1,000 Claxon
39
Shepherd Shep 3-8,0-5 PSAC
85
Winner Gannon Gannon 13-1,5-0 PSAC
Shepherd Shep
3-8,0-5 PSAC
39
Final
85
Gannon Gannon
13-1,5-0 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Shepherd Shep 11 10 7 11 39
Gannon Gannon 24 20 24 17 85

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

Claxon Reaches 1,000 Career Points as No. 4 Golden Knights Dominate Shepherd

ERIE, Pa. – The fourth-ranked Gannon women's basketball team won its fourth straight game and improved to 13-1 overall and 5-0 in the PSAC with a 85-39 win over Shepherd on Tuesday afternoon. The loss dropped the Rams to 3-8 and 0-4, respectively.

Shepherd was no match for Gannon's suffocating defense as the Golden Knights held the Rams to 25.8 percent shooting from the floor (16-of-62). Gannon, meanwhile, shot over 50 percent for the second straight game, finishing at 51.6 percent (32-of-62). While forcing 16 turnovers, Gannon held a 22-3 advantage in points off turnovers.

The other highlight of the day was Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) becoming the 32nd Golden Knight to score 1,000 career points. The junior guard was one of four Golden Knights in double figures with 13 points, bosting her career total to 1,005. She hit a short pull-up jumper with 6:42 remaining in the third quarter for her 1,000th career point, to the delight of her teammates.

By that point the victory was well in hand. Gannon never trailed in the game and led 24-11 after one quarter. The lead grew to 44-21 at the half and it was 68-28 after three quarters after Gannon outscored Shepherd 24-7 in the third period.

Gannon will play one last time in 2024 before the New Year dawns. The Golden Knights travel to Lock Haven for a rematch of last year's PSAC Championship Game. That contest takes place on Saturday, December 21 at 1:00 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Gannon led the entire game after Maddy Wheatly opened the game with a pair of layups. The Golden Knights were 19-11 late in the first quarter before running off the final five points of the quarter for a 24-11 lead after one period. Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) scored eight of her 13 points in the quarter.

The lead grew to as much as 25 points in the second quarter at 44-19 on a Claxon jumper with just over a minute remaining. Any comeback hopes the Rams may have had ended when Gannon opened the third quarter on a 17-2 run to make it 51-23. Wheatley accounted for seven of the points. Shepherd ended up being outscored 24-7 in the period as it ended with Gannon leading 68-28. The Rams were 3-of-16 from the floor in the period.

BY THE NUMBERS
After shooting a season-high 53.6 percent from the floor at Shippensburg the Golden Knights once again finished over 50 percent at 51.6 percent (32-of-62). That included a 7-of-20 showing from beyond the 3-point arc. They also made 14-of-19 free throws. The defense, meanwhile, limited Shepherd to 25.8 percent (16-of-62), marking the fourth straight game holding an opponent under 30 percent. The Rams made just 1-of-17 3-pointers and were 6-of-18 at the line.

Gannon dominated the interior, outrebounding the Rams 46-35 and outscoring them 40-18 in the paint. Gannon also committed just 10 turnovers compared to 16 for Shepherd.

Four Golden Knights scored in double figures, led by Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) with 14 points. She made 5-of-7 field goals, including 2-of-3 three's, while adding four assists and two steals.

Gannon's 85 points were a season high, eclipsing the 83 points they scored in a win over Glenville State. They have now held six opponents under 50 points.

Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster), Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) and Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) all scored 13 points. For Claxon, it gave the junior guard 1,005 career points as she became the 32nd Golden Knight to reach 1,000 points. She hit a short pull-up jumper with 6:42 left in the third quarter for her 1,000th point.

Ratliff added eight rebounds to tie for the team lead. The sophomore was an efficient 4-of-6 from the floor and 4-of-4 at the line. Slater has now come off the bench to score in double figures in three of the last four games.

Eleven different players scored. Sophomore Taylor Ethridge (Chesapeake, Va./Catholic) fell one point shy of her career high, finishing with eight points, and matched Ratliff with a career-high eight rebounds.

NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Gannon travels to Lock Haven for the final PSAC crossover of the season on Saturday, December 21. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. Last year the two teams met in the PSAC Championship Game and the Atlantic Regional semifinals. 
 
Print Friendly Version