WHEELING, W.Va. – The No. 15/20 Gannon women's basketball team limited Wheeling to just 36 percent from the floor and came away with a 66-53 road victory on New Years Eve Friday afternoon. The Knights limited the Cardinals to just 21 percent shooting and 15 points in the opening half to build an early double-digit advantage in the game.
 
With the victory, Gannon improves to 9-1 on the season and has now won five-consecutive games. The Cardinals fall to 2-8 following the loss.
 
Gannon stretched its 15-point halftime lead to as many as 22 early in the third quarter (39-17, 6:24 mark) after opening the frame with a 9-2 scoring run. Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) keyed the stretch with a pair of 3-pointers.
 
With Gannon still lead 49-28 with 1:34 remaining in the third, Wheeling finished the quarter on a 6-0 run, which stretched to a 12-0 run during the first two minutes of the fourth to pull within nine at 49-40. Later in the fourth, the Cardinals pulled within eight on three occasions (52-44, 54-46 and 56-48), but each time Gannon answered on the offensive end.
 
Gannon shot 44 percent from the floor and made 8-of-19 attempts (42.1%) from behind the arc in the victory. Gannon also knocked down 14-of-19 free throw attempts (73.7%).
 
Tori Obenrader (Fryburg, Pa./North Clarion) scored a team-high 15 points and pulled down five rebounds in the Gannon win. Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) and Emily Poling (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance) added 12 points apiece. Emma Wright (Fairview, Pa./Talawanda) just missed a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds, while Delaney Dogan (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) finished the game with four points, 10 rebounds and a team-high four assists. Sydney Mitchell (Halethorpe, Md./Seton Keough) also chipped in seven points and five boards.
 
Gannon out-rebounded Wheeling 41-24.
 
Lauren Calhoun led the Cardinals in the loss with 11 points and seven rebounds. Shamia Strayhorn, Maura Castelluci and Annie Hunt chipped in eight points apiece for Wheeling.
 
Gannon will now prepare for a showdown with rival Mercyhurst on Wednesday evening at the Hammermill Center. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m.