THE RUNDOWN
Final Score: Gannon 93, Fairmont State 89
Records: GU (2-1, 0-0 PSAC) | FSU (1-2, 0-0 MEC)
Location: Hammermill Center | Erie, Pa.
The Short Story: The Knights fell behind early to a hot shooting Fairmont team that knocked down six three-pointers in the first quarter, but they used a 14-2 run late in the second quarter to climb back within two at the half. Tori Obenrader (Fryburg, Pa./North Clarion) hit a three pointer at the 7:21 mark in the third quarter to give the Knights their first lead. The Falcons kept with the Knights forcing the teams to exchange the lead seven times before the end of the half. Fairmont tied the game 86-86 with 58 seconds left in the fourth, but Obenrader and Sydney Mitchell (Baltimore, Md./Seton Keough) hit free throws down the stretch to pull away for Gannon's first home win.
 
 
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Fairmont came out hot in the first quarter hitting a jumper just seconds into the game. They followed that jumper with a three-pointer on three straight possessions giving them a quick 11-4 lead. A pair of free throws from Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) midway through brought the Knights back within seven points, but the Falcons connected on three more from the arc to lead by ten at the end of the first.
• Fairmont led by as much as 14 points in the second quarter after a layup from Rachel Laskody. Emily Poling (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance) found Obenrader for a layup at the 4:32 mark to swing the momentum in Gannon's favor. Poling hit a three-pointer on the next possession, while Obenrader continued the run with another layup less than a minute later. At the 3:54 mark, Faith Williams (Grafton, Ohio/Elyria Catholic) made it a five point game with a layup for Gannon. Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) hit a buzzer beating three-pointer to bring Gannon within two of Fairmont as the Falcons led 44-42 at the break.
• The Knights took their first lead at the 7:12 mark in the third quarter when Obenrader connected from beyond the arc. A six point run later in the quarter gave Gannon their largest lead of the game at eight points. The Falcons forced four more lead changes before the end of the third, but Gannon held on 68-67 with ten minutes left.
• Laskody tied the game 86-86 in the fourth with just 52 seconds left to play. Obenrader reclaimed the lead with a layup at the :28 mark. Obenrader and Mitchell would convert on free throws in the final seconds to give Gannon their first home win of the year.
   

GAME NOTES

• Obenrader continues to smash personal records as she notched a new career-high 36 points. She earned her first double-double of the year with a game-high 12 boards.
• She finished 14-of-22 from the field to also hit a new career-high 14 field goals.
• The last time a Gannon player scored 35 or more points was in the 2002-03 season when Katie Garms scored 35 points. This is also the first time since the 2016-17 season that a player scored over 30 points.
• This is Obenrader's third straight game scoring double-figures this season.
• McKinney flirted with a double-double scoring 12 points and tallying eight assists. She also grabbed five boards.
• Haley Tewes (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Kettering) recorded 10 points and six steals in the win. Her six steals is a career-high and she is the first Gannon player who has had five or more since the 2014-15 season.
• Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) added 12 points, two assists, three steals, and a block to round out the top-scorers for the Knights.
• The Knights won the game on the foul line converting on 21-of-25 attempts. The Falcons held advantage on the floor shooting 52 percent from the field and 53 percent from the arc. They only saw the free throw line seven times in the game.

UP NEXT

• The Knights travel out of state on Sunday for a non-conference game at Lake Erie. Tipoff is set for 3 pm.
• Gannon leads the all-time series 4-0. They last met in the 2008-09 season.
• Live stats will be available for the game.