Kevin Dodds
Joe Mattis
48
Clarion CLAR-M 4-10, 2-8 PSAC
66
Winner Gannon GAN-M 7-10, 5-6 PSAC
Clarion CLAR-M
4-10, 2-8 PSAC
48
Final
66
Gannon GAN-M
7-10, 5-6 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Clarion CLAR-M 14 34 48
Gannon GAN-M 30 36 66

Next Game:

at Mercyhurst University

1/23/2019 | 7:30 PM

Fox Sports Radio 1330 AM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Jan. 23 (Wed) / 7:30 PM
at Mercyhurst University

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | David Rung

Golden Knights Run Streak To Four With Convincing Victory Over Clarion (Highlights)

THE RUNDOWN
  • Final Score: Gannon 66, Clarion 48
  • Records: Gannon (7-10, 5-6 PSAC) | Clarion (4-10, 2-8 PSAC)
  • Location: Hammermill Center — Erie, Pa.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER  
KEY SEQUENCE
  • Clarion got on the board with two baskets in the first 90 seconds of the game, but Gannon answered with 16 straight points over the next eight minutes to flip the momentum and take control. Matt Johnson (Chicago, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) had five points during the run, with Daryl Porter (Southfield, Mich./Walled Lake Western) adding four and Joe Fustine (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) adding a key 3-pointer to suddenly make it a 16-4 game, while the Knights forced seven turnovers out of the Golden Eagles during the span.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Buckets on two early possessions for Clarion — including a fastbreak dunk off a turnover to make it 4-0 — had the guests feeling good early, but a jumper from Porter and a second-chance opportunity converted by Johnson tied it up. Fustine's big 3-pointer made it 13-4 at the 12:37 mark, and by the time the Golden Eagles broke their dry spell with a layup exactly halfway through the half, it only cut the deficit to 10.
  • A 3-pointer from Jonathan Williams coming out of the under-8:00 media timeout cut the lead to eight at 18-10, but that was as close as Clarion would get the rest of the way. A pair of free throws from Daniel Sapp (Streetsboro, Ohio/Streetsboro) pushed the margin back up to 11 at 21-10 with 5:22 to go in the half, and the Golden Knights would lead by double digits the rest of the way.
  • Sapp added five more points in the final four minutes of the half, and the hosts held a smothering 30-14 lead at the break. Baskets from Mike Haysbert (Baltimore, Md./Western School of Technology and Environmental Science) and Fustine, followed by triple from Porter stretched the lead to 18 just over three minutes into the second period.
  • The Knights continued to apply pressure on defense, and pushed the pace on offense, but free throws from Clarion's Javontay Pipkin sliced it back down to 11 with 11:25 to play, and the lead bounced between 11 and 13 over the next six minutes. That's when Kevin Dodds (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) got a bit more active. The freshman laid one in to make it 54-41, then twice over the next two minutes created fastbreaks with steals. Porter converted one and Sapp the other to make it a 60-41 game with 3:42 to go after an 8-0 run.
  • With the finish avoiding a parade to the free throw line for the first time in a few weeks, Porter, Haysbert and Dodds each added baskets in the final three minutes to close out the comfortable victory.
     
GAME NOTES
  • The 18-point victory is the largest of the season for the Golden Knights, who have now ran off four straight wins and sit in fifth place in the PSAC West standings.
  • The 48 points for Clarion is the fewest allowed by Gannon this season. It's the lowest total in a game since an 80-48 win over Cheyney in November of last season, and the Knights haven't allowed fewer since giving up just 45 in back-to-back games late in the PSAC championship season of 2014-15.
  • That total was powered by the 14 points allowed in the first half. It's the second time this year Gannon has held an opponent to under 15 points in a half, surrendering just 11 to Michigan Tech in the first half of the Gary Miller Classic title game in November.
  • In addition to their first-half run, the Golden Knights kept any possible comeback in check with a 57.1-percent effort from the floor in the second half. For the game, Gannon shot 27-of-56 (48.2 percent) from the field, their second-best mark of the season and third straight game shooting at least 42.9 percent.
  • Porter turned in a game-high 23 points, shooting 10-of-19 from the field. That makes six straight games scoring double digits for the senior, who is averaging 21.7 points per game over the last three games.
  • Matt Johnson (Chicago, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) put up a well-rounded game, scoring 12 points and adding six assists, two rebounds and one steal against just one turnover in 37 minutes of action.
  • Sapp's nine points and two assists were both career highs, as was four steals for Dodds and 10 made field goals for Porter.
  • Monday marked the second straight game that Gannon notched 10 steals. The Knights wound up forcing 21 turnovers to match their season high.
  • Gannon had more offensive rebounds (16) than the Golden Eagles had defensive (14), while the Knights held an overall 37-22 edge to win the rebounding battle for the 14th time this season.
UP NEXT
  • Gannon hops back on the road for its shortest trip of the year, the first Porreco Pride of Erie contest of the season at Mercyhurst Wednesday evening.
  • The 7:30 p.m. tip from the Mercyhurst Athletic Center will feature live video, live stats and live audio.
  • The Golden Knights hold a 54-22 lead in the all-time series against the crosstown rival Lakers, including four straight victories after their second straight season sweep.
  • The Lakers sit at 11-4 (6-4 PSAC) after a 74-69 win against Pitt-Johnstown Monday afternoon, righting the ship with three straight wins after a three-game skid.
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Players Mentioned

Joe Fustine

#24 Joe Fustine

G/F
6' 3"
Senior
Risk Management/Accounting
Mike Haysbert

#42 Mike Haysbert

F
6' 7"
Senior
Business
Matt Johnson

#21 Matt Johnson

G
6' 0"
Junior
Sport and Exercise Science
Daryl Porter

#0 Daryl Porter

G
6' 2"
Senior
Business Administration
Daniel Sapp

#23 Daniel Sapp

G
6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
Business Administration
Kevin Dodds

#10 Kevin Dodds

F
6' 8"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Joe Fustine

#24 Joe Fustine

6' 3"
Senior
Risk Management/Accounting
G/F
Mike Haysbert

#42 Mike Haysbert

6' 7"
Senior
Business
F
Matt Johnson

#21 Matt Johnson

6' 0"
Junior
Sport and Exercise Science
G
Daryl Porter

#0 Daryl Porter

6' 2"
Senior
Business Administration
G
Daniel Sapp

#23 Daniel Sapp

6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
Business Administration
G
Kevin Dodds

#10 Kevin Dodds

6' 8"
Freshman
F