Derrick James
Taylor Brown
84
Winner Gannon Gannon 24-2,18-2 PSAC
78
Mercyhurst Mercy 13-14,9-10 PSAC
Winner
Gannon Gannon
24-2,18-2 PSAC
84
Final
78
Mercyhurst Mercy
13-14,9-10 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon Gannon 41 43 84
Mercyhurst Mercy 31 47 78

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

James Powers Gannon Down the Stretch to Come-from-Behind Win at Mercyhurst

Golden Knights sweep regular season series for first time since 2017-18

ERIE, Pa. – Derrick James (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) scored 11 of Gannon's final 14 points as the Golden Knights rallied in the second half to extend their winning streak to 13 games with an 84-78 win at Mercyhurst on Wednesday evening at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. The Golden Knights swept the regular season series with the Lakers for the first time since the 2017-18 season after snapping a ten-game losing streak to their crosstown-rival in the first meeting.

Gannon improved to 24-2 and 18-2 in the PSAC West while Mercyhurst dipped to 13-14 and 9-10, respectively. The Golden Knights, under first-year head coach Jordan Fee, came in ranked fourth in Division II in the D2CSC Media Poll and fifth in the NABC Top 25.

The Golden Knights never trailed in the first half, leading by as many as 13 points before settling for a 41-31 lead at intermission. Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) drained a jumper and a 3-pointer to as Gannon scored the final five points of the half.

Mercyhurst quickly whittled the lead down in the second half, opening the period on a 1605 run to take its first lead of the night at 47-46 with just under 17 minutes remaining. From that point the game was a nail-biter featuring plenty of physical play.

The lead would change hands ten times along with seven lead changes with neither team leading by more than four points until the final minute.

The Lakers would hold their last lead at 70-67 with 4:53 remaining. Ten seconds later Lyle Tipton's (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) 3-pointer tied the game at 70-70. Then James took over. The sophomore guard made a pair of free throws to give Gannon the lead for good at 72-70 with 3:03 left to play. He followed with a steal on the other end of the court and went to the line again, making two more free throws for a 74-70 advantage at the 2:17 mark.

Mercyhurst cut the deficit in half on a Jeff Planutis layup, but Tipton made it a four-point lead again with two more free throws with 1:52 left. Sean Fullerton answered with a 3-point play with 1:27 remaining and Gannon's lead was suddenly a scant point at 76-75 at the 1:27 mark.

James then applied the dagger. For the second time in recent games the point guard hit a big 3-pointer, this one from the right wing with 1:03 remaining for a 79-75 lead. The lead grew to six points 81-75 when James converted two more from the charity stripe with 36 seconds left to play, capping a 14-5 run.

Mercyhurst wasn't done, however. Planutis' layup and free throw with 25 seconds left made it 81-78. Those would be the last points for the Lakers, however. Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) made one-of-two free throws and James steal and layup with nine seconds to play capped the comeback.

 

James, a transfer from Ashland in his first season as a Golden Knight, finished with 17 points, scoring 11 of Gannon's final 14 points. He made 5-of-8 field goals and was 6-of-7 at the line, adding three steals.

Tipton led five Golden Knights in double figures with 19 points, making 6-of-9 field, including a pair of 3-pointers, and going 5-of-6 at the line. Omojafo scored 12 points and despite having an off night at the charity stripe the sophomore guard broke Butch Warner's second record for free throw's made, going 4-of-9 for 174 free throws made.

The "second wave" once again came up big with a pair of double-figure scorers. Shelton scored 11 points, with three 3-pointers in five attempts, while Mike Montano (Alexandria, Va./Thomas Edison) fell a rebound shy of his third straight double-double with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Mercyhurst only had five players score, with all five in double figures. Luke Triggs had a game-high 22 points while Planutis scored 21 points.
Both teams shot well from the floor, with Gannon at 51.8 percent (29-of-66), making 6-of-20 three's, and the Lakers at 48.5 percent (32-of-66), including 6-of-16 on 3-pointers. Gannon had an up-and-down night at the line, but still made 20-of-32 compared to 8-of-13 for Mercyhurst. Gannon was 9-of-10 at the line over the final three minutes.

Mercyhurst held a narrow 35-33 advantage on the glass, while the Lakers committed 15 turnovers and Gannon 13.

Gannon maintained its one game lead over California (Pa.) in the Western Division. The Golden Knights have two games remaining, hosting Pitt-Johnstown for Senior Day on Sunday, February 25 before concluding the regular season at Seton Hill on Saturday, March 2.    
 
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