MB - Senior Day
91
Pitt.-Johnstown Pitt-J 6-21,4-17 PSAC
117
Winner Gannon Gannon 25-2,19-2 PSAC
Pitt.-Johnstown Pitt-J
6-21,4-17 PSAC
91
Final
117
Gannon Gannon
25-2,19-2 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Pitt.-Johnstown Pitt-J 44 47 91
Gannon Gannon 54 63 117

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

Golden Knights Send Seniors Out in Style with 117-91 Win over Pitt-Johnstown

Tipton enjoys first double-double as a Golden Knight with 30 points and 12 rebounds

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's basketball team paid tribute to four players who have led the resurgence of the program with Senior Day festivities prior to Sunday's game with Pitt-Johnstown. The Golden Knights proceeded to pay tribute to the quartet with a 117-91 win over the Mountain Cats at Hagerty Family Events Center.

The Golden Knights, under first-year head coach Jordan Fee, extended its's winning streak to 14 games while improving to 25-2 overall and 19-2 in the PSAC West. They came in ranked fourth in the NABC Division II Top 25 and fifth in the D2CSC Media Poll. UPJ suffered its fourth straight loss while dropping to 6-21 overall and 4-17 in league play. The 14 straight wins are the longest since the 2001-02 also won 14 games in a row, while the 25 wins are the most since the 2008-09 squad finished at 30-4.

This past summer the foursome of Nigel Haughton (Bel Air, Md./South Kent), Zachary Hobbs (Gilbert, Ariz./Mesa), Nathan Schneider (Kersey, Pa./St. Marys Area) and Lyle Tipton (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy), all graduate transfers, joined Fee as he looked to rebuild a program that won just three games a year ago. On Sunday that all played a key role on the day they were honored.

Tipton, who scored over 1,700 points at Geneva, led all scorers with a season-high 30 points, and also pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds. Ten of those came on the offensive glass. The 6-foot-3 swingman scored 15 points in each half. It was his first double-double at Gannon. He made 11-of-18 field goals, including 4-of-7 3-pointers, and 4-of-6 at the line. Tipton added three steals.

Hobbs scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half. The 6-foot-4 swingman by way of Indiana State rediscovered his sweet shooting stroke in the second half after recently sitting out two games with an injury. He made 7-of-14 shots, including 5-of-11 3-pointers.

Haughton, meanwhile, did what he has done every game – fill up the stat sheet while going somewhat unnoticed. The transfer from Chestnut Hill made 5-of-8 field goals, including a pair of 3-pointers, to finish with 12 points. He added five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Schneider was awarded his first start as a Golden Knight in his final regular season home game. The transfer from Pitt-Bradford finished with six points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal.

It was another record-breaking performance for Gannon. The 100-point game was the 15th of the season for a Golden Knights squad that came in leading Division II in scoring. They attempted a school-record 44 3-pointers, making 17 as six different players made at least from beyond the arc. The 17 trifectas are two shy of the season high. Gannon attempted 91 shots, two shy of the school record of 93. That was tied earlier this year with 93 against Glenville State.  

Despite the impressive numbers, the Golden Knights found themselves in a dog fight midway through the second half. UPJ used a late first-half rally to pull to within 10 at the half at 54-44.

The Mountain Cats were within seven points at 68-61 when Gannon used the first of two big spurts to build a 78-63 lead with 12:08 remaining. Hobbs drained a pair of 3-pointers as part of the 10-2 run.

UPJ was still within striking distance at 82-72 with just under ten minutes remaining when the second run put the contest away. Over the next three minutes Gannon outscored the Mountain Cats 17-4, a run that included 13 straight points. That left the lead at 99-74.

The only thing left was who would do the honors of scoring the 100th point for the 15th time. It was Haughton on a 3-pointer with 5:36 remaining.

Gannon fell just shy of 50 percent from the floor at 49.5 (45-of-91), while UPJ came in at 58.3 percent (35-of-60), While Gannon was making 17-of-44 3-pointers the Mountain Cats made 6-of-16. Gannon went 10-of-13 at the line and UPJ 15-of-18.

In the first meeting this year Pitt-Johnstown committed 30 turnovers. This time around the Mountain Cats were guilty of 28 miscues compared to just 11 for the Golden Knights. Gannon held a 32-16 edge in points off turnovers. With a strong second-half showing Gannon outrebounded UPJ 41-35.

A total of five Golden Knights reached double digits. Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) contributed 17 points along with four assists, two steals and a pair of blocks.

Freshman Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) made 4-of-10 3-pointers while ending the day with 16 points. Derrick James (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) ended with 11 points, nine assists and four steals.
The inside tandem of Gavin Headings and Nick Watts led UPJ with 18 points apiece as the Mountain Cats also had five players in double figures.

Gannon will conclude the regular season on Saturday, March 2 at Seton Hill. The Golden Knights are then assured of hosting a PSAC Quarterfinal game on Wednesday, March 6.

 
Lisa Goddard McGuirk an Paige Garrity present the Rand Garrity Award to Nigel Haughton and Ali Benim
Lisa Goddard McGuirk and Paige Garrity present the Rand Garrity Award to Nigel Haughton and Ali Benim. (Joe Mattis photo)





Haughton honored:

Senior guard Nigel Haughton (Bel Air, Md./South Kent) received a high Gannon honor after the game when he was named the male winner of the Rand Garrity Sportsmanship Award, in memory of a longtime Gannon employee and basketball fan.

Ali Benim was named the female winner of the award.

Rand Garrity's granddaughter, Paige Garrity, was on hand for the award presentation.


    
 




 
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