Emma Wright vs. Salem
Mike Gallagher
66
Gannon Gannon 4-2,0-2 PSAC
72
Winner West Chester WCU 4-2,2-0 PSAC
Gannon Gannon
4-2,0-2 PSAC
66
Final
72
West Chester WCU
4-2,2-0 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Gannon Gannon 14 21 12 19 66
West Chester WCU 15 22 14 21 72

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Suffers Tough Ending to Road Trip with 72-66 Setback at West Chester

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – After running off six straight wins to start the season the Gannon women's basketball team is now in the midst of another streak. A losing streak. The Golden Knights wrapped up a tough two-game eastern swing to Kutztown and West Chester to start PSAC action with a 72-66 loss at West Chester on Saturday night. The Golden Knights are now 6-2 while West Chester won its fourth straight game to improve t0 4-2.

Gannon came into the two-game swing ranked 15th in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and eighth according to the D2SIDA Top 25. On Saturday night the Golden Knights had too many dry spells, too many turnovers, and too much Leah Johnson, along with several untimely calls.

The Golden Knights jumped out to an early lead at 14-8 on a McKel Nation (Lebanon, Ohio/Springboro) layup with 3:04 remaining in the first quarter. WCU ran off the next 11 points, grabbing a 15-14 lead after one quarter then opening the second quarter with the first four points.

Gannon snapped a scoreless stretch of over six minutes when Ali Benim (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) drained a 3-pointer to make it 19-17. Gannon eventually tied the game at 21-21 on a Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) layup but the Golden Rams answered with the next five points. They would hold a narrow 37-35 lead at intermission.

The Golden Knights pulled even early in the third quarter at 40-40 with a five-point run that featured a Delaney Dogan (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) layup and a 3-pointer by Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra). Another scoreless stretch ensued, with Gannon going over two minutes without a point. By that time the Golden Rams had built their lead back up to 45-40. Gannon would end the third quarter within striking distance at 51-47.

Gannon feel behind by as much as seven points at 60-53 with 3:50 remaining before beginning another comeback. An Emma Wright (Fairview, Pa./Talawanda) 3-pointer and traditional 3-point play by Pirosko off a beautiful feed from Boston McKinney (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) pulled Gannon to within a point at 60-59 with 2:57 remaining.

A key call that went against the Golden Knights turned things around for West Chester. It appeared that McKinney had blocked Alexa Abbonizio's 3-point attempt, but she was called for a foul on the play. Abbonizio calmly sank three free throws and WCU suddenly had a four-point advantage.

Wheatley's fastbreak floater in the lane made but 64-61, but the Golden Rams scored the next four points and with 25 seconds remaining they held a 68-61 lead.

Gannon made one last attempt at a comeback. Wheatley scored on a drive with 15 seconds to play and was fouled. She missed the free throw, but Nation grabbed the rebound and kicked it out to Wheatley who drained a 3-pointer. With 10.3 seconds to play the Golden Knights now trailed by just two points at 68-66. Anna McTamney made a pair of free throws, and after a turnover, Johnson added two more for the final score.

Gannon shot 39.1 percent (25-of-64) from the floor, including 8-of-24 on 3-pointers. The Golden Knights held WCU to 34.8 percent (23-of-66) from the field, making 5-of-18 3-pointers. But while the Golden Knights were 8-of-15 from the line the Golden Rams made 21-of-30 shots from the charity stripe. West Chester became just the second team to reach 70 points against Gannon this season.

The rebound battle turned in the second half after Gannon outrebounded WCU by two in the first half. The Golden Rams outrebounded Gannon 29-19 in the second half for a 49-41 advantage. Gannon committed 14 turnovers and West Chester nine, but the WCU had a 19-7 advantage in points off turnovers.

Wright led a pair of players in double figures with 15 points, adding three assists. Pirosko had her second double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 rebounds but the Golden Rams did a good job of limiting her touches. The senior forward now has 976 career points, leaving her 24 points shy of becoming the 31st Golden Knight with 1,000 career points. Dogan matched her career high with 12 rebounds while scoring eight points. McKinney handed out eight assists.

Johnson, a junior guard, was hounded by Wright all night long but still emerged an assist high of a triple double. She totaled 19 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Michelle Kozicki had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. McTamney had 14 points and Abbonizio finished with 13 points.

Gannon will get a much-needed rest before returning to action on Thursday, December 8 hosting Findlay. The game starts a four-game homestand and tips off at 6:00 p.m. at Highmark Events Center.       
 
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