Lyle Tipton
Joe Mattis
63
Lincoln (PA) Linc 17-14,10-7 CIAA
97
Winner Gannon Gannon 30-2,20-2 PSAC
Lincoln (PA) Linc
17-14,10-7 CIAA
63
Final
97
Gannon Gannon
30-2,20-2 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Lincoln (PA) Linc 35 28 63
Gannon Gannon 49 48 97

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

No. 1 Seed Gannon Impressive in 97-63 Win over No. 8 Lincoln for First NCAA Tournament Win Since 2014

ERIE, Pa. – Gannon's first foray into the NCAA Tournament since 2018 proved to be a huge success for the Golden Knights. Five players scored in double figures and the No. 1 seed Golden Knights pulled away from CIAA champion and No. 8 seed Lincoln (Pa.) for a 97-63 victory.

The victory extends Gannon's school-record winning streak to 19 games while improving to 30-2 on the season. The 30 wins ties the school record for victories and comes in head coach Jordan Fee's first season at the helm. The 2008-09 Gannon edition finished at 30-4. Lincoln, winners of three straight and 10 of 12 games, saw its season come to an end at 17-14.

A near-capacity crowd turned out at Hagerty Family Events Center to see the Golden Knights play in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional for the first time since 2018 and host the regional for the first time since 2009. It was Gannon's first win in a regional since a 66-64 win over Charleston (WV) in 2014.

Friday's quarterfinal game was a rematch of the Gary Miller Classic championship game, with Gannon rallying for a 97-93 win. The Lions came out and reminded the Golden knights of just how big and athletic they were despite never leading in the game.

Gannon held a narrow 23-22 lead midway through the first half before scoring seven points in a row courtesy of the "second wave". Freshman Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) accounted for the last five points to make it 30-22. A pair of Lincoln baskets cut the lead to four at 30-26 with 7:37 left but Gannon held the Lions without a point over the next three minutes to go ahead 37-26 thanks to a 7-0 run.

Lincoln would pull to within six points at 39-33 with just over three minutes remaining in the half but the Golden Knights closed the half on a 10-2 run to head to the locker room ahead 49-35. Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) gave Gannon its biggest lead of the half on the final basket with a resounding dunk off a Derek Anderson alley-oop.
Lyle Tipton (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) opened the second half and Nigel Haughton (Bel Air, Md./South Kent) drained a 3-pointers for a 54-35 lead and a quick timeout by Lincoln. But the deficit would continue to grow. Gannon would score the first nine points of the half for a 58-35 lead and Gannon's advantage went under 20 points just once and that was 19 points.

With the game safely in hand Fee was able to rest his starters. The starting five came out of the game with 10:32 remaining in the game and Gannon holding a 69-43 lead. The "second wave" finished off the victory as no starter played more than 22 minutes. Gannon ended up outscoring the Lions 48-28 over the final 20 minutes as the lead grew to as much as 38 points.

Shelton led five Golden Knights in double figures while coming off the bench to score 17 points. He made 3-of-6 3-pointers and was 4-of-4 at the line. Omojafo added 16 points and a career-high five steals. The sophomore guard was 8-of-9 at the line. He boosted his season total to 639 points, moving into fourth place in a season. He has also now made 218 free throws in 266 attempts, both school records.

Tipton contributed 14 points, going 5-of-6 from the floor. Zachary Hobbs (Gilbert, Ariz./Mesa) made a pair of 3-pointers on his way to a 12-point night and Mike Montano (Alexandria, Va./Thomas Edison) also scored 12 points while pulling down a team-high eight rebounds, adding two steals and two blocks. The freshman also made 5-of-6 shots. Derrick James (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) added eight points, five rebounds and five assists. All told 11 players scored.

While scoring an all-time NCAA Tournament high 97 points, Gannon ended the night shooting 44.1 percent from the floor (30-of-68), including 7-of-28 on 3-pointers. The Golden Knights were 30-of-36 at the line (83.3 percent). Lincoln was held to 36.9 percent from the floor (23-of-64), going 6-of-21 on 3-pointers, and was 11-of-20 at the line.

Lincoln held a 26-13 advantage on the glass at the half, but it was all Gannon on the boards in the second half. The Golden Knights would end the night with a 47-42 advantage. Gannon forced the Lions into 22 turnovers, with 14 steals, while committing 12 turnovers. It led to a 33-11 advantage in points off turnovers.

Up next is an Atlantic Regional showdown with No. 4 seed West Liberty (26-6). The Hilltoppers pulled away to defeat No. 5 Millersville in the final game of the day.  Gannon is ranked third in the latest NABC Division II Top 25 and West Liberty 16th. The two teams are also two of the top scoring teams in Division II, with Gannon the top scoring team in the country.
 
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