Ratliff vs. IUP
52
Seton Hill SHU 23-6,16-4 PSAC
60
Winner Gannon Gannon 25-5,16-4 PSAC
Seton Hill SHU
23-6,16-4 PSAC
52
Final
60
Gannon Gannon
25-5,16-4 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Seton Hill SHU 17 13 9 13 52
Gannon Gannon 13 17 9 21 60

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

Golden Knights Surge Late to Defeat Seton Hill 60-52 in PSAC Quarterfinals

Gannon continues defense of PSAC crown

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon women's basketball team beat Seton Hill for the third time this year and the second time in five days to reach the PSAC Semifinals for the fifth straight year. In a knock-down, drag-out game the Golden Knights pulled away late from the Griffins to claim a 60-52 win in Wednesday's quarterfinal game at the Highmark Events Center.

The No. 2 seed Golden Knights, ranked 16th in the latest WBCA Div. II Top 25 and 24th in the D2CSC poll, improved to 25-5 while winning their fifth straight game. Seton Hill, seeded third, dropped to 23-6. The Griffins entered the game tied for 18th in the D2CSC Top 25 and 23rd in the WBCA rankings.  

The Golden Knights look to defend their 2024 PSAC crown and have won two of the last three PSAC championships and three of the last four. Gannon now moves on to face Eastern Division top seed Kutztown in the semifinals. That contest will be played on Saturday, March 8 at Edinboro. The number one seed in the Western Division, the Fighting Scots held off a late Indiana (Pa.) rally for a 66-64 win, earning the right to host the Final Four. They will play No. 2E Lock Haven in the other semifinal. Gannon plays at 1:00 p.m.

Unlike the first two meetings which were high-scoring affairs, Wednesday's quarterfinal was more to Gannon's pace. Seton Hill came in as the top scoring team in the PSAC and sixth in Division II (82.3 ppg.), but the Griffins were held to a season-low 52 points, 14 points fewer than their previous low. It was also over 30 points under their season scoring average.
Gannon came in leading the PSAC in scoring defense (56.3 ppg.) and second in field goal percentage defense (35.1 pct.). Head coach Cleve Wright's squad put the clamps on Seton Hill, limiting them to 30.5 percent from the floor (18-of-59). They made just 7-of-29 shots in the final two quarters.

Gannon wasn't much better at 35.4 percent from the floor (23-of-65), and uncharacteristic 9-of-16 showing at the line gave Seton Hill some hope late. But in a game that featured six ties and six lead changes, and with neither team leading by more than eight points, Gannon made the big plays down the stretch.

The game was tied at 30-30 at the half and 39-39 after three quarters. Seton Hill led 51-50 with 3:10 left but the Griffins would make just one more free throw the rest of the game. Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) gave Gannon the lead for good with a jumper in the paint, and she followed with a driving layup. Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) drained a 3-pointers and Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) made one of two free throws as Gannon jumped ahead 58-51 with 29 seconds remaining.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Seton Hill led 17-13 when Helene Cowan banked in an off-balance three from near mid-court at the buzzer. Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) hit a jumper in the paint with three seconds left to tie the game at 30-30 at the half. The teams battled to a 9-9 deadlock in the third quarter to enter the final ten minutes tied at 39-39. Gannon was 4-of-18 from the floor and Seton Hill 3-of-13 in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was back-and-forth before two Golden Knights who had been quiet most of the game stepped up. Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) hit two 3-pointers in the final four minutes and Claxon, who had made just one basket to that point, hit back-to-back baskets with just under three minutes remaining.

Trailing 51-50 with 3:10 remaining, Gannon went on an 8-0 run to pull away. The Golden Knights held Seton Hill without a basket the rest of the game. Claxon hit a pull-up jumper with 2:16 remaining to give Gannon the lead at 52-51. Following a Seton Hill turnover Claxon drove the lane for a 54-51.

Dunham's third three of the game put Gannon up 57-51 with just under two minutes remaining. Following a Seton Hill miss Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) made one of two free throws with just 29 seconds left for a 58-51 lead. Seton Hill finally ended the run with free throw with 21 seconds left but Ratliff and Wheatley added free throws for the final margin.

BY THE NUMBERS
After scoring 23 points in Saturday's 89-71 win Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) was a one-person show for most of the game, finishing with 21 points and 12 rebounds. The sophomore made 8-of-17 field goals and was 5-of-9 at the charity stripe. It was her third double-double of the season.

Claxon was the only other Golden Knight in double figures with 10 points, seven of those in the decisive fourth quarter. Dunham played a huge role late with the two 3-pointers and ended the night with nine points on 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) finished with nine rebounds as Gannon and Seton Hill battled to a stalemate on the glass at 43 rebounds apiece after Seton Hill dominated the boards early.

Gannon ended the game at 35.4 percent from the floor (23-of-65), making 5-of-18 3-pointers. The Golden Knights were 9-of-16 at the line. It was their defense that won the game, however. Seton Hill ended the night at 30.5 percent (18-of-59), including 5-of-23 on 3-pointers, and went 11-of-15 at the line. Gannon also forced 20 turnovers while committing 13.   
 
 
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