Matt Durisko

Women's Basketball 3/23/2025 11:53:00 AM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

PREVIEW: Golden Knights Look to Upset Top Seed Grand Valley State in Elite Eight Quarterfinals

No. 8 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (28-6, 16-4 PSAC West) vs. No. 1 GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS (35-2, 19-1 GLIAC)
NCAA Division II Elite Eight – Quarterfinals
DATE/TIME: Monday, March 24, 2025 | 6:00 p.m.
HOMECOURT/LOCATION: UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse l Pittsburgh, Pa.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
GAME NOTES

TICKETS (order online)
All Session Adult: $30
All Session Student: $15

Round 1, Session 1 Adult: $10
Round 1 , Session 1 Student: $7

Round 1, Session 2 Adult: $10
Round 1, Session 2 Student: $7

Round 2 Adult: $10
Round 2 Student: $7

Round 3 Adult: $10
Round 3 Student: $7

Single Session Group Tickets (10 or more and can be adults or students): $7

NCAA Division II Elite Eight – Quarterfinals
Monday, March 24
Game 1 – No. 3 Cal St. Dominguez Hills (34-1), No. 6 Coker (29-5) – 12 noon
Game 2 – No. 2 Bentley (33-1) vs. No. 7 Union (Tenn.) (32-3) – 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 – No. 8 GANNON (28-6) vs. No. 1 Grand Valley State (35-2) – 6:00 p.m.
Game 4 – No. 4 Pittsburg St. (32-3) vs. No. 5 Lubbock Christian (32-4) – 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 26 -- Semifinals
Game 5 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 6 – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Friday, March 28 -- Championship
Game 7 – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6

THE GANNON-GRAND VALLEY STATE SERIES
Grand Valley State leads 13-6
The two teams met for the first time in 1995-96 when Gannon joined the GLIAC. They would meet yearly until the Golden Knights left for the PSAC. They then played a home-and-home during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. GVSU has won the last three meetings, including an 80-76 decision in Erie on November 28, 2015, the last time they played.
Last Meeting: Nov. 28, 2015 -- Grand Valley State 80, at Gannon 76
Grand Valley State jumped out to a 51-34 lead but then had to hold off a Gannon rally in the second half. The Golden Knights held the Lakers to just 29 points in the second half as Gannon outscored GVSU 19-11 in the third quarter and 23-18 in the fourth. Gannon pulled to within two points on Brianna Brennan's 3-pointer at 78-76 with 11 seconds remaining but Brionna Bartnett sank a pair of free throws with six seconds to play to clinch the win. Morgan Neighbors and Brennan led Gannon with 23 points apiece.

GANNON IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Gannon is making its 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Knights have now won the Atlantic Regional four times to reach the Elite Eight – in 2010, 2013, 2024 and 2025. The 2020 regional was canceled due to COVID-19.

ERIE, Pa. – A year ago Gannon entered the NCAA Division II Elite Eight as the number one seed. The Golden Knights would end up falling in overtime in the quarterfinals to No. 8 seed Cal St. San Marcos 85-80.

Now the shoe is on the other foot as the Golden Knights will make their second straight trip to the Elite Eight and fourth overall. Gannon is seeded eighth which means a meeting against a powerful Grand Valley State team, seeded number one. The quarterfinals are set for Monday, March 24 in Pittsburgh, Pa. at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse on the campus of Duquesne University. Gannon and Grand Valley State will play in the third game of the day tipping off at 6:00 p.m.

Gannon won its second straight Atlantic Regional crown last Monday with a 72-59 win over Indiana (Pa.). The No. 2 seed Golden Knights opened the regional with a 60-50 win over No. 7 Fayetteville State before beating No. 3 Seton Hill for the fourth time 80-70.

Grand Valley State has been a dominant team this season while reaching 30 wins for the fourth straight season. The Lakers improved to 35-2 with a 62-50 win over Ashland in the Midwest Regional championship game. That was one of the rare close games for the Lakers. In fact, the 12-point margin was the lowest margin of victory this season. Besides their two losses – 82-57 at Ohio State and 79-77 at Wisconsin-Parkside – every Lakers win has been by 12 points or more. GVSU enters the Elite Eight with a ten-game winning streak but is making its first Elite Eight appearance since 2022.

THE PATH TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
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.
Gannon 72, Indiana (Pa.) 59 – Gannon won the rubber match between the two PSAC West rivals, taking control early and holding off several IUP rallies. Gannon hit plenty of big shots down the stretch, including a 3-pointer by Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) with the shot clock winding down late in the fourth quarter, and played great defense. The Golden Knights limited IUP to 16-of-46 shooting from the floor over the final three quarters and 39.7 percent overall. Claxon led all scorers with 19 points while Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) added 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) came off the bench to total 14 points and six boards.

Scouting Gannon:
Record: 28-6, 16-4 PSAC West
Head Coach: Cleve Wright (387-128 at GU, 422-215 overall; 17th year at Gannon, 21st overall)
Top Players: Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) (G, 5-7, Jr., 15.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 61-of-151 3's, 65 asts., 46 stls., 1st Team All-PSAC West); Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) (G, 6-0, So., 14.4 ppg., 5.2 rpg., 59 asts., 59 stls., 37 blks., 136-of-171 FTs, 2nd Team All-PSAC West); Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) (P, 5-11, R-Jr., 10.4 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 48.5 FG%, 36-of-88 3's); Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) (G, 5-7, Jr., 7.6 ppg., 69-of-185 3's)
Scoring Offense: 69.7 ppg. (58th in Div. II)
Scoring Defense: 56.7 ppg. (29th in Div. II)

Gannon was making its fifth straight trip to the Atlantic Regional and has now won back-to-back regional titles to reach the Elite Eight for the second straight year. The Golden Knights come in with a 28-6 record, including a 16-4 showing in the PSAC West.
The 28 wins are tied for fifth in a season. A year ago the Golden Knights finished at 35-3, the second-highest win total.
Gannon is seeded eighth in the Elite Eight while making its fourth trip to the Elite Eight despite a youthful roster featuring ten freshmen and sophomores. The Golden Knights were unable to defend their 2024 PSAC championship after suffering a 64-58 loss to Kutztown in the PSAC Semifinals but came back to capture their second straight Atlantic Regional crown. The Golden Knights entered as the second seed and defeated No. 7 Fayetteville State 60-50 and then defeated No. 3 Seton Hill for the fourth time by an 80-70 margin. In an All-PSAC West final Gannon won the rubber match over Indiana (Pa.) 72-59 to win the Atlantic Regional championship and advance to the Elite Eight.
Head coach Cleve Wright has now led the Golden Knights to five straight 20-win seasons (not counting shortened 2020-21 COVID season). This is the eighth time Gannon has won 25-or-more games under Wright. They dropped three spots to 19th in the latest WBCA Div. II Top 25 and are 15th in the D2CSC rankings.
Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) was named the Atlantic Regional MVP. The 6-foot-0 sophomore scored 51 points and pulled down 21 rebounds in the three games. She had 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block against Fayetteville, followed a 21-point, 12-rebound effort vs. Seton Hill, adding two assists and two steals. In the title game vs. IUP she contributed 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks and a steal. Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) also earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. The 5-foot-7 junior scored 54 points in the three games, with 17 vs. Fayetteville State, 18 against Seton Hill and 19 vs. IUP. She made eight 3-pointers in the three games.
Defense has always been Gannon's calling card under Wright, and this year is certainly no exception. Gannon is allowing 56.7 ppg. and holding opponents to 35.5 percent shooting. Gannon leads the PSAC and ranks 29th in Division II in scoring defense along with second in the conference and 21st nationally in field goal percentage defense. The Golden Knights have held nine opponents to less than 50 points and 19 to less than 60 points.
Two Golden Knights recently earned All-PSAC West accolades. Claxon earned first team All-PSAC West honors for the second time while Ratliff picked up second team accolades.
Claxon is one of three Golden Knights scoring in double figures. She is averaging 15.1 ppg. and has made 61-of-51 3-pointers. She also leads the team with 65 assists. Claxon has moved into 15th in career scoring with 1,278 career points.
Ratliff is next at 14.4 ppg. and 5.2 rpg. The 6-foot-0 sophomore leads the team with 59 steals and 37 blocks. She has made 136-of-171 free throws. The 136 made free throws is fourth in a season at Gannon.
Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) is the third Golden Knight in double figures. The redshirt junior is averaging 10.8 ppg. and a team-high 5.6 rpg. She adds 56 assists and has made 33-of-78 3-pointers.
Speaking of 3-pointers, junior guard Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) has come off the bench to make 65-of-167 3-pointers. She is averaging 7.8 ppg.

Scouting Grand Valley State:
Record: 35-2, 19-1 GLIAC
Head Coach: Mike Williams (275-49, 10th year; WBCA Div. II Coach of the Year)
Top Players: Rylie Bisballe (F, 6-2, R-Sr., 13.7 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 51.3 FG%, 79 asts., 65 stls., 27 blks., WBCA All-American, GLIAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year); MacKenzie Bisballe (G, 6-1, Fr., 10.2 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 55.5 FG%, 51 blks., 42 stls., GLIAC Freshman of the Year); Abrie Cabana (G, 5-10, R-Jr., 9.2 ppg., 2.7 rpg., 81 asts., 34 stl., 65-of-156 3's; 1st Team All-GLIAC); Nicole Kamin (G, 5-11, R-Jr., 9.2 ppg., 4.6 rpg., 82 asts., 90 stls., 1^1st Team All-GLIAC); Ellie Droste (G, 5-8, R-Sr., 8.7 ppg., 52-of-130 3's, 59 asts., 2nd Team All-GLIAC)
Scoring Offense: 84.4 ppg. (2nd in Div. II)
Scoring Defense: 52.8 ppg. (7th in Div. II)

Head coach Mike Williams is in his tenth season at the helm of the Lakers and owns an impressive 275-49 record. On Friday he was named the recipient of the Pat Summit Trophy, presented to the 2025 WBCA NCAA Division II Coach of the Year. Williams has guided Grand Valley State to a 35-2 record and its third straight GLIAC Tournament championship.
The Lakers breezed through the first two rounds of the Midwest Regional, defeating Quincy by 36 points and Wayne State (Mich.) by 33 points. In the finals GVSU held off Ashland 62-50 to reach the Elite Eight.
GVSU averages 84.4 ppg., good for second in Division II, while allowing 52.8 ppg. That ranks seventh in the country.
The Lakers are led by Rylie Bisballe, who on Friday earned WBCA Div. II All-American honors. The 6-foot-2 redshirt senior was previously named the D2CCA Midwest Player of the Year and the GLIAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year. She leads the Lakers with 13.7 ppg. and 5.6 rpg. while shooting 51.3% from the floor. Bisballe adds 79 assists, 65 steals, and 27 blocks. She surpassed 1,500 career points earlier this season and moved into the top five in program history in points (1631) and rebounds (888). She earned Honorable Mention All-American honors last year from the WBCA.
Younger sister MacKenzie Bisballe is the only other Laker scoring in double figures at 10.2 ppg. GVSU features a balanced team with six players averaging 8.0 points or more and 11 averaging 14-or-more minutes per game. MacKenzie Brisballe is a 6-foot-1 freshman guard who adds 4.5 rpg. and leads the Lakers with 51 blocked shots and is shooting 5.5 percent from the floor.

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