the final 10 minutes of play with a 56-48 lead.
• The Lady Knights pushed the lead back to double-digits at the 5:14 mark fourth quarter after Rourke connected on a three-pointer. Gannon was in command, 66-54.
• From that point, Slippery Rock began to chip away. Morgan Henderson got the Gannon lead back to single-digits, 66-58, with 3:42 remaining.
• Sierra Fordham hit a long-range shot with just 1:19 remaining on the clock to get the game to within one possession, 68-65.
• Henderson was back on the offensive, tying the game up at 68 with 24 seconds remaining. She took a three at the top of the key that hit rim, went off glass, and found the bottom of the net.
• Gannon head coach, Jim Brunelli, called timeout and drew up a final play for the Lady Knights.
• Sydney Mitchell (Halethorpe, Md./Seton Keough) was the recipient of a M. Mitchell kick to the corner as she took an open three with five seconds left. Mitchell's shot hit of the back of the cylinder and fell right in to LaCava's hands who put a shot up with 2.8 seconds remaining, getting fouled in the process.
• LaCava went to the line and connected on both free throws, sealing the game for the Lady Knights, 70-68.
   

• LaCava put up a team-high 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting. She also pulled down eight boards.
• The Lady Knights shot 46.5 percent from the field, making 20 of 43 shots. It's the second straight game GU went 20-of-43 from the floor.
• Julia Braungart (Southampton, N.J./Camden Catholic) recorded a career-high 14 points while connecting on four-of-five triples in the game. She also dished out a season-high six assists.
• Rourke strung together her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

• Gannon moved to 10-1 when scoring at least 60 points and 11-2 when leading at halftime.
• The Lady Knights out-rebounded their seventh opponent of the season, edging Slippery Rock, 30-26.
• It was the seventh time this season Gannon made 20 or more free throws in a game. GU leads the conference in free throw percentage, connecting at a 79.3 clip.
• The Lady Knights are a season-best three games over .500 (11-8) and own a four-game win streak for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
• Gannon is 5-2 this season in games decided by five points or less.
   

• Gannon returns home Saturday, January 27 to host Pitt-Johnstown as part of the annual Athletics Hall of Fame Doubleheader.
• Game time at the Hammermill Center is scheduled for 1 p.m.
• The Hall of Fame reception sponsored by U Pick 6 kicks off at 5 p.m. with the banquet to follow at 5:45 p.m.
• The event is nearing a sell-out once again. Please direct any questions regarding the Athletics Hall of Fame weekend to Melanie Vadzemnieks in University Advancement at 814-871-7005 or by e-mail at vadzemni001@gannon.edu.

Nicole LaCava (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) gets the offensive rebound and is fouled with 2.8 seconds remaining! She hits the game-winning free throws!

Final: Gannon 70, Slippery Rock 68 pic.twitter.com/H1C039yMgA

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) January 25, 2018