• Final Score: Gannon 62, Mercyhurst 60
• Records: Gannon (12-15, 8-11 PSAC) | Mercyhurst (9-17, 6-13 PSAC)
• Location: Hammermill Center — Erie, Pa.

• Box Score: Click Here
• PDF Box Score: Click Here
• Game Book (PDF): Click Here
• Photo Gallery (Joe Mattis): Click Here
• Webcast Replay: Click Here
• Brunelli Rapid Reaction: Click Here
• Rourke Rapid Reaction: Click Here
• PSAC Scoreboard: Click Here
• PSAC Standings: Click Here
• Gameday Twitter Thread: Click Here
• Highlights: Click Here

• Two buckets in a span of 20 seconds handed Mercyhurst a lead with just 21 second on the clock in a wild back-and-forth finish to the game. Sydney Mitchell (Halethorpe, Md./Seton Keough) was the one to line up for the potential game-winner, and although her 3-pointer from the top of the arc rimmed out, Lauren Tewes (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Kettering) grabbed the offensive board and flipped it back out to Mitchell. The sophomore shot-faked, drove down the left side of the lane and laid it in to give the Lady Knights the lead with 5.7 seconds left.

• A layup apiece from seniors Tewes and Nicole LaCava (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) got the Knights out to an early 4-2 lead, and the teams hung with each other for a while, with Mercyhurst grabbing an 11-9 lead six minutes in. Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) followed that up with six straight points to start an 8-0 run for the Lady Knights.
• Gannon opened up its largest lead of the first half at the very end of the first quarter, as Rourke collected an errant pass and nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the left corner to give the hosts a 20-13 advantage after one period.
• The Knights held onto that lead well into the second quarter. Tewes added a layup off a feed from Tori Obenrader (Fryburg, Pa./North Clarion) with 7:04 left in the frame to make it 24-18, but the Lakers took over the rest of the slow-scoring quarter. Emily Shopene scored five points during a 7-0 spurt to push the guests in front, with Mitchell's single free throw to tie it at 25-25 the only point of the final five minutes.
• A pair of LaCava free throws started the second-half scoring, and also kicked off an 8-0 run for the Lady Knights, as Rourke, Obenrader and LaCava each added buckets to make it 33-25 just over three minutes into the third quarter. Gannon led by at least three until Nicolete Newman nailed a 3-pointer at the 2:29 mark to cut it to 39-37.
• Tewes doubled that lead on the next possession, and Rourke canned a triple to key a 7-2 run by the Knights to close the third quarter up 46-39. It didn't take long for the Lakers to hit up entering the final period though, netting four points in the first 50 seconds get back to within one possession.
• That's when Hurst's Eliza Oswalt hit a hot streak, hitting a pair of 3-pointers a minute apart at the midway point of the period. Her first tied things up at 47-all, and the next gave the Lakers their first lead since late in the first half, kick-starting the wild final five minutes.
• Mitchell's impressive fourth quarter got started when she hit a triple of her own in response to Oswalt to give the lead right back to the Knights. She followed that with four free throws over the next two minutes, and was helped by an Obenrader layup to bump the hosts ahead 58-54 with 1:44 to play before Mercyhurst scored six of the next seven to slip ahead.

• While neither team had a field goal in the final 4:57 of the first half, Mercyhurst's drought lasted a bit longer. Over a span of just under nine minutes, Gannon held its opponent scoreless, as the Lakers missed 10 consecutive field goals. That helped the Lady Knights turn a one-point deficit into an eight-point lead midway through the third quarter.
• Rourke's 23 points set a new career high for the junior. She hit 8-of-11 from the floor and added a 5-for-8 night from the free throw line to go with four rebounds, two steals and an assist. Rourke earned the Porreco Pride of Erie Game Changer Award for her efforts in the victory.
• Four different Lady Knights had at least five rebounds, as they out-boarded the Lakers 35-23 for the game. Obenrader pulled in a game-high eight to go with her eight points, while Mitchell and Tewes each had six and LaCava five.
• Mitchell netted 15 points on the night, scoring nine in the fourth quarter alone, and put up four assists, three steals and a block.
• With the win, Gannon controls its own destiny when it comes to its postseason fate, as a win over Slippery Rock next Saturday would lock up a spot. The Knights could do so even earlier with a win Wednesday against Clarion and some help.
• Prior to the game, the Lady Knights' three seniors -- Elise Torrence (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley), Lauren Tewes (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Kettering) and Nicole LaCava (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) -- were honored as they played their final regular season home game for Gannon.

• Gannon will begin the final week of the regular season on the road, heading to Clarion Wednesday evening.
• The 5:30 p.m. tip from the Student Recreation Center will feature live video, live stats and live audio.
• The Golden Knights hold a 38-15 lead in the all-time series against the Golden Eagles, and have won 22 of the past 23 meetings after a 62-53 win at home Jan. 21.
• The Golden Eagles sit in last place in the PSAC West standings at 9-17 (3-16 PSAC) after an 88-69 loss on the road to Edinboro Saturday afternoon.

Erie is home.

The Gannon men's and women's basketball teams celebrated Senior Night last Saturday at the Hammermill center. pic.twitter.com/9wePdHV1LY

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) February 25, 2019

WBB: Jim Brunelli addresses the media following a victory for the Gannon Lady Knights over Mercyhurst earlier at the Hammermill Center. pic.twitter.com/uE6ogR4idW

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) February 24, 2019

Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland), who dropped in 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor, talks about the team's victory. pic.twitter.com/Ocd0mIemDm

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) February 24, 2019