Tasman Goodrick vs. Nova Southeastern
Mike Gallagher
81
West Virginia St. WVSt 5-6,3-3 MEC
97
Winner Gannon Gannon 11-2,6-0 PSAC
West Virginia St. WVSt
5-6,3-3 MEC
81
Final
97
Gannon Gannon
11-2,6-0 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
West Virginia St. WVSt 46 35 81
Gannon Gannon 47 50 97

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

Goodrick Enjoys Monster Game for 97-81 Win over West Virginia State

Golden Knights win with Bazzoli out due to illness

ERIE, Pa. -- The Gannon men's basketball team has dealt with a number of injuries through the first half of the season. The Golden Knights opened the 2025 portion of their schedule with a different kind of absence. When they took the floor on Thursday afternoon against West Virginia State head coach Easton Bazzoli was noticeably absent. The first-year head coach was unable to man the bench due to illness.

Assistant coach Mike Chalas served in his stead with fellow assistant JC Hawkins at his side. The duo guided Gannon (11-2) to its 11th straight win, a 97-81 win over the visiting Yellow Jackets (5-6) in a battle of two 2024 NCAA Atlantic Regional playoff teams. The contest was a rescheduled game from the opening night of the Gary Miller Classic. Gannon came in ranked 17th in the latest D2CSC Top 25.

The two teams battled on even terms for three-quarters of the game. At one point West Virginia State ran off 13 straight points to take a 10-point lead in the first half. The game featured 11 lead changes and five ties.

But the Yellow Jackets had no answer for Gannon's big run, an 11-1 burst in the second half that turned a tight four-point lead into a 69-55 advantage with just under 13 minutes to play. West Virginia State never pulled closer than nine points the rest of the way.

Chalas was able to ride the efforts of big man Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College). The 6-foot-9 sophomore became the first Golden Knight with a 20-20 game – 20 points and 20 rebounds – since Nov. 15, 2005 when Aurimas Truskauskas finished with 20 points and 20 rebounds  vs. Penn State Beaver. Goodrick matched his career high with 22 points and pulled down a career-best 20 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season.

The Golden Knights were playing the first of two games in three days. They are right back in action on Saturday hosting California (Pa.) as PSAC West action gets underway. Tipoff at Hagerty Family Events Center is 3:00 p.m.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After trailing early 5-2 West Virginia State ran off 13 straight points to take its largest lead of the game at 15-5 with 14:10 left in the first half. Gannon went four minutes without a point but the Golden Knights righted themselves as the two teams battled for the lead throughout the half.

The first half would feature 11 lead changes and five ties. West Virginia State took its last lead at 46-45 with a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left, but Gannon went into the locker room ahead 47-46 thanks to a pair of Lucas Sekasi (Washington, DC/Jackson-Reed) free throws with six seconds to play.

Gannon never trailed in the second half but the Golden Knights didn't grab control until an 11-1 run seven minutes into the half. West Virginia State turned the ball over just 12 times against the pressing Golden Knights, but three straight turnovers fuel Gannon's burst.

After struggling from beyond the arc in the first half the decisive run began with an Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) 3-pointer to make it 61-54. After WVSU's Nate Mims made one-of-two free throws Pace Prosser (Berlin, Pa./Berlin Brothersvalley) hit another three. An offensive foul gave the ball back to Gannon and Tasman Goodrick's (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College) put back built the lead to 66-55. Shelton capped the run with another 3-pointer following a Yellow Jackets' turnover. Gannon now led 69-55 with 12:57 remaining.
 
West Virginia State was unable to close the gap to closer than nine points the rest of the way, that on two occasions. The second occurred with 4:10 left at 85-76, but a pair of Shelton free throws, followed by Goodrick dunk and free throw gave Gannon a safe 90-76 lead with just under three minutes to play.

BY THE NUMBERS
A talented and athletic West Virginia State team had no answer for Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College). The 6-foot-9 sophomore, a transfer from Division I Cal Baptist, became the first player with 20 points and 20 rebounds since 2005. Goodrick finished with 22 points, matching his career high, and a career-best 20 rebounds. It was the first 20-20 game by a Golden Knight since Nov. 15, 2005 when Aurimas Truskauskas had 20 points and 20 rebounds vs. PSU Beaver. The last player with more than 20 rebounds was James Clark with 21 rebounds vs. Mercyhurst on Feb. 8, 1996. Goodrick made 9-of-15 field goals, including a 3-pointer, and was 3-of-5 at the line.

Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) continued his strong play with 17 points as Gannon had four players in double figures. The 6-foot-5 sophomore was 6-of-12 from the floor, making 3-of-8 3-pointers.

Freshman Pace Prosser (Berlin, Pa./Berlin Brothersvalley) totaled 15 points, 10 of those in the second half. He was 6-of-11 from the floor, 2-of-4 on three's, adding a game-high seven assists with just one turnover. Backcourt mate Justin DeBuck (Broward County, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter) added 10 points and four assists.

Gannon shot 42.0 percent from the floor (37-of-88), finishing with 16 more shot attempts than the Yellow Jackets. Twenty offensive rebounds had a lot to do with that, as Gannon finished with a 54-46 rebounding advantage. Gannon made 8-of-26 3-pointers and went 15-of-19 at the line.

West Virginia State was held to 40.3 percent (29-of-72) as Gannon stepped up the D in the second half. The Yellow Jackets shot 52.9 percent in the first half but just 28.9 (11-of-38) in the second half. They were 5-of-17 on three's and 18-of-28 at the charity stripe.

Gannon turned the ball over just eight times, the second straight game with less than 10 turnovers. WVSU committed just 12 turnovers, the fewest by a Gannon opponent this year.

West Virginia State also had four players in double figures. Kenyon Giles led the way with 20 points while Nate Mims had 17 points and Jae Slack totaling 16 points and 12 rebounds.

NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Gannon begins PSAC West action on Saturday, January 4 hosting California (Pa.). The contest tips off at 3:00 p.m. at the Hagerty Family Events Center. It is Military Appreciation/Whiteout Day with current and former members of the armed services admitted free. 
 
Print Friendly Version