Emma Wright vs. Salem
Mike Gallagher

Women's Basketball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Renews Rivalry with IUP on Saturday

No. 23/15 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (20-3, 12-3 PSAC West) at INDIANA (PA) (14-6, 9-6 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, February 4, 2023 | 1:00 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex l Indiana, Pa.
LIVE VIDEO
LIVE STATS

RADIO:  Gannon basketball fans can catch all of the exciting action of Golden Knights' basketball on 90.5 WERG FM. Trevor Kubeja and Logan Wurst will have the call of the game.
 
THE GANNON-INDIANA (PA) ALL-TIME SERIES
IUP leads 26-21
Gannon has won three of the last four meetings after a 94-88 win over IUP in January. The two teams split last year's regular season meetings, winning on the other's homecourt. Gannon has not swept the regular season series since 2013-14. The Golden Knights snapped a 10-game losing streak to IUP in the 2020 PSAC Championship, winning the first of back-to-back conference crowns by a 50-40 margin. The series first began in 1979-80.

The Last Meeting
Jan. 11, 2023 – at Gannon 94, Indiana (Pa.) 88 I RECAP
Freshman Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) scored 30 points and Emma Wright (Fairview, Pa./Talawanda) tallied 28, both career highs, to lead Gannon to the high-scoring win over IUP. Wright scored 10 points in the first quarter as Gannon jumped out to a commanding 25-7 lead. The lead was 46-29 at the half as Wright had 18 points at intermission and Claxon 13. Claxon added 17 points in the second half as the Golden Knights had to hold off a determined IUP rally. The Golden Knights grabbed their biggest lead, 69-48, late in the third quarter, but IUP was not finished. The Crimson Hawks outscored Gannon 13-2 to trim the lead to 71-61 early in the final quarter. IUP eventually trimmed the lead to 87-83 with 43 seconds remaining before Emily Poling's (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance) two free throws secured the win. Claxon made 11-of-13 field goals attempts and made all four of her 3-point attempts. While going 4-for-4 from the foul line. Wright was 10-of-15 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.  She added 6-of-7 free throws. Wright had a big all-around game with five assists, four rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots. The combined 21-of-28 shooting effort by Claxon and Wright helped Gannon shoot an impressive 62.7 percent (32-of-51) from the field. The Golden Knights also shot a remarkable 72.7 percent from 3-point range, making 8-of-11 attempts from long range. Sam Pirosko added 13 points and Delaney Dogan (West Middlesex, Pa./West Middlesex) had a career six blocked shots. The Crimson Hawks had four players in double figures, led by Gina Adams with 22 points. Maria Cerro added 18 points), with Kiera Baughman and Janiera Scott scoring 17 points apiece,
 
 
ERIE, Pa. – Gannon reached the 20-win mark on Wednesday with a come-from behind 77-63 win over Slippery Rock. The victory maintained a two-game lead in the PSAC West for the Golden Knights as they improved to 20-3 overall and 12-3 in the division. They were ranked 23rd in the latest WBCA Division II Top 25 and 15th in the D2SIDA poll.

The Golden Knights look for their third straight win at an Indiana (Pa.) squad that jumped out to a fast start and appeared in the national rankings before stumbling of late. The Crimson Hawks won their first 11 games but have since won just three of their last nine games. IUP suffered a 65-60 loss at Seton Hill on Wednesday and is now 14-6 overall and 9-6 in league play. IUP is 11-1 at Kovalchick Convention & Athletics Complex, the lone loss coming to Mercyhurst.

Wednesday's win gave head coach Cleve Wright his eighth 20-win season at Gannon. More importantly, they are 12-3 in the highly-competitive PSAC West. California (Pa.) and Edinboro are two games back at 10-5, with Pitt-Johnstown at 9-5. The Golden Knights host UPJ on Monday, February 6. IUP comes in at 9-6, with Seton Hill and Mercyhurst sitting at 8-7.

Gannon opened the season with six straight wins before dropping road contests at Kutztown and West Chester. The Golden Knights came back with 12 straight wins, the longest streak since the 2013-14 edition opened the season with 17 straight victories. Seton Hill snapped that streak recently, but the Golden Knights have followed with back-to-back wins over Edinboro and Slippery Rock.

Gannon ranks first in the PSAC in scoring defense and 16th in Division II (55.7 ppg.) along with leading the conference and ranking 22nd nationally in field goal percentage defense (35.3 pct.). Gannon has held ten opponents under 50 points, with 15 of their 22 opponents shooting less than 40 percent from the floor and six under 30 percent.

With Samantha Pirokso leading the way, Gannon is also one of the top offensive teams in the PSAC. They are sixth in the PSAC in scoring offense at 71.7 ppg. and lead the conference in field goal percentage at 45.1 percent. IUP ranks fifth in the PSAC in scoring offense (71.8 ppg.) and eighth in scoring defense (61.8 ppg.).
The IUP game begins a tough stretch of three games in five days, with a home game against Pitt-Johnstown on Monday, February 6 before playing at California (Pa.) on Wednesday, January 8.
 
 
CLEVE WRIGHT HITS PAIR OF MILESTONES
Wednesday's 77-63 win over Slippery Rock helped head coach Cleve Wright achieve a pair of milestones. It gave Gannon 20 wins for the eighth time in Wright's 15 seasons as head coach. In addition, it was Wright's 350th win as a head coach in 19 seasons. 315 of those wins have come at Gannon.

GANNON PICKS UP WIN NUMBER 20 VS. SLIPPERY ROCK
Make that 20 wins in each of the last three full seasons for Gannon, taking into account a shortened 2020-21 campaign due to COVID. Gannon has now had 16 seasons with 20-or-more wins, with eight of those coming under head coach Cleve Wright.

KNIGHTS CLAMP DOWN ON SRU WITH BIG SECOND HALF
When Gannon played at Slippery Rock in early January the Golden Knights jumped out to 20-3 lead after one quarter on their way to a 75-59 win. It was a different story on Wednesday as The Rock came out knocking down 3-pointers to grab a 36-32 lead at the half. The Golden Knights finally grabbed the lead for good midway through the third quarter on Samantha Pirosko's (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) bucket. They would outscore SRU 27-17 in the third quarter and then held an 18-10 advantage in the fourth quarter. Gannon shot just 50 percent in the second half, including a 10-of-18 showing in the decisive third quarter, while limiting SRU to 28.0 percent (7-of-25) in the final 20 minutes.

GANNON, SRU ENGAGE IN 3-POINT BARRAGE
There were times on Wednesday night that Gannon and Slippery Rock looked they were having a 3-point shooting contest. While Slippery Rock made six 3-pointers in the first half they were limited to just two in seven attempts in the second half to end the game at 8-for-20. Gannon made 11 3-pointers in the second half alone on 21 attempts. The Golden Knights finished 14-of-33 from beyond the arc for the game. Both figures were season highs. Five different Golden Knights made 3-pointers, with Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) going 4-of-7 and Emma Wright (Fairview, Pa./Talawanda) 4-of-10. Ali Benim (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) came off the bench to make 3-of-3 three's.

KNIGHTS FINDING IT TOUGH GETTING TO THE LINE
For the second time in four games Gannon went to the free throw line just two times against Slippery Rock. Madison Demski (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) made a free throw to complete a 3-point play and Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) missed one following a basket. The Golden Knights went 2-for-2 at Clarion on January 23.

PIROSKO MOVES UP TO 14th IN CAREER SCORING
Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) has continued her climb up the career scoring charts after becoming the 31st Golden Knight with 1,000 career points earlier in the year.  The redshirt senior battled foul trouble and was held to just ten points against Edinboro, but she followed that up with a 23-point effort vs. Slippery Rock, leaving her total at 1,276 points. She is 14th in career scoring with Chelsea Rourke in 13th place with 1,286 points. Pirosko also recently became the 21st Golden Knight with 500 career rebounds as her total sits at 528. She has scored in double figures in 22 straight games with ten games of 20-or-more points, including a 32-point effort vs. California (Pa.) and 31 points at Slippery Rock. Pirosko leads the team in both scoring (18.6 ppg.) and rebounding (7.7 rpg.), ranking third in the PSAC in scoring and 11th in rebounding. She also ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage (55.5 pct.) and eighth in free throw percentage (83.9 pct.).
 
GANNON 1,000-POINT SCORERS
1. Rona Nesbit (1978-81) -- 2,340
2. Kristin Roseberry (1999-02) -- 2,147
3. Christina Jackson (2004-07) -- 1,912
4. Mary Kay Lynch (1982-85) -- 1,743
5. Kristina Freeman (2007-10) -- 1,604
6. Nettie Blake (2012-15) -- 1,536
7. Jen Papich (2011-14) -- 1,534
8. Jacki Windon (1998-01) -- 1,524
9. Tonya Treharne (1986-89) -- 1,415
10. Carrie Nolan (2006-10) -- 1,371
11. Kelly Reedy (1982-85) -- 1,315
12. Brittany Tabron (2006-10) -- 1,313
13. Chelsea Rourke (2016-20) -- 1,286
14. - SAM PIROSKO (2018-pres.) -- 1,276           
 
SCOUTING INDIANA (PA)   
After a fast start Indiana (Pa.) is now in a battle for a berth in the PSAC Tournament with a 9-6 record. The Crimson Hawks opened the year at 11-0 nut currently sit at 14-6 after losing six of their last nine games. However, interim head coach Craig Carey has led IUP to an 11-1 record at home and can call on a talented backcourt, as Gannon found out in the first meeting. IUP's starting five accounts for 87 percent of the team's 71.8 ppg., with four of the five starters scoring in double figures. They rank fifth in the PSAC in scoring. Sophomore guard Kiera Baughman leads the way at 15.6 ppg. and has made 37-of-105 3-pointers. Maria Cerro, a junior guard, comes in at 13.8 ppg. and leads the team with 82 assists and 45 steals. She has made 25-of-62 3-pointers. Alana Cardona, a 5'11" senior, is third at 12.3 ppg. along with 8.6 rpg. and a team-leading 17 blocks. Gina Adams. A 5'11" sophomore, is the fourth Crimson Hawks in double figures at 12.0 ppg., adding 5.1 rpg. She has made 33-of-85 3-pointers. Teirra Preston, a 6'0" senior, is the team's top rebounder at 9.4 per game along with scoring 9.8 ppg.

NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Gannon has a quick turnaround returning to the court on Monday, February 6 hosting Pitt-Johnstown. Tipoff at the Highmark Events Center is 5:30 p.m. The game is the second of three games in five days for the Golden Knights, who play at California (Pa.) on Wednesday, February 8.
 
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Players Mentioned

Ali Benim

#10 Ali Benim

G
5' 8"
Senior
Delaney Dogan

#54 Delaney Dogan

F
6' 0"
Graduate Student
Samantha Pirosko

#44 Samantha Pirosko

F
5' 10"
Fifth Year
Emily Poling

#20 Emily Poling

G
5' 9"
Fifth Year
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

G
5' 11"
Junior
Undeclared
Emma Wright

#13 Emma Wright

G
5' 11"
Graduate Student
Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

G
5' 7"
Freshman
Madison Demski

#25 Madison Demski

F
6' 2"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Ali Benim

#10 Ali Benim

5' 8"
Senior
G
Delaney Dogan

#54 Delaney Dogan

6' 0"
Graduate Student
F
Samantha Pirosko

#44 Samantha Pirosko

5' 10"
Fifth Year
F
Emily Poling

#20 Emily Poling

5' 9"
Fifth Year
G
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

5' 11"
Junior
Undeclared
G
Emma Wright

#13 Emma Wright

5' 11"
Graduate Student
G
Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

5' 7"
Freshman
G
Madison Demski

#25 Madison Demski

6' 2"
Graduate Student
F