Bri Claxon vs. Cal
Joe Mattis
61
Winner Gannon Gannon 15-2,7-1 PSAC
54
Indiana (PA) IUP 12-2,7-1 PSAC
Winner
Gannon Gannon
15-2,7-1 PSAC
61
Final
54
Indiana (PA) IUP
12-2,7-1 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Gannon Gannon 15 9 17 20 61
Indiana (PA) IUP 16 19 9 10 54

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

Gannon Scores Final Eight Points, Rides Claxon's Big Night for 61-54 Win at Indiana (Pa.)

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon women's basketball team outscored Indiana (Pa.) 37-19 in the second half and scored the final eight points of the game to rally for a 61-54 win at IUP on Wednesday night.
 
Both teams came in nationally-ranked with Gannon ninth in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and tenth in the D2CSC poll. IUP was 19th in the latter poll.
 
The Golden Knights improved to 15-2 overall and 7-1 in the PSAC West while handing IUP its first loss at home this season. The Crimson Hawks fell to 12-2 and are also 7-1 in league play.
 
IUP used a big second quarter to pull out to a 35-24 lead at the half. But the second half was all Gannon as the Golden Knights outscored the Crimson Hawks 17-9 in the third quarter and 20-10 in the fourth.
 
The Crismon Hawks also had no answer for Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster). The junior guard scored a season-high 28 points, at one point accounting for all 11 points in an 11-0 run in the third quarter.
 
Gannon trailed 54-53 with 1:36 remaining following a 3-point play by Shamia Strayhorn. Those were the final points the Crimson Hawks would score. Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) gave the Golden Knights the lead on a layup with 1 minute, 13 seconds left and Gannon made six-of-six free throws over the last 51 seconds.  
 
Gannon has run the gauntlet of some of the top teams in the PSAC West this week, playing California (Pa.) last Saturday followed by the IUP game and on Saturday they play at Edinboro. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The two teams battled on even terms in the first quarter with IUP holding a 16-15 lead after one period. The Golden Knights made 7-of-14 shots in the first quarter but they went ice cold in the second, making just 3-of-17 shots. IUP, meanwhile, was 8-of-15 from the floor.
 
IUP used a 9-0 run early in the second quarter to take a 28-17 lead midway through the period. Gannon closed to within four points but the Crimson Hawks scored the final seven points to take a 35-24 lead at the half. Gannon did not make a basket over the final three minutes.
 
IUP outscored Gannon 19-9 in the second quarter, but the Crimson Hawks would manage just 19 points in the second half. The Golden Knights turned up the defense, limiting IUP to seven field goals in 23 attempts.
 
IUP grabbed its biggest lead of the night at 39-27 with 7:26 left in the third quarter, forcing Gannon head coach Cleve Wright to call timeout. When the Golden Knights came out of the timeout they scored the next 11 points, all by Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster), as Gannon suddenly trailed just 39-38 with 3:46 left in the period.
 
The Crimson Hawks still maintained a narrow 44-41 lead after three quarters. Gannon grabbed it first lead of the game since late in the first quarter on a 3-pointer by Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) with 4:34 left. Gannon's lead grew to four points with just under two minutes to play but IUP ran off five points in a row to go up 54-53 with 1:36 left. Shamia Strayhorn's 3-point play gave the lead back to the Crimson Hawks.
 
Gannon's ensuing possession resulted in a pair of missed free throws but the Golden Knights claimed the rebound and took the lead for good at the 1:13 mark when Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) scored off a feed from Claxon. After a Claxon steal the junior guard made two free throws with 51 seconds left. The lead grew to 58-54 with 22 seconds to play following two more Claxon free throws. Tori Mayes (Lake City, Pa./Cathedral Prep) capped the win with two free throws with 18 seconds left as Gannon scored the final eight points of the game.  
 
BY THE NUMBERS
Gannon ended the game shooting 36.8 percent from the floor (21-of-57) and made 7-of-21 3-pointers. IUP ended the game at 41.5 percent (22-of-53) and went 6-of-20 from beyond the arc. The difference came at the free throw line, as Gannon was 12-of-17 compared to 4-of-7 for IUP.
 
The rebound battle was even at 35-35. Gannon committed 13 turnovers while forcing 16, but the Crimson Hawks outscored Gannon on turnovers15-12.
 
Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) enjoyed her top game of the 2024-25 season as the junior guard finished with 28 points in 30 minutes. She made 10-of-17 field goals, including 2-of-5 3-pointers, and went 6-of-7 at the line. She added four rebounds and three steals.
 
Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) was the only other Golden Knight in double figures, finishing with 11 points, along with four rebounds and three steals. Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) and Jordan Popyk (Novi, Mich./Novi) led the Golden Knights on the glass with five rebounds apiece.
 
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