Kate Ratliff vs. SRU
Mike Gallagher
61
Winner Gannon GAN-W 20-3, 12-2 PSAC
56
California (PA) CAL-W 11-10, 7-7 PSAC
Winner
Gannon GAN-W
20-3, 12-2 PSAC
61
Final
56
California (PA) CAL-W
11-10, 7-7 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Gannon GAN-W 16 13 14 18 61
California (PA) CAL-W 21 11 12 12 56

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

Late Run Leads No. 13 Gannon to 61-56 Win at California (Pa.)

Claxon, Ratliff and Wheatley combine for 48 points

CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Gannon women's basketball team outscored California (Pa.) 11-1 in the final three minutes to rally for a 61-56 win at the Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Knights picked up their fifth straight win and have now won 20-or-more games over the last five full seasons.
 
The Golden Knights remained a game behind Seton Hill in the PSAC West standings, improving to 12-2 in league play and 20-3 overall. Gannon is tied for second with Edinboro, with the two teams set to meet at the Highmark Events Center on Wednesday, February 5. Cal dropped to 11-10 and 7-7 in the PSAC West.
 
Gannon, ranked seventh in the D2CSC Top 25 and 13th in the WBCA poll, swept the Vulcans for the second straight year and has now won seven of the last eight meetings and 10 of the last 12. The Golden Knights claimed the first meeting in early January 71-62 at the Hagerty Family Events Center.
 
Trailing 55-50 Gannon scored nine straight points to take the lead for good. Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester), who went 10-for-10 at the line, pulled the Golden Knights within a point with four free throws. Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) added a pair as Gannon took the lead for good at 56-55 with 1:14 remaining.
 
The junior guard followed that up with a 3-pointer from the baseline off a nice feed from Trinitee Harris (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central) as Gannon led 59-55 with 37 seconds to play. All the Vulcans could manage was a free throw with 31 seconds to play.
  
The defense stepped up after an uncharacteristic first quarter. The Vulcans jumped out to a 21-6 lead after ten minutes, making 9-of-20 shots. The Golden Knights held Cal to 35 points the rest of the way and 13-of-39 from the floor.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Cal made the first basket of the game Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) gave Gannon a 3-2 lead with a 3-pointer in the opening minute. The Golden Knights never led again until late in the fourth quarter. The Vulcans led 21-16 after one quarter thanks to an 11-2 run.
 
The defense buckled down after that and Gannon was able to close to within three points at the half thanks to a pair of free throws by Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) with 32 seconds left making the score 32-29.
 
A Ratliff layup on the opening possession pulled the Golden Knights to within a point and with 2:50 left in the third quarter Ratliff sank two free throws to forge a 41-41 tie. Cal entered the final ten minutes clinging to a 44-43 lead.
 
Gannon took its first lead since the opening minute of the game when Ratliff – again – made a pair free throws bringing the score to 47-46 with just under eight minutes remaining.
 
Leading 49-48, Gannon saw Cal regain the lead and build a five-point advantage at 55-50 with 3:07 left to play on a layup by Allycia Harris. That would be the final basket for the Vulcans in the game.
 
Gannon finished the final three minutes on an 11-1 run. Ratliff hit two free throws with three minutes to play, and after neither team scored for almost a minute-and-a-half she stepped to the line and hit two more to make it 55-54 with 1:38 remaining.
 
Cal turned the ball over on its next possession and Gannon then gained the lead for good thanks to two free throws by Claxon. A Cal miss gave the ball back to Gannon. Trinitee Harris (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central) drove down the lane and dished out to Claxon in the left corner. The junior drained the three to make it 59-55 with 37 seconds left.
 
Allycia Harris ended the Gannon run with a free throw, but Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) answered with two more at the charity stripe for a 61-56 advantage with 24 seconds to play.      
 
BY THE NUMBERS
Gannon won despite shooting just 34.7 percent from the floor (17-of-49). After a fast start Cal finished the game not much better at 37.3 percent (22-of-59). The Golden Knights were 4-of-12 on 3-pointers while limiting the Vulcans to 20-of-15.
 
The Golden Knights won the game at the charity stripe. They made 23-of-26 at the line while Cal was just 10-of-20. Gannon was particularly effective down the stretch going 8-for-8 in the final three minutes.
 
Gannon held a 38-34 edge on the glass. The Golden Knights committed 17 turnovers compared to 16 for Cal, but Gannon turned the ball over just five times in the second half.
 
The trio of Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester), Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) and Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) combined for 48 of Gannon's 61 points. Ratliff finished with her second double-double of the season and third of her career with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The sophomore guard was a perfect 10-of-10 at the line.
 
Claxon also scored 18 points, making 3-of-7 3-pointers and 5-of-6 free throws. Wheatley contributed 12 points, going 6-of-6 at the charity stripe.
 
NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Gannon begins a two-game homestand hosting Edinboro on Wednesday, February 5. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Highmark Events Center.
 
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