Sam Pirosko
Taylor Brown

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

Game Preview: No. 5/6 Gannon Hosts Clarion as Regular Season Winds Down

CLARION GOLDEN EAGLES (0-24, 0-18 PSAC West) at No. 5/6 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (25-2, 17-1 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, February 17, 2024 | 1:00 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: Hagerty Family Events Center l Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS l LIVE VIDEO

GAME NOTES
 
THE GANNON-CLARION ALL-TIME SERIES
Gannon leads 49-15  
Gannon has won the last 14 meetings with Clarion and 32 of the last 33 meetings. The Golden Knights avoided an upset at Clarion in the first meeting of the year on January 20, coming away with a 54-44 victory.

The Last Meeting
Jan. 20, 2024 – Gannon 54, at Clarion 44 I RECAP
Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) connected on back-to-back 3-point field goals to turn a two-point deficit into a four-point lead midway through the third quarter as Gannon posted its 16th straight win. Pirosko led Gannon with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) was also in double figures with 11 points. McKel Nation (Lebanon, Ohio/Springboro) added eight points and a team-high six rebounds. Gannon shot an uncharacteristically low 34 percent (17-of-50) from the field, but the Golden Knights limited Clarion to 29.8 percent (14-of-47) and forced 24 turnovers.
 

ERIE, Pa. – Gannon completes a stretch of five home games in six playing dates on Saturday when the Golden Knights host Clarion on Saturday, February 17. Tipoff at Hagerty Family Events Center is 1:00 p.m.

The Golden Knights saw their 21-game winning streak snapped a week ago with a one-point loss at Indiana (Pa.) but returned to their dominant form on Wednesday with an 85-45 win over Slippery Rock. The win was fueled by a season-best 15 3-pointers in 28 attempts, with a believed-to-be-record nine players making a trifecta. What makes the outing even more noteworthy is in the previous three games Gannon had made six 3-pointers total.

The victory boosted the Golden Knights to 25-2 and 17-1 in the PSAC West, in the process clinching a first-round bye in the PSAC Tournament and ensuring a home game in the quarterfinals. The 25 wins is tied for the seventh-highest win total in a season.

Clarion enters the game looking to hand first-year coach Danielle Fleming her first win at the helm of the Golden Eagles. They are 0-24 overall and 0-18 in conference play following Wednesday's 84-53 loss at California (Pa.).

However, head coach Cleve Wright knows his Golden Knights can't afford to take Clarion lightly. In the first meeting at Clarion on January 20 the Golden Eagles held a lead into the third quarter before a pair of Sam Pirosko 3-pointers led Gannon to a 54-44 win. The game before that Clarion took California (Pa.) into overtime before suffering a 66-62 defeat.

After being ranked second in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and third in the D2CSC Media Poll for three weeks last Saturday's setback dropped Gannon three spots in both polls. The Golden Knights are now fifth in the WBCA rankings and sit in sixth place in the D2CSC poll.

The 21-game winning streak was the second-longest in school history, bettered only by a 37-game stretch in 2009-10.

Gannon's defense continues to excel. The Golden Knights rank first in the PSAC and fifth in Division II in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 52.7 ppg. The Golden Knights have held ten opponents to 50 points or less. In addition, they lead the PSAC in turnover margin (+4.26) while ranking second in the PSAC in steals (10.1) and turnovers forced per game (20.04), along with third in field goal percentage defense (34.8 pct.). That figure is good for 14th nationally.

Sam Pirosko recently became just the third Golden Knight to reach 2,000 career points in her career. That total now stands at 2,055 points. When she takes the court on Saturday it will be her 133rd game, breaking the record for career games played. Sydney Mitchell played 132 career games. She has also moved up to sixth in career rebounds (802).

THE LAST TIME OUT
Gannon 85, Slippery Rock 45 – After three sub-par shooting efforts Gannon broke out in a big way. The Golden Knights made 15-of-28 3-pointers with nine players making at least one. Gannon led 41-18 and built the lead to 62-26 after three quarters, with reserves playing out the rest of the game. Five Golden Knights reached double figures with Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) enjoying a perfect shooting day while scoring 16 points. The sophomore guard was 6-for-6 from the floor, making both 3-point attempts, and was 2-of-2 from the line. Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) added 14 points while making 3-of-6 3-pointers. Fellow freshman Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) also sank three 3-pointers on her way to 11 points, adding a team-high six rebounds. Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) extended her streak of consecutive games in double figures with 10 points while playing just 24 minutes. The streak now sits at 60 games. McKel Nation (Lebanon, Ohio/Springboro) also scored 10 points. The Gannon defense was once again superb, holding SRU to 29.1 percent shooting from the floor (16-of-55) and outrebounding The Rock 40-29.

California (Pa.) 72, Clarion 53 –The Golden Eagles remained winless as California (Pa.) jumped out to a 20-7 lead after one period. Clarion pulled to within 34-23 at the half but Cal outscored the Golden Eagles 28-12 in the third period. Autumn Taylor led Clarion with 18 points while Sadre'a Rougeau came off the bench to score 15 points. Both made 3-of-5 3-pointers. The Golden Eagles shot just 32.8 percent from the floor (19-of-58) and were outrebounded 53-29.
 
Gannon Falls Three Spots in Latest National Polls
After sitting as high as second in the Division II national rankings for the last three weeks the Gannon women's basketball team slipped back slightly this week following the 53-52 loss at Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday. The Golden Knights fell three spots in both the WBCA Top 25 and D2CSC Media Poll. They are now fifth in the former and sixth in the latter. Gannon did receive one first place vote in the D2CSC poll. The second place ranking had been the highest attained by the Golden Knights since they were also second throughout the first half of the 2013-14 season. The WBCA poll at that time was the USA Today Sports Division II Top 25.
 
Bombs Away as Nine Players Make a 3-Pointer vs. SRU
What a difference a game makes. Gannon had suffered through a long-distance shooting slump over the previous three games, making just six 3-pointers and shooting 14 percent over that period. It all came together on Wednesday night against Slippery Rock. After a missed three to open the game freshman Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) made a 3-pointer. And the Golden Knights just kept making shots from beyond the arc the rest of the night. They finished with a season-high 15 3-pointers in 28 attempts. That's more than they had made in the previous four games. While it will take some research to confirm, a likely school record nine different players made at least one 3-pointer. Ratliff and redshirt freshman Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) each made three 3-pointers while Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) and Clarissa Dunham made a pair of trifectas.
 
Wright Wins 200th PSAC Game
Wednesday's 85-45 win over Slippery Rock was the 200th PSAC win for head coach Cleve Wright. The Golden Knights are 17-1 in PSAC action this year. He owns a 200-71 record in PSAC regular season contests. In addition, Wright is in his 16th season as Gannon's head coach and has 349 career wins. 
 
Pirosko Keeps Double Digit Streak Alive
Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) has now scored in double digits in 60 consecutive games. The redshirt senior extended the streak on Wednesday – barely. She scored 10 points against Slippery Rock, although that's a bit misleading since she spent the entire fourth quarter on the bench with Gannon holding a large lead. In fact Pirosko played just 24 minutes. A year ago Notre Dame (Ohio) held Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) to six points in the season opener. After that she scored in double figures in the remaining 33 games. The two-time All-American has extended the streak to 60 games with 27 games in double digits to start the 2023-24 campaign.
 
Posts Step Outside
Gannon received strong play from its post players against Slippery Rock, with the tandem of McKel Nation (Lebanon, Ohio/Springboro) and Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) combining for 21 points and 10 rebounds. Nation totaled 10 points and four rebounds with a 3-pointer. Maibach was 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, ending the night with 11 points and a team-high six boards. Freshman Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) played the final four minutes and added a 3-pointer plus a rebound.
 
Wheatley Turns in Strong Effort Off the Bench
Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) started the first 15 games of the season and has since been coming off the bench. The redshirt sophomore has proven a valuable performer in a reserve role. On Wednesday against Slippery Rock she contributed seven points and five rebounds while playing 16 minutes. She added two assists and two steals.
 
21-Game Streak Second-Longest in School History
Gannon had not lost a game for three months until being nipped at the end by a point at Indiana (Pa.) last Saturday. The 53-52 setback snapped a 21-game winning streak. That is the second-longest in school history, bettered only by a 37-game winning streak to start the 2009-10 season. Long winning streaks are almost common for head coach Cleve Wright's teams. A year ago the Golden Knights had a 12-game winning streak and later an 11-game winning streak. The 2020-21 team enjoyed a nine-game winning streak. All told Wright's Gannon teams have now had eight winning streaks of ten games or more. In 2006-07 Gannon won 10 straight games, and the 2008-09 team matched that and also had a nine-game winning streak. Wright's last team in his first tenure in 2012-13 team won 14 straight games. The next year the Golden Knights won 17 games in a row under Jim Brunelli. The 1977-78 team also won 18 straight games, which was previously the second-longest until recently.
 
Pirosko Third Golden Knight to Join the 2000-Point Club
With 7:35 remaining in the second quarter last Wednesday against Edinboro Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) made the first of two free throws for her 2,000th career point. The redshirt senior joined Rona Nesbit (2,340 points) and Kristin Roseberry (2,147) as the third Gannon women's basketball player to reach the milestone.  She ended the night with 27 points, then scored 23 points on Saturday at IUP. While playing limited minutes on Wednesday she added 10 points vs. Slippery Rock to boost her career total to 2,055 points.
 
Pirosko Ties Longevity Record
Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) ranks among Gannon's career record-holders in numerous categories. On Wednesday she tied one that speaks for her longevity. Pirosko played in her 132nd game against Slippery Rock. That tied the school record previously held by Sydney Mitchell.

Golden Knights Achieve Ninth 20-Win Season Under Wright
Gannon recently reached 20 wins with a 69-44 win over Mercyhurst. The 25-2 record marks the ninth 20-win season under head coach Cleve Wright and the third in a row. In fact, factor out the abbreviated 2020-21 COVID-19 season when Gannon finished at 13-1 and it is four straight 20-win seasons since Wright returned for his second tenure as Gannon's head coach. He departed after the 2012-13 season with back-to-back 20-win campaigns. In other words, Wright has now led the Golden Knights to six straight 20-win seasons when factoring out the COVID season.

25 Wins Tied for Seventh in a Season
Gannon's 25 victories to date are tied for seventh for wins in a season. The 2006-07 and 2019-20 squads also won 25 games. The school record for victories is 37 in 2009-10 when the Golden Knights finished 37-1 and reached the NCAA Division II semifinals.

Gannon D Among the Elite
Gannon's defense ranks among the best in Division II in numerous categories. The Golden Knights rank first in the PSAC and fifth in Division II in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 52.7 ppg. The Golden Knights have held ten opponents to 50 points or less. In addition, they lead the PSAC in turnover margin (+4.26) while ranking second in the PSAC in steals (10.1) and turnovers forced per game (20.04), along with third in field goal percentage defense (34.8 pct.). That figure is good for 14th nationally.

Scouting Clarion
Clarion has struggled under first-year head coach Danielle Fleming, with the Golden Eagles still in search of their first win at 0-24 and 0-18 in the PSAC West. But they have also proven to be very competitive. For instance, in the first meeting with Gannon they led midway through the third quarter before succumbing 54-44. The game before that Clarion took California (Pa.) into overtime before losing 66-62. They were not as fortunate against the Vulcans on Wednesday nigh Cal handed Clarion a xx defeat.  Autumn Taylor leads the Golden Eagles in scoring at 10.8 ppg. The 5-foot-7 freshman has made 50-of-159 3-pointers.  Sadre'a Rougeau adds 9.0 ppg. and has made 33-of-92 3-pointers. Taylor has a team-high 49 assists while Rougeau, a 5-foot-7 graduate student who played at Goshen previously, paces the Golden Eagles with 38 steals.

Next for the Golden Knights
Gannon will face crosstown rival Mercyhurst for the second time this season on Wednesday, February 21. This time the game will take place at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center with tipoff at 5:30 p.m. Gannon captured the first encounter on January 24 by a score of 69-44.
 
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Players Mentioned

Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

G
5' 7"
Sophomore
Andrea Maibach

#34 Andrea Maibach

P
6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
McKel Nation

#50 McKel Nation

P
6' 2"
Senior
Samantha Pirosko

#44 Samantha Pirosko

P
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

G
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Undeclared
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Mia Slater

#25 Mia Slater

P
6' 2"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

5' 7"
Sophomore
G
Andrea Maibach

#34 Andrea Maibach

6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
P
McKel Nation

#50 McKel Nation

6' 2"
Senior
P
Samantha Pirosko

#44 Samantha Pirosko

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
P
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Undeclared
G
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Mia Slater

#25 Mia Slater

6' 2"
Freshman
P