OWENSBORO, Ky. – Senior
Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) once again led the way with a game-high 19 points as the No. 12 Gannon women's basketball team concluded Division II CCA Tip-Off Classic action on a winning note with a 65-55 victory over Harding on Saturday afternoon at the Owensboro Sportscenter, finishing its opening weekend 2-0.
Harding, which finished 24-7 last season and earned its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, rallied from a 10-point third-quarter deficit with a 21-11 run to tie the contest at 51-51 with 5:21 remaining in the fourth. Gannon responded by outscoring the Bisons 14-4 the rest of the way, beginning with a go-ahead 3-pointer from
Taylor Ethridge (Chesapeake, Va./Catholic), to secure the victory.
Ratliff, who scored 18 points in Friday's season-opening victory over Missouri Western, added seven rebounds, four steals and three assists against Harding.
Bella Deere (Union, Ky./Cooper) finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Ethridge contributed eight points off the bench, including two 3-pointers.
THE GAME FACTS
Score: No. 12 Gannon 65, Harding 55
Location: Owensboro Sportscenter – Owensboro, Ky.
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
THE KNIGHT CAP
- Ratliff Leads the Way: Senior Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) finished with a game-high 19 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists. She shot 6-of-11 from the field and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line.
- Back-and-Forth Start: The opening quarter featured five lead changes as neither team could establish control. Harding held a 13-11 advantage in the closing seconds before Olivia Pepple (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) converted a layup and free throw with two seconds remaining to give Gannon a 14-13 lead.
- Second-Quarter Separation: Harding tied the game at 21-21 with 7:10 remaining in the second quarter before Gannon answered with a 12-2 run. Deere scored four points during the stretch, while Ethridge and Jenna Winowiecki (Grosse Point Woods, Mich./Gross Point North) connected on 3-pointers to give the Golden Knights a 33-23 lead with 3:08 remaining. Gannon carried a 35-28 advantage into halftime.
- Harding Mounts Comeback: Gannon pushed its lead to 40-30 with 8:30 remaining in the third quarter before Harding began to chip away at the deficit. The Bisons outscored the Golden Knights 21-11 over the next 13 minutes, capped by two Allie Rehl free throws with 5:21 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 51-51.
- Ethridge Delivers: Following a Gannon timeout, Ethridge buried a go-ahead 3-pointer with 4:56 remaining to put the Golden Knights back in front, 54-51. Ratliff followed with a jumper at the 4:11 mark to extend the advantage to five points. Harding pulled within three at 56-53, but Gannon maintained its lead the rest of the way.
- Clutch Finish: After Harding pulled within four at 59-55 with 1:16 remaining, Tori Mayes (Lake City, Pa./Cathedral Prep) converted a layup with 24 seconds left to extend the advantage to six. Ratliff added a free throw before completing a three-point play with 10 seconds remaining to seal the victory. Gannon closed the contest on a 14-4 run over the final 5:21.
- Winowiecki Sparks Bench: Jenna Winowiecki (Grosse Point Woods, Mich./Gross Point North) scored six points on two 3-pointers in just four minutes of action. Ethridge added eight points and three assists, helping the Golden Knights receive 21 points from their reserves.
- Happy Birthday, Pep!: Olivia Pepple (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) celebrated her birthday with a victory, finishing with nine points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot. She also went a perfect 3-for-3 from the free-throw line to help the Golden Knights improve to 2-0.
- Controlling the Glass: Gannon outrebounded Harding 36-20, including an 11-3 advantage on the offensive boards. The Golden Knights outscored the Bisons 34-22 in the paint and held a 10-2 edge in second-chance points.
- Defensive Numbers: Gannon forced 13 Harding turnovers and converted them into 20 points while recording eight steals and six blocked shots. The Golden Knights held Harding to 30 percent shooting in the fourth quarter as the Bisons finished at 43.5 percent for the game.
- Balanced Production: Gannon shot 46 percent (23-of-50) from the field and 35.7 percent (5-of-14) from beyond the arc. The Golden Knights also recorded 13 assists and finished 14-of-19 (73.7 percent) from the free-throw line.
Up Next
Gannon returns to the Highmark Events Center for its home opener against No. 17 Glenville State on Friday, November 13, at 11 a.m. as part of the Atlantic Region Challenge. The Golden Knights will host Education Day, welcoming eighth-grade students from Strong Vincent for the special event.
The four-team Atlantic Region Challenge features No. 12 Gannon, No. 17 Glenville State, Slippery Rock and Ohio Dominican.
This story was written using the support of AI.
