THE RUNDOWN
Final Score: Gannon 66, California 40
Records: GU (14-4, 10-2 PSAC West) | Cal U (13-5, 7-5 PSAC West)
Location: Hammermill Center | Erie, Pa.
The Short Story:  Gannon won the game Wednesday night by doing exactly what it needed to do – putting the ball in the net. The Knights shot over 46 percent from the field and 31 percent from arc, while holding the Vulcans to just over 24 percent from the field. Cal U also fired off 24 three pointers only connecting on four of them as they fell to Gannon 66-40 at the Mill. Cal U's 40 points is the fewest Gannon gave up all season.
 
GAME DAY MEDIA CENTER
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first half got off to a streaky start right out of the jump ball. The Vulcans scored the first points of the game at the 9:17 mark and wouldn't connect from the field again until under the three minute mark. Gannon finally got on the board with five straight points from Chelsea Rourke (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) and Tori Obenrader (Fryburg, Pa./North Clarion). Citiana Negatu broke the Gannon run from the foul line, but Sam Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) responded with a pair of free throws. Gannon led 13-8 at the end of the first.
• Gannon erupted offensively to start the second. Rourke knocked down a three at the 9:11 mark to lead the Knights on a 17-4 run. She connected again from the arc three minutes later helping Gannon score nine straight points. Obenrader ended the run with her own bucket from three point range. The Knights held the Vulcans scoreless from the 6:24 mark until two second left in the half when Negatu completed a three-point play. Obenrader's three at the 4:39 mark was Gannon's last field goal of the half, but the Knights held on to lead 30-17 at the break.
• The Knights kept the momentum going in the third quarter and outscored the Vulcans 16-6. Rourke hit her fourth three pointer of the game with just over seven minutes left on the clock to spark a 7-0 run. Pirosko and Tewes each connected from the paint in the stretch. Brionna Allen and DJ Hahn broke the run scoring Cal U's final two jumpers of the third. Gannon held the Vulcans scoreless over the final four minutes, while Obenrader scored the final six points to give Gannon a 46-23 edge heading into the fourth.
• Shauna Harrison opened the fouth quarter with two straight jumpers leading the Vulcans on a 7-0 run over Gannon. Jaydis Gales got in on the action with a three pointer. Obenrader broke the run with a layup, but Harrison connected from the arc less than 20 seconds later to cut into Gannon's lead. Following Harrison's three at the 7:20 mark, Gannon solidified their win outscoring the Vulcans 18-7. Obenrader scored eight points in the fourth helping lead the Knights to the 66-40 win.

 
GAME NOTES

• The Knights are off to their best start in conference play since the 2014-15 season when they opened the PSAC portion of their schedule going 13-2 before suffering their third loss.
• Gannon held Cal U to 40 points, which is the fewest points the Knights have allowed all year. The previous low was 46 given up last weekend at Mercyhurst.
• Obenrader led all-scorers with 19 points on 7-of-10 from the field. She was also a perfect 4-for-4 from the foul line. She added five rebounds and two assists in the action.
• Rourke scored 15 points on 5-of-8 from the field. She knocked down four shots from three point range and flirted with a double-double grabbing a season-high nine boards. Rourke recorded a game-high four blocks.
• Tewes also neared a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. She added two steals and a block.
• Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) dished out a career-high 11 assists. It is her fist career-game with double-figure assists, and she is the only active player to record 10 or more assists in a game. McKinney added five points, three rebounds, and two steals in a career-high 37 minutes played.
• Sydney Mitchell (Baltimore, Md./Seton Keough) scored four points for the Knights and tied her season-high five rebounds. She also added two assists and a steal.
• Obenrader, Rourke, and Tewes double-figures performances improve Gannon's record to 13-0 when at least three players score double figures. This is Obenrader's ninth straight game scoring at least 10, and this is Rourke's third in the last four.
• After the win, head coach Cleve Wright presented Rourke with a game ball in honor of her 1,000 career-point milestone achieved earlier this season vs. Wheeling. She became the 29th player in program history to achieve this milestone.

 
UP NEXT

• Gannon hosts East Stroudsburg Saturday afternoon for their final game of this week's action.
• Tipoff is set for 1 pm in the Mill.
• This game marks the first annual CARE Game. For more information on the CARE Game, click here.