Mike Montano vs. Cal
Joe Mattis

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

Men's Basketball Game Preview: Gannon Hosts Slippery Rock on Gold Out Night, Return to Highmark Events Center

SLIPPERY ROCK THE ROCK (10-7, 6-3 PSAC West) at No. 21/7 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (14-2, 9-0 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, January 15, 2024 | 7:30 p.m.
HOMECOURT/LOCATION: Highmark Events Center l Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
GOLD-OUT NIGHT
Fans are encouraged to wear gold to Wednesday's return to the Highmark Events Center. Fans entering the facility will receive a variety of giveaways, while supplies last, including commemorative Centennial rally towel, commemorative Centennial golden pom pom, and maroon megaphones. In addition commemorative Centennial tee shirts will be on sale. There will also be giveaways designated for students.
 
THE GANNON-SLIPPERY ROCK SERIES
Gannon leads 35-21
Gannon snapped a four-game losing streak to Slippery Rock in the first meeting of 2023-24, winning in overtime 95-90 at Slippery Rock. The Golden Knights completed the sweep with a 94-91 win in the second meeting.

Last Meeting:  Feb. 14, 2024 – at Gannon 94, Slippery Rock 91 I RECAP
Gannon was able to hold off SRU after leading by double digits in the second half. The Rock closed to a point at 92-91 with 14 seconds left but Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) made two free throws with 11 seconds remaining and Lyle Tipton (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) came up with the win-sealing steal with six seconds left. Omojafo ended the night with 22 points as five Golden Knights scored in double figures. Jomo Goings led SRU with 25 points. 
 

ERIE, Pa. – After 13 months of games at Cathedral Prep's Hagerty Family Events Center the Gannon men's basketball team returns to its on-campus homecourt, the newly-refurbished Highmark Events Center. Awaiting them is a Slippery Rock team that gave them as good a battle as any team a year ago. The contest showcases the top two teams in the PSAC West.
 
Gannon opened the season with back-to-back losses to nationally-ranked teams but thanks to a miraculous comeback on Saturday at Edinboro the Golden Knights come in riding a 14-game winning streak. That leaves them with a 14-2 record along with an unblemished 9-0 record in the Western Division. They climbed this week two spots to seventh in the D2CSC Top 25 and reappear in the NABC Top 25 for the first time since the beginning of the season in 21st place.
 
The 14 wins in a row are tied for the second-longest winning streak in school history. A year ago the Golden Knights set the record with 21 consecutive victories. The 2001-02 team also won 14 games in a row.
 
Slippery Rock is streaking as well with wins in eight of the last nine games after snapping a five-game losing streak. SRU is 10-7 overall and sits in second place in the PSAC West at 6-3. With a strong returning cast Slippery Rock was picked to finish second in the PSAC West preseason poll. SRU had a seven-game winning streak snapped last Wednesday with a loss to California (Pa.) but got back on the winning path with a 102-66 win over Penn State New Kensington on Saturday.
 
A year ago Gannon picked up a pair of narrow wins vs. The Rock, winning 95-90 in overtime in the first meeting and 94-91 in the second at the Hagerty Family Events Center.
 
Saturday's win at Edinboro hardly seemed possible for most of the game. The Fighting Scots jumped out to a 21-point lead last in the half and were leading by 13 points at 83-70 with 6:42 remaining. Edinboro would score one more point the rest of the day, as Gannon ended the game on a 30-1 run! Gannon scored 17 points in a row take an 87-83 lead. After an Edinboro free throw, the Golden Knights ran off the final 13 points of the game to cap a 100-84 win..
 
Following Wednesday's game Gannon plays its final non-conference game this season, traveling to Amherst, N.Y. to play at Daemen on Saturday, January 18. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. The Wildcats are currently undefeated at 14-0 and ranked second in the NABC Division II Top 25.

The Knight Watch:
Record:  14-2, 9-0 PSAC West
Head Coach: Easton Bazzoli (1st year)
  • Gannon has run off 14 straight wins to tie for the second-longest winning streak in school history. Win No. 14 was highly improbable after Gannon trailed 56-35 in the final moments of the second quarter. The deficit was 13 points at 83-70 with 6:42 left before Gannon outscored the Fighting Scots 30-1 the rest of the way for a 100-84 win.
  • Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) was named the PSAC West Co-Athlete of the Week on Monday after leading Gannon to come-from-behind wins at Indiana (Pa.) and Edinboro last week. The sophomore guard scored a career-high 29 points at IUP, making six 3-pointers. On Saturday he added 21 points, going 15-for-15 from the line. Shelton has boosted his average to 18.8 ppg., good for fifth in the PSAC. In addition he leads the PSAC in 3-point field goals made per game (3.2) while making 51-of-140, and ranks second in free throw percentage at 92.5 pct. (62-of-67).
  • Gannon enters the game with a 14-2 record and is a perfect 9-0 vs. PSAC competition. They have climbed to seventh in the latest D2CSC Division II Top 25 and are seventh in the NABC poll.
  • After leading Division II in scoring a year ago the Golden Knights come in averaging 97.6 ppg., good for fifth in the country. They have scored 100-or-more points in seven games following a school-record 15 times last year. In addition, the Golden Knights are second in Division II in turnovers forced per game (21.88) and tied for fifth in turnover margin at +7.5.
  • Cal Baptist transfer Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College) was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Week last week and has been selected the Defensive Athlete of the Week twice. The 6-foot-9 sophomore recorded his ninth double-double of the season at IUP with 10 points and 10 rebounds. He is averaging 14.8 ppg. and 10.7 rpg., the latter figure ranking third in the PSAC and ninth in Division II.
  • Lucas Sekasi (Washington, DC/Jackson-Reed) ha started the last two games in the backcourt in place of injured Justin DeBuck (Broward County, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter). The 6-foot-5 freshman has responded with a season-high 19 points in both games. He has boosted his average to 8.4 ppg. and is tied for the team lead in assists with 65.
  • After missing the first eight games of the season Victor Desmond (Onalaska, Wisc./Onalaska) has played in the last eight contests, starting six times. A multi-talented 6-foot-7 junior who played his last two seasons at Des Moines Area CC, Desmond is averaging 7.9 ppg. and 5.4 rpg. 
Scouting Slippery Rock
Record: 10-7, 6-3 PSAC West        
Head Coach: Ian Grady (7th year)
Top Players: Jomo Goings (G, 6-4, R-Jr., 16.8 ppg., 6.1 rpg., 19-of-63 3's, 50 asts., 44 stls.); Maceo Austin (G, 6-5, Gr., 16.3 ppg., 6.1 rpg., 45 asts., 12 blks., 30 stls.); Ike Herster (G, 6-6, R-Jr., 15.2 ppg., 3.9 rpg., 32-of-12 3's)
  • With a strong returning cast Slippery Rock was picked to finish second in the PSAC West preseason poll. Four starters and 12 letterwinners returned from last year's team, but The Rock got off to a slow start, winning two of their first three games before suffering five straight losses. Since that time they have won eight of nine games to improve to 10-7 overall. Most important SRU is 6-3 in the PSAC West, good for second in the Western Division.
  • Slippery Rock features three players in the top 15 in the PSAC in scoring. The trio combines for almost 50 ppg., or almost two-thirds of the team's point production. Jomo Goings lead the way at 16.8 ppg., adding 6.1 rpg. The 6-foot-4 redshirt junior is tied for the team lead with 50 assists and leads The Rock with 44 steals. He earned second team All-PSAC West accolades a year ago.
  • Maceo Austin is not far behind at 16.3 ppg. and is also averaging 6.1 rpg. He has 45 assists and 30 steals. The 6-foot-5 grad student, who began his career at Duquesne, was a first team All-PSAC West honoree a year ago.
  • The third member of SRU's trio is former Golden Knight Ike Herster. The 6-foot-6 redshirt junior comes in at 15.2 ppg. and has made 32-of-102 3-pointers.
  • Next for the Golden Knights: Gannon plays its final non-conference game in 2024-25 facing a strong Daemen squad in Amherst, N.Y. on Saturday, January 18. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. Daemen began the week with a 14-0 record and is ranked second nationally.
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Players Mentioned

Josh Omojafo

#4 Josh Omojafo

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Lyle Tipton

#33 Lyle Tipton

G/F
6' 3"
Graduate Student
Ernest Shelton

#4 Ernest Shelton

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Lucas Sekasi

#2 Lucas Sekasi

G
6' 5"
Freshman
Justin DeBuck

#5 Justin DeBuck

G
6' 1"
Graduate Student
Victor Desmond

#15 Victor Desmond

G/F
6' 7"
Junior
Tasman Goodrick

#23 Tasman Goodrick

F
6' 9"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Josh Omojafo

#4 Josh Omojafo

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Lyle Tipton

#33 Lyle Tipton

6' 3"
Graduate Student
G/F
Ernest Shelton

#4 Ernest Shelton

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Lucas Sekasi

#2 Lucas Sekasi

6' 5"
Freshman
G
Justin DeBuck

#5 Justin DeBuck

6' 1"
Graduate Student
G
Victor Desmond

#15 Victor Desmond

6' 7"
Junior
G/F
Tasman Goodrick

#23 Tasman Goodrick

6' 9"
Sophomore
F