• Final Score: Gannon 95, Shippensburg 56
• Records: Gannon (6-5, 2-2 PSAC) | Shippensburg (5-6, 2-2 PSAC)
• Location: Hammermill Center – Erie, Pa.

• Box Score: Click Here
• PDF Box Score: Click Here
• Full Game Book (PDF): Click Here
• Coach Brunelli Rapid Reaction: Click Here
• Webcast Replay: Click Here
• PSAC Standings: Click Here
• PSAC Composite Scoreboard: Click Here

• A free-flowing offensive game in the first half turned in Gannon's favor early, but a 28-9 scoring edge in the third quarter put things out of reach quickly for the Raiders, as Gannon raced ahead to a 35-point lead (73-38) to start the fourth. The Lady Knights, who outscored Shippensburg in each quarter, held a 26-10 advantage in assists and posted a season-high 95 points behind five players in double figures.

• Competing in its first game over the course of the last 10 days, Gannon showed no signs of rust and stormed out to a 7-3 lead, with Aiora Rivas (Ibiza, Spain/IES CTEIB) and Lauren Tewes (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Kettering) each scoring in the opening surge. The Lady Knights continued their torrid offensive efficiency, making eight consecutive shots for a 19-10 lead with 2:48 showing in the opening frame. In what would become a trend throughout the evening, Gannon received great balance on the offensive end, with Nicole LaCava (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) and Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) becoming the third and fourth players to score a basket for Gannon in the frame.
• Ariel Jones attempted to will her team back, trimming the Gannon lead to three (22-19) with a fastbreak layup off a steal. Jones was the lone Raider to score a basket in the second frame. Gannon quickly turned that slim lead into a wider margin, extending the advantage to double-digits (32-22) with a three from Tori Obenrader (Fryburg, Pa./North Clarion) at the 5:17 mark of the second quarter. In addition to nine points, Obenrader tied a season-high with 10 rebounds.
• Sydney Mitchell (Halethorpe, Md./Seton Keough) snared a loose ball that came from a Haley Tewes (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Kettering) rejection and raced up the floor for a layup that put the Lady Knights ahead 37-22 with 3:48 left in the first half. Ivana Twumasi (Jane and Finch, Ontario/Central Tech) took a missed shot and outran the Raider defense up the left side of the block for a quick layup and a 45-29 lead at the intermission for the hosts.
• Gannon pulled ahead in a big way to start the third quarter, ripping off an 18-5 run over the first 6:20 for a 62-34 lead. H. Tewes ballooned the Gannon lead to 30 with a put-back off an offensive rebound at 2:21 in the third and Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) dialed up a three-pointer, one of four on the night, for a 35-point lead at 73-38.
• The Lady Knights worked their entire lineup into the fold in the fourth quarter and still maintained at least a 30-point edge throughout the frame. Roshay Benjamin (Erie, Pa./Erie) and Breanna Ransom (Brewerton, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) each scored for Gannon to round out the balanced effort.

• With 16 points tonight, LaCava joined Rourke as the second Lady Knight to surpass the 600-point plateau in her career this season. The double digit effort marked the sixth consecutive game of at least 10 points for LaCava.
• The Lady Knights dropped three straight home games entering tonight's matchup and shot a combined 59-of-156 (37.8%) from the floor in those losses. Gannon reversed that trend in a big way tonight following a sizzling 58.2% mark from the floor for its first home victory since November 11.
• GU shared the ball extremely well with 26 assists overall and four players recording five assists on the evening (Mitchell, Rourke, Rivas, H. Tewes).
• Gannon committed just 11 turnovers tonight, its lowest total since the final game of the 2017-18 season against Seton Hill in the PSAC Tournament (9).
• Head coach Jim Brunelli was able to distribute playing time fairly evenly tonight, with eight individuals logging at least 10 minutes and nobody playing more than 28.
• Rivas recorded a career-high 10 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting effort from the floor. The Lady Knights also received 39 points from the bench, with 12 of them provided by Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley).
• Jones entered the game tied for the league-lead in scoring at 25.4 points/game. She delivered once again for the Raiders, accounting for 51% of their offense and outscoring the rest of her teammate's singlehandedly.  

• The Lady Knights return to action tomorrow night, welcoming Kutztown to the Hammermill Center at 5:30 p.m.
• Live video, live stats and live audio will be available in the final contest of the 2018 calendar year for the Lady Knights.
• Gannon holds a 7-3 lead in the all-time series with the Golden Bears, despite Kutztown emerging with a 65-59 home win over the Lady Knights last season.
• The 3-7 Golden Bears continue their Erie gauntlet following a 74-70 loss against Mercyhurst this evening. KU was outscored 54-35 in the second half of the game following a 15-point halftime advantage over the Lakers.

WBB: Sydney Mitchell (Halethorpe, Md./Seton Keough) drives the lane and kicks it out to Lauren Tewes (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Kettering) for the trip-trip-triple! ???? Gannon leads Shippensburg 5-0 early on. pic.twitter.com/W7mIj13oEK

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 18, 2018

WBB: Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) with the sweeeeeet touch! Gannon leads 19-10 with 2:48 left in the first quarter. pic.twitter.com/wph4AHtjj1

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 18, 2018

WBB: Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) with the hesitate dribble drive to the hoop for two! Gannon leads Ship 22-14 at the end of the first quarter. pic.twitter.com/b3XrlmbE7E

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 18, 2018

WBB: Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) drives and dishes to Elise Torrence (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) for a 3-point play. Gannon is up on Ship 43-27 with 1:26 left in the first half. pic.twitter.com/H9H6DCIYq0

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 18, 2018

WBB: Ivana Twumasi (Jane and Finch, Ontario/Central Tech) gets in on the scoring action as she gives Gannon a 45-29 lead on Shippensburg at halftime! Nine Lady Knights scored points in the first half. Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) leads the team with 11 points. pic.twitter.com/xAY031P9pW

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 18, 2018

WBB: Sydney Mitchell (Halethorpe, Md./Seton Keough) sticks with it for two points. ?? Gannon leads 49-33 with 8:24 remaining in the third. pic.twitter.com/8n6B9Du7Kh

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 18, 2018

WBB: Gannon continues a 6-point run with this basket by Lauren Tewes (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Kettering)! Gannon leads 53-33 with 6:40 left in the third. pic.twitter.com/2M8on31F9m

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 18, 2018

WBB: Breanna Ransom (Brewerton, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) kicks it out to Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) for a three! ???? Gannon leads 73-38 at the end of the third quarter! pic.twitter.com/wRguFyi63f

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) December 18, 2018