ERIE, Pa. – Atlantic Region champions! Elite Eight bound!

The Gannon women's basketball team's tremendous season endured on Tuesday evening as coach Cleve Wright's squad capped a dominant performance in the Atlantic Regional tournament with a 72-47 victory over Fayetteville State in the title game at Hagerty Family Events Center.

The Golden Knights will now prepare to travel to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in St. Joseph, Mo., starting next week. It will be the Gannon women's program's third trip to the Elite Eight and first since 2013. After the game, the NCAA awarded Gannon with the No. 1 overall seed in the Elite Eight. The Knights will meet No. 8 Cal St. San Marcos on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in St. Joseph, Mo.

It was the first game of an unforgettable doubleheader at Joann Mullen Gymnasium. Fans packed the facility to watch the women win convincingly before the GU men beat Charleston 67-65 on a last-second tip-in by Nigel Haughton. The evening will be remembered as one of the greatest sports moments in Gannon history, maybe even Erie sports history. No NCAA Division II school had hosted a split regional and won both titles -- until now.

The Gannon women won Tuesday with a familiar formula that had led the Knights to a 35-2 record this season: defense, balance, and a lot of Sam Pirosko.
 

Pirosko was named Tournament MVP after she led Gannon with 18 points and nine rebounds. It is the latest in a series of awards for the senior post player, who earlier repeated as the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and the D2CCA Player of the Year. She also was named PSAC Tournament MVP after Gannon won the tournament.

As good as Pirosko was during the tournament, this was a total team effort. Four players scored in double figures as freshman Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) collected 16 points, sophomore Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) struck for 15, and Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) added 13. Claxon was also named to the Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team.

As it has been all season, the Gannon defense was superb again. The Golden Knights held the Broncos to 28.3 percent shooting (17-of-60) from the field.

The Golden Knights continued their outstanding play at home as the moved to 18-1, including 13 in a row at their home away from home, Hagerty Family Events Center. Gannon lost its home opener to Glenville State 74-70 and has won 18 consecutive home games since then.

Fayetteville closed its season with a 29-3 record as the CIAA champion.
 

 
Strong first-half finish:

Gannon and Fayetteville State played a back-and-forth game for much of the first half. The Golden Knights led 14-11 after the first quarter and led just 28-26 when FSU's Talia Trotter made two free throws with 1:26 left in the half.

That's when Gannon's 3-point shooting changed the game.

Ratliff drilled a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left and Claxon added a 3 just before the first-half buzzer to increase GU's lead to 34-26. That was as close as Fayetteville State would get the rest of the way as Gannon hit an array of 3-pointers.

Ratliff's 3-pointer at the 3:13 mark of the quarter gave the Knights a 47-35 advantage. Dunham's 3 with 1:25 left made it 52-35.

Dunham then hit a dagger shot as the third quarter closed. She drained a 3-pointer with 1 second left to extend the margin to 18 points at 55-37. That capped a 21-1 run in the third quarter and a 27-11 run including the final minute of the first half.

Gannon cruised through the fourth quarter, outscoring FSU 17-10.





3-point flurry:

Gannon closed the game with 13 3-pointers on 36 attempts for 36.1 percent.

Dunham led the Knights with five 3-pointers, and Ratliff connected on four 3's. Claxon added a trio of 3's while Olivia Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) had one.

 
What's ahead:

Gannon will open play in the Cal St. San Marcos on Monday at 7 p.m. in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals at St. Joseph Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.



 

Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team

MVP: Sam Pirosko, Gannon
Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster), Gannon
Aniylah Bryant, Fayetteville State
Talia Trotter, Fayetteville State
Jenadia Jordan, Lock Haven