The No. 8 Gannon women's basketball team used a dominant second quarter and a balanced effort on both ends of the floor to earn a 72-51 PSAC West victory over Slippery Rock Saturday afternoon at Morrow Field House.

After a tight opening quarter, the Golden Knights seized control before halftime. Gannon shot 10-for-16 from the field in the second quarter to create separation before halftime, turning a four-point game into a commanding lead. 

The Golden Knights improved to 20-2 overall and 12-1 in PSAC play with the win. The victory also marked Gannon's 11th straight win over Slippery Rock in the series and improved the all-time record to 48-12.
 
The Game Facts
Score: Gannon 72, Slippery Rock 51
Records: Gannon (20-2, 12-1 PSAC), Slippery Rock (6-13, 4-9 PSAC)
Location: Morrow Field House – Slippery Rock, Pa.
Date: January 31, 2026

The Knight Cap

• Second Quarter Separation: Gannon turned a four-point game into an 18-point halftime lead by outscoring the Rock 21-7 in the second quarter.
• Claxon Leads the Scoring: Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) poured in a game-high 19 points while adding four rebounds and an assist, shooting 3-for-3 from three-point range.
• Wheatley Fills the Stat Sheet: Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
• Popyk's All-Around Game: Jordan Popyk (Novi, Mich./Novi) added 14 points and seven rebounds to give Gannon another strong presence on the glass.
• Slater's Spark: Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) contributed eight points and seven rebounds off the bench.
• Ratliff on the Glass: Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) pulled down five rebounds and recorded a block defensively.
• Deere and Dunham Contribute: Bella Deere (Union, Ky./Cooper) added seven points and three rebounds, while Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) chipped in three points in 14 minutes of action.
• Mayes Impacts the Game: Tori Mayes (Lake City, Pa./Cathedral Prep) recorded five points, four assists, and two rebounds in 28 minutes of action.
• Team Shooting: The Golden Knights shot 45.8% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range.
• Inside and Second Chance Success: Gannon scored 36 points in the paint and turned 16 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points
• Road Warriors: The Golden Knights are currently 9-0 on the road.
• PSAC Standings: After the first round of PSAC action, the Golden Knights sit at 12-1 and are currently tied with No. 10 IUP atop the standings with one conference loss each.

Up Next
No. 8 Gannon returns to action on Saturday, February 7 when the Golden Knights host California (Pa.) at the Highmark Events Center to begin the second round of PSAC West action. Gannon defeated the Vulcans earlier this season by a convincing 82-46 margin. 

This story was written using the support of AI.