Porreco Pride of Erie Trophy Photo
Gannon held onto the Porreco Pride of Erie Game trophy with its fourth consecutive victory against Mercyhurst.
58
Winner Gannon University GAN-M 18-8, 14-6
50
Mercyhurst MER-M 12-12, 9-11
Winner
Gannon University GAN-M
18-8, 14-6
58
Final
50
Mercyhurst MER-M
12-12, 9-11
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon University GAN-M 22 36 58
Mercyhurst MER-M 26 24 50

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Clarion University

2/21/2018 | 7:30 PM

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Feb. 21 (Wed) / 7:30 PM
 Clarion University

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

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Retains Porreco Pride of Erie Game Trophy; Holds Mercyhurst Without Field Goal For Nearly 15 Minutes in Second Half (Video)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: Gannon 58, at Mercyhurst 50
  • Records: Gannon (18-8, 14-6 PSAC), Mercyhurst (12-12, 9-11 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Mercyhurst Athletic Center
  • The Short Story: The Gannon men's basketball team held Mercyhurst without a point for 10:37 and without a field goal for 14:43 during the second half to earn a hard-fought 58-50 victory Saturday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. In the process, the Golden Knights retained the Porreco Pride of Erie Game trophy while handing the Lakers only their third loss in 12 home games.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The entire first half was a tight one. Outside of two brief four-point leads for the Golden Knights, neither team was able to build a lead larger than two points during the opening nine minutes.
  • Gannon used a three-pointer by senior Jair Green (Williamstown, N.J./Paul VI) and lay-up by senior Gerrell Williams (Lorain, Ohio/Clearview) to provide the game's first breathing room at 22-15 with 4:20 left in the first half.
  • Mercyhurst immediately answered with its first run, scoring the final 11 points of the opening half to swing a seven-point deficit into a four-point lead at the intermission.
  • The Lakers held a 33-27 advantage three minutes into the second half when the Golden Knights went to work on the defensive end of the floor.
  • Gannon held Mercyhurst without a field goal for the next 14 minutes and 43 seconds. The Lakers managed only three free throws during the stretch which included 10 minutes and 37 seconds without a point.
  • Offensively, the Golden Knights netted 10 straight points. Trailing 35-31, Williams converted a lay-up while being fouled. He made the ensuing free throw, before senior Zay Jackson (Queens, N.Y./Westside) drilled a three-pointer for a 37-35 lead.
  • Redshirt sophomore Frank Webb Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Our Lady of Mount Carmel) followed with back-to-back jumpers to give the visitors a 41-35 lead with 7:21 to play.
  • Gannon added baskets by Webb Jr., Williams and junior Evan Phoenix (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) after Mercyhurst ended the scoreless drought with a free throw to cap a 16-3 run over the span of 13 minutes and 29 seconds. The end result was a 47-38 Golden Knight lead with 1:28 left.
  • A late burst brought the Lakers to 50-47 with 41 seconds left, but Gannon went 6-of-6 from the free throw line and got a game-sealing dunk by Williams with one second left to ice a 58-50 victory.

GAME NOTES
  • Saturday's contest represented the sixth game in the Porreco Pride of Erie Game series sponsored by Bianchi Honda and the Porreco family.
  • Jackson received the Porreco Pride of Erie Game Changer award after recording 15 points and four rebounds while playing all 40 minutes for the fourth time this season. The senior led Gannon in scoring for the 14th time this year.
  • Phoenix was the only other Golden Knight in double digits with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
  • Green and Williams added nine points each. Green also had a career-high nine rebounds.
  • Gannon shot 51.2 percent (21-41) from the field, including a 60-percent (12-20) clip during the second half. The Golden Knights shot 37.5 percent (3-8) from three-point range and 59.1 percent (13-22) from the free throw line. 
  • Patrick Smith topped the Mercyhurst scoring attack with 13 points.
  • Malcolm Walters was the only other Laker in double figures with 10 points and five rebounds. 
  • Mercyhurst shot 29.8 percent (17-57) from the floor, 26.7 percent (8-30) from behind the arc and 66.7 percent (8-12) from the charity stripe.
  • Gannon out-rebounded Mercyhurst 40-28.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon completed its second consecutive season sweep of Mercyhurst for the first time since sweeping the 2007-08 and 2008-09 season series.
  • The Golden Knights improved to 21-10 all-time at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, winning for the fourth time during their last five trips.
  • Mercyhurst lost for only the third time in 12 home games this season.
  • Gannon remained alive in the race for the PSAC Western Division regular-season title, but still sit 1 1/2 games back of IUP pending the Crimson Hawks' home game against California (Pa.) later tonight. The squad remained deadlocked in the victory column with Slippery Rock for second place and the final PSAC Tournament first-round bye.
  • The Golden Knights out-rebounded their opponent for the 24th time in 26 games.
  • Gannon out-rebounded its opponent by double digits for the 13th time this season.
  • Jackson reached double digits in scoring for the eighth consecutive game while Phoenix did so for the fourth straight contest.
  • Gannon shot 50 percent or better for the 10th time this season, resulting in a victory every time. The Golden Knights have reached the standard in back-to-back games and three times during the last four contests.
  • The Gannon-Mercyhurst winner failed to reach the 60-point plateau for the fifth time in the last six games played at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
  • Mercyhurst's 50 points were the fewest by a Gannon opponent since the Lakers netted 52 at the Hammermill Center on January 17. It was the lowest scoring output by a Gannon opponent on the road since Cheyney in an 81-48 loss on November 20, 2016.
  • Gannon shot 60 percent during the second half for the second consecutive game.
  • The Golden Knights won for the fourth time this season when trailing at halftime.
  • Gannon improved to 12-3 in the months of January and February.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns home for its final two regular-season games, beginning Wednesday, February 21 against Clarion.
  • The contest is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Hammermill Center.
  • With Wednesday's game being the final one with students in session before spring break, seniors for the Gannon dance team and gameday cheerleading squad will be honored during halftime of the men's game.
  • Gannon will attempt to complete its second consecutive season sweep of Clarion and seventh in the last eight years.
  • The Golden Knights have won four consecutive games against the Golden Eagles, extending their lead in the all-time series to 38-13.
  • Gannon is 24-3 all-time against Clarion at the Hammermill Center, winning 18 straight home games in the series.
  • The Golden Eagles' last victory at the 'Mill came via an 83-80 decision during the 1981 Porreco Cup championship game.
  • 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/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
Gerrell Williams

#5 Gerrell Williams

G
6' 3"
Senior
Criminal Justice
Frank Webb Jr.

#1 Frank Webb Jr.

G
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Criminal Justice

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
Gerrell Williams

#5 Gerrell Williams

6' 3"
Senior
Criminal Justice
G
Frank Webb Jr.

#1 Frank Webb Jr.

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Criminal Justice
G