alfonso for story
83
Cal U (PA) CUP 20-8,15-7 PSAC
87
Winner Gannon Gannon 14-12,11-11 PSAC
Cal U (PA) CUP
20-8,15-7 PSAC
83
Final
87
Gannon Gannon
14-12,11-11 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Cal U (PA) CUP 39 44 83
Gannon Gannon 36 51 87

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

Gannon Avenges Loss to Cal with 87-83 Win in Final Regular Season Game

Lance-Amir Paul leads the way with 24 points.

ERIE, Pa. – Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) led four players in double figures with 24 points and scored Gannon's final seven points as the Golden Knights avenged an earlier loss to Cal U with an 87-83 win on Saturday afternoon. The game was the last home contest for Gannon as they now head out on the road to begin PSAC Tournament play. The victory was the second straight for the Golden Knights as they improved to 14-12 and finished at 11-11 in the PSAC West. Cal came in as one of the hottest teams in the PSAC, falling to 20-8 and 15-7 in league play.

Gannon enters the PSAC Tournament as the sixth seed and plays at third-seed Pitt-Johnstown on Monday, February 28 in the first round of the tournament. The loss drops Cal to the fourth seed, with the Vulcans hosting Slippery Rock on Monday.

Saturday's win came a month after Cal handed Gannon an 80-59 defeat. This time around the contest was a back-a-forth affair featuring 15 lead changes and eight ties. Cal's largest lead was six points at 37-31 late in the first half before the Vulcans claimed a 39-36 lead at the half.

The second half saw Gannon take a ten-point lead at 65-55 with 9:34 remaining, only to see Cal come back and reclaim the lead five minutes later at 70-69.



That set the stage for Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) and Paul to take over down the stretch. After Zyan Collins gave the Vulcans a 74-72 lead at the 3:41 mark, Olsen accounted for the next eight points. Playing for the first time after missing four games with an injury, the 6'0" redshirt junior gave Gannon the lead for good at 75-74 as he knocked down three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer.

Following a Cal miss, Olsen came down and this time buried a three for a 78-74 advantage. Cal turned the ball over on its next possession and Olsen hit a jumper in the paint as Gannon suddenly led 80-74 with 1:58 left to play.

Philip Alston's basket pulled Cal to within four, but now it was time for Paul to step up. The 6'0" redshirt sophomore would hit 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute and a half to hold off the Vulcans. Cal closed to within two on two occasions, but the last with 0.9 seconds remaining and Paul calmly sank his final two free throws for the final score.

Paul enjoyed his tenth game of 20-or-more points while finishing with 24 markers. He made 4 of 8 3-pointers and was 10 of 13 at the line. He added five assists and two steals. The last Gannon player to reach 20 points in a season 10 times was Zay Jackson and Matt Dogan in 2016-17. In addition, he has scored in double figures in 23 of 25 games he has played in.

Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) added 18 points on a variety of twisting shots in the paint, making 9 of 15 field goals. He added a team-high eight rebounds with a pair of assists and two steals. He continued his strong play down the stretch with his seventh straight game in double figures.  

Olsen returned to play 21 minutes and finish with 14 points, making a pair of 3-pointers and going 6-for-6 at the line. He passed out five assists. Robertas Jonaitis (Pakruojis, Lithuania/Greater Beckley Christian School) had his second straight game in double figures with 13 points (5 of 6 FGs, 3 of 4 FTs), along with five rebounds. Donovan Forte (Cleveland, Ohio/Garfield Heights) made all four of his field goals to finish with eight points while and Alfonso Pickens Jr. (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) hit a pair of 3-pointers for six points, adding three assists and three steals. Alonde LeGrand (Harlem, N.Y./Berkshire) pulled down six rebounds.

Alston came in as the leading scorer and rebounder in the PSAC and did not disappoint. The 6'6" sophomore had game-highs of 26 points and 16 rebounds, with numerous thunderous dunks. Brent Pegram added 19 points, with Collins totaling 15 points and Keith Palek III 12.

Gannon shot 50.9 percent for the game (29 of 57), making 8 of 19 3-pointers while going 21 of 27 from the line. Cal was also above 50 percent at 50.8 percent, making 30 of 59 shots. The Vulcans were 9 of 21 on 3-pointers and went 14 of 17 on free throws. In a game that featured two of the top rebounding teams in the conference, Cal held a slight 32-30 advantage. Gannon committed 12 turnovers while forcing 15 Cal miscues.   
 
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