GAMEDAY CENTRAL | NO. 20/25 GANNON VS. BLUEFIELD STATE
Game Details	Friday, February 5, 2021 | 7:00 p.m. | Erie, Pa. | Hammermill Center  Sunday, February 7, 2021 | Noon | Erie, Pa. | Hammermill Center
Records	Gannon (5-1) | Bluefield State (2-6)
Game Coverage	Live Video - PSAC Digital Network  Live Stats
Information	No fans will be permitted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Social Media	Twitter - @GUKnights | Facebook - Gannon University Athletics  Instagram - gannongoldenknights | Youtube - Gannon Athletics
Gannon Links	Game Notes | Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Bluefield State Links	Game Notes | Roster | Schedule | Statistics

ERIE, Pa. -- No. 20/25 Gannon returns home for a two-game series hosting Bluefield State this weekend. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. on Friday before the two teams wrap up the series on Sunday at noon at Hammermill Center. 

ALUMNI WATCH PARTY

• The women's basketball Virtual Alumni Watch Party originally scheduled for Feb. 21 is back on, with the gathering taking the place of the program's annual alumni game. The watch party will take place during that day's contest against AIC at 1 p.m.
• Alumni can reserve their spot by contacting assistant women's basketball coach Kelsey Key by email at key005@gannon.edu. All registered alumni will receive a watch party "Spirit Pack." The deadline to register for the event is February 10.

FASTBREAK POINTS

• Gannon went 2-1 last week with wins over Roberts Wesleyan and splitting a two-game series with then-ranked No. 13 Daemen. 
• The Golden Knights moved up to No. 20 in the latest D2SIDA Top 25 Poll and debuted at No. 25 in the first release of the WBCA Top 25 Poll. Gannon was also tied with Notre Dame (Ohio) for No. 3 in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region Poll this week. 
• This will be the first all-time meeting between Gannon and Bluefield State. 
• The Golden Knights are holding their opponents to 52.2 points per game this season, which ranks fifth in the nation. Gannon has held opponents to 50 points or less in three games this season. 
• Tori Obenrader (Fryburg, Pa./North Clarion) paces the Golden Knights with a team-high 12.6 rebounds and team-best 7.0 rebounds per game this season. She's reached double figures in scoring three times, including a season-high 19 points against Miles on Jan. 13. 

LAST TIME OUT

•  A key 10-2 run to close the game allowed Gannon to quickly avenge its first setback of the season, as the Golden Knights topped No. 13 Daemen on the road Sunday afternoon, 65-56. 
• Sam Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North), who earned her first start of the season and played 38 minutes, made that extra time on the court count, setting career highs in points (23), field goals (8), free throws (6) and blocks (2). Sydney Mitchell (Baltimore, Md./Seton Keough) contributed a season-high 14 points on 5-of-8 and the senior added seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

SCOUTING BLUEFIELD STATE

• Bluefield State enters the weekend with a 2-7 overall record and most recently dropped an 86-62 decision on the road at Virgina-Wise on Wednesday night. The Big Blue has lost two of its last three games and are 1-4 on the road this season. 
• Bluefield State is led by fourth year head coach Ryan Bailey and has compiled a 32-59 overall record. Bailey started out his college coaching career Mercyhurst North East. 
• Katrina Davis leads The Big Blue with 9.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. She's reached double digits in scoring in her last five games, including a season-high 18 points at Southern Wesleyan on Jan. 27.

SERIES HISTORY

• This will be the first all-time meeting between these two schools. 

MILESTONE WATCH

• Head coach Cleve Wright is two wins away from reaching the 300 mark. He has totaled 298 wins over 15 seasons.
• Sydney Mitchell (Baltimore, Md./Seton Keough) is closing on her 100th career game as a Golden Knight. She has appeared in 97 career games (70 starts) over four seasons. 

ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE

• Gannon has proven to be one of the best defensive teams in the country this season holding its opponents to 52.2 points per game, which ranks fifth in NCAA Division II.
• The Knights have held their opponents to 50 points or less in three games this season, including a season-low 35 points in the season opener against Miles on Jan. 12. It marked the lowest total since Gannon limited Clarion to 33 points on Feb. 19, 2014.

NATIONALLY RANKED

• After going 2-1 last week with wins over Roberts Wesleyan and splitting a two-game series with then-ranked No. 13 Daemen, Gannon moved up to No. 20 in the D2SIDA Top 25 poll. The Golden Knights also debuted at No. 25 in the first edition of the WBCA Top 25 Poll. 
• Gannon is also tied for third with Notre Dame (Ohio) in the D2SIDA Regional Poll. 

800 POINTS/500 REBOUNDS

• Through the first five games of the season, Tori Obenrader (Fryburg, Pa./North Clarion) has pushed her career point total to 833, which ranks 37th on the Gannon all-time scoring list. 
• Obenrader has also increased her career rebounds total to 502, which ranks 20th on the all-time Gannon rebounding list.
• She is 1-of-17 players in program history to reach the 800 points and 500 rebounds milestone.

STEPPING UP IN A BIG WAY

• Sam Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) has seen her playing time increase through the first six games of the season and is logging a career-best 25.0 minutes per contest. 
• She has reached double digits in scoring in her last four straight games. Last week, Pirosko notched her first career 20-point game with a career-high 23 points. She knocked down a career-best eight field goals on 17 attempts and also added eight rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal to her stat line. 

OFF TO A HOT START

• After coming off the bench in all 27 games last season, Emily Poling (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance) has moved into the starting five and started all six games this season. 
• She's averaging a career-best 12.2 points per game and shooting a team-best 59.1 percent from the field. Poling has reached double figures in scoring in four of her last five games. 

LOOKING AHEAD

• Gannon returns to action beginning a two-game non-conference series at Clarion on Feb. 10 at 3:30 p.m. The two teams will close the series at Hammermill Center on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

Sydney Mitchell (Baltimore, Md./Seton Keough) posted her second career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists against Daemen. @GannonWBB is back in action this weekend hosting Bluefield State for a two-game series.

?: https://t.co/ysFjH1DOQv pic.twitter.com/emzgHbhxY6

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) February 4, 2021