Goodrick vs. IUP

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

Bazzoli Has Day to Remember While Leading Gannon to 88-58 Win over IUP

ERIE, Pa. – You can bet that Gannon men's basketball coach Easton Bazzoli will have the date March 5 circled for years to come. For one thing, the first-year head coach won his first playoff game on Wednesday night, an 88-58 win over Indiana (Pa.) in the PSAC Quarterfinals.
 
But overnight that victory was trumped when his wife Katrina gave birth to the couple's second child, a boy.
 
An exhausted Bazzoli saw his Golden Knights jump out to a quick lead but IUP battled back to take a two-point lead in the first half. A 16-4 run gave Gannon a double-digit lead as the Golden Knights led by a 40-31 margin at the half.
 
The halftime lead was the first time in four games Gannon has led at intermission. But they followed a similar scenario when the second half began. Gannon scored the first seven points of the half and went on a 14-3 run.
 
The lead just kept continuing to expand as a young IUP squad was unable to handle Gannon's pressure. After Victor Desmond (Onalaska, Wisc./Onalaska) drained a three just nine seconds into the second half the lead never got under double figures.
 
A Gannon teams known for its offensive prowess turned in another outstanding defensive effort, limiting the Crimson Hawks to 31.1 percent from the floor (19-of-61) and forcing 21 turnovers. Gannon held a 23-6 edge in points off turnovers and 33-6 in fast break points as the offense got into high gear in the second.
 
Gannon now heads to Shepherd looking to continue defense of its 2024 PSAC championship. The Eastern Division featured a pair of upsets in the quarterfinals, with No. 1E West Chester falling to No. 4E Millersville and No. 3E Shepherd upending No. 2E East Stroudsburg. Shepherd earned the right to host the PSAC Final Four as the highest remaining Eastern Division seed.
 
Gannon has now won seven straight games to improve to 23-6 on the season. The Golden Knights reappeared in the national rankings this week, tied for 24th in the latest D2CSC Top 25. The PSAC West regular season champion, Gannon plays Millersville at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 8 in the PSAC Semifinals.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Gannon got a great sign early when Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) knocked down a 3-pointer on his first shot of the game. Pace Prosser (Berlin, Pa./Berlin Brothersvalley) added a three and Gannon jumped to a 9-3 lead less than four minutes into the game.
 
IUP battled back to score the next eight points and take an 11-9 advantage. The Crimson Hawks, the fifth seed in the Western Division, would lead on one more occasion at 15-14 with eight minutes gone in the game.
 
Prosser's layup gave Gannon the lead for good at 16-15 with 9:18 left, jumpstarting a 7-0 run. The Golden Knights would lead by as many as 12 points in the half before settling for a 40-31 lead at intermission.
 
Gannon ambushed the Crimson Hawks in the second half, coming out of the locker pushing the ball and playing with a great deal of intensity. They scored the first seven points of the half as Victor Desmond (Onalaska, Wisc./Onalaska) opened the half with a 3-pointer, followed by a pair of Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College) buckets.
 
IUP interrupted the run for a moment with a basket, but the Golden Knights answered with a 7-1 run as the lead grew to 20 points at 15:17. When Shelton hit a jumper with 14:17 remaining Gannon went up 58-37. The Golden Knights would build the lead to as much as 32 points at 79-47 with just over four minutes left.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
Tasman Goodrick (Sydney, Australia/St. Joseph's College) led four players in double digits while posting his 16th double-double of the season. The 6-foot-9 sophomore finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Ernest Shelton (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) added an efficient 17 points, making 5-of-8 field goals, including 3-of-6 3-pointers, and going 4-for-4 at the line.
 
Layne Sarver (New Madison, Ohio/Tri-Village) came off the bench to contribute 15 points and Pace Prosser (Berlin, Pa./Berlin Brothersvalley) had 12 points, five assists and four steals. Goodrick actually didn't lead the Golden Knights in rebounds as freshman forward Mason Kemp (Shawnee, Kan./Mill Valley) had a season-high 13 rebounds to go with seven points.
 
Gannon shot 47.0 percent from the floor (31-of-66), making 8-of-25 3-pointers. The Golden Knights converted 18-of-24 free throws. IUP was held to 31.1 percent from the floor (19-of-61), making 6-of-28 3-pointers, along with a 14-for-26 showing at the line.
With Kemp and Goodrick leading the way Gannon held a 46-43 advantage on the glass. Gannon had 22 assists on 31 baskets and forced 21 turnovers while finishing with 16 steals.    
 
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Players Mentioned

Ernest Shelton

#4 Ernest Shelton

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Layne Sarver

#12 Layne Sarver

G
6' 6"
Junior
Victor Desmond

#15 Victor Desmond

G/F
6' 7"
Junior
Pace Prosser

#22 Pace Prosser

G
6' 2"
Freshman
Tasman Goodrick

#23 Tasman Goodrick

F
6' 9"
Sophomore
Mason Kemp

#33 Mason Kemp

F
6' 7"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ernest Shelton

#4 Ernest Shelton

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Layne Sarver

#12 Layne Sarver

6' 6"
Junior
G
Victor Desmond

#15 Victor Desmond

6' 7"
Junior
G/F
Pace Prosser

#22 Pace Prosser

6' 2"
Freshman
G
Tasman Goodrick

#23 Tasman Goodrick

6' 9"
Sophomore
F
Mason Kemp

#33 Mason Kemp

6' 7"
Freshman
F