Gannon vs. Seton Hill
Matt Durisko

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

Gannon Faces IUP in Atlantic Regional Championship Game

No. 2 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (27-6, 16-4 PSAC West) vs. No. 4 INDIANA (PA) CRIMSON HAWKS (23-7, 15-5 PSAC West)
NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional – Championship Game
DATE/TIME: Monday, March 17, 2025 | 7:00 p.m.
HOMECOURT/LOCATION: McComb Fieldhouse l Edinboro, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
TICKETS
Tickets must be purchased online via the above link, and fans are encouraged to purchase tickets prior to arrival at McComb Fieldhouse for the fastest and easiest entry. Prices are set at $10 for adults and $5 for students (k-12). There will be NO cash sale of tickets.

NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional at Edinboro – Quarterfinals – Friday, March 14
Game 1 – No. 3 Seton Hill 87, No. 6 Kutztown 75
Game 2 – No. 2 GANNON 60, No. 7 Fayetteville State 50
Game 3 – No. 1 Edinboro 80, No. 8 Virginia State 68
Game 4 – No. 4 Indiana (Pa.) 76, No. 5 Fairmont State 61

Saturday, March 15 -- Semifinals
Game 5 – No. 2 GANNON 80, No. 3 Seton Hill 70
Game 6 – No. 4 Indiana (Pa.) 67, No. 1 Edinboro 52
 
Monday, March 17 -- Championship
Game 7 – No. GANNON (27-6) vs. Game 4 Indiana (Pa.) (23-7) – 7:00 p.m.
 
THE GANNON-INDIANA (PA) SERIES
Gannon leads 28-24
Gannon has won four of the last five meetings vs. the Crimson Hawks after handing IUP a 61-54 defeat in the first meeting at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex.
First Meeting:  Jan. 8, 2025 – Gannon 61, at Indiana (Pa.) 54 I RECAP
Gannon outscored IUP 37-19 in the second half after trailing by 11 points at the half. The Golden Knights ended the game on an 8-0 run. Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) gave Gannon the lead for good with 1:13 left to play and Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) followed with four straight free throws. IUP shot 50 percent in the first half but made just 7-of-23 shots (30.4 pct.) in the second. Claxon led Gannon with 28 points.
Second Meeting:  Feb. 8, 2025 – Indiana (Pa.) 73, at Gannon 66 I RECAP
IUP outscored Gannon 29-14 in the fourth quarter to hand the Golden Knights a 73-66 defeat. The Golden Knights held a slim 32-30 lead at the half and extended the advantage to 52-44 after three quarters. But they came out cold to start the final period and made just 2-of-10 shots in the quarter. In addition, after committing just four turnovers in the first half Gannon was guilty of seven turnovers in the third quarter and five more in the fourth. That included three steals in the fourth quarter that led to layups. Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) led Gannon with 21 points.
 
GANNON IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Gannon is making its 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Knights have won the Atlantic Regional three times to reach the Elite Eight – in 2010, 2103 and a year ago. The 2020 regional was canceled due to COVID-19.


ERIE, Pa. – Gannon and Indiana (Pa.) meet on Monday night at Edinboro's McComb Fieldhouse for the right to represent the Atlantic Region in the 2025 NCAA Div. II Elite Eight. Neither team will have to travel far to the Elite Eight with Pittsburgh, Pa. hosting the event at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse on March 24-28.
 
The two PSAC West rivals met twice this season with each winning on the other's homecourt. Gannon rallied from a halftime deficit to win 61-54 at IUP on Jan. 8. Exactly a month later the Crimson Hawks used a big fourth quarter to win 73-66 at Gannon.
 
Gannon came into the Atlantic Regional as the number two seed while IUP was seeded fourth. The Golden Knights defeated No. 7 Fayetteville State 60-50 on Friday and reached the championship game with an 80-70 win over No. 3 Seton Hill. It marked the fourth time the Golden Knights defeated Seton Hill this year.
 
IUP defeated No. 5 Fairmont State 76-61 in the quarterfinals. On Saturday night the Crimson Hawks upset top-seeded Edinboro 67-52.
 
Head coach Cleve Wrights has led Gannon to a 27-6 record, with wins in seven of the last eight games. The 27 wins rank sixth for wins in a season. IUP comes in with a 23-8 record.
 
Gannon is seeking a second straight trip to the Elite Eight. A year ago the Golden Knights defeated Fayetteville State in the Atlantic Regional championship game and was the number seed at the Elite Eight. They were upset by Cal State Sam Marcos in overtime 85-80.
 
THE PATH TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Gannon 60, Fayetteville State 50 -- Gannon's stifling defense held Fayetteville State to just 25.9 percent shooting from the floor. The Golden Knights also dominated the glass 49-26. Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) led Gannon with 17 points while Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) added 12.
Gannon 80, Seton Hill 70 – the Golden Knights rallied from a nine-point third-quarter deficit to defeat the Griffins for the fourth time this season. Ratliff and Claxon scored 10 points apiece in the fourth quarter as Gannon outscored Seton Hill 29-20. Ratliff finished with 21 points and nine rebounds while Claxon added 18 points.
IUP 76, Fairmont St. 61 – the Crimson Hawks pulled away from the Falcons while shooting 53.6 percent from the floor and dominating the glass 42-25. Nyshae' Weaver led four Crimson Hawks in double figures with 18 points while Shamia Strayhorn contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds.
IUP 67, Edinboro 52 – IUP trailed the top-seeded Fighting Scots 30-27 at the half and 42-41 after three quarters. The Crimson Hawks then outscored Edinboro 40-22 over the final ten minutes. Ellie Wilkerson led IUP with 24 points, and Strayhorn chipped in with 18.      
 
Scouting Gannon:
Record:  27-6, 16-4 PSAC West
Head Coach: Cleve Wright (17th year at Gannon, 21st overall)
Top Players: Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) (G, 5-7, Jr., 15.0 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 58-of-143 3's, 63 asts., 43 stls., First Team All-PSAC West); Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) (G, 6-0, So., 14.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg., 54 asts., 58 stls., 34 blks., 126-of-159 FTs, Second Team All-PSAC West); Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) (P, 5-11, R-Jr., 10.4 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 49.2 FG%, 34-of-82 3's); Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) (G, 5-7, Jr., 7.7 ppg., 68-of-179 3's)
Scoring Offense: 69.7 ppg.
Scoring Defense: 56.7 ppg.
 
Scouting Indiana (Pa.):
Record:  23-7, 15-5 PSAC West
Head Coach: Craig Carey (3rd year at IUP, 3rd overall)
Top Players: Nyshae' Weaver (F, 6-0, Jr., 14.9 ppg., 64.8 FG%, 11.1 rpg., 43 stls., First Team All-PSAC West); Shamia Strayhorn (G, 5-8, Sr., 16.0 ppg., 4.3 rpg., 65 asts., 55 stls., 25-of-99 3's, First Team All-PSAC West); Ellie Wilkerson (G/F, 5-9, Jr., 11.1 ppg., 3.9 rpg., 23 blks., 36 stl., 27-of-84 3's); Lily Jordan (G/F, 6-0, Fr., 7.4 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 16 blks.)
Scoring Offense: 69.6 ppg.
Scoring Defense: 59.4 ppg.
 
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Players Mentioned

Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

G
5' 7"
Junior
Carissa Dunham

#13 Carissa Dunham

G
5' 7"
Junior
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

G
6' 0"
Sophomore
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

G
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Freshwater/Marine Biology and Environmental Science

Players Mentioned

Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

5' 7"
Junior
G
Carissa Dunham

#13 Carissa Dunham

5' 7"
Junior
G
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

6' 0"
Sophomore
G
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Freshwater/Marine Biology and Environmental Science
G