INDIANA, Pa. – The No. 6 Gannon women's basketball secured the PSAC West regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in the West on Saturday afternoon with a 71–62 victory over No. 5 Indiana (Pa.), avenging a 68–63 loss earlier this season in a matchup that determined both the division crown and the top postseason seed. 

Both the Crimson Hawks and Golden Knights were featured in the Atlantic Region rankings announced on Wednesday, with IUP ranked No. 1 and Gannon checking in at No. 2.

The Golden Knights finished the regular season with a 26–3 record and an 18–2 mark in the PSAC West, earning a first-round bye into the PSAC Tournament.

Gannon controlled the flow for much of the afternoon, taking a 30–27 lead into halftime before fending off Indiana (Pa.) in a tightly contested third quarter. The Golden Knights then pulled away down the stretch, outscoring the Crimson Hawks 25–20 in the fourth quarter to secure the 71–62 victory and the PSAC West top seed.

Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) led the Golden Knights with 18 points and also notched her 1,000th career point, becoming the 34th Golden Knight in program history to reach the milestone. Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) and Jordan Popyk (Novi, Mich./Novi) added 15 points apiece, while Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) dished out six assists. 
 
As a team, the Golden Knights shot 44.7 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three-point range.

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Gannon 71, Indiana (Pa.) 62
Records: Gannon (26–3, 18–2 PSAC)
Location: Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex – Indiana, Pa.
Date: February 28, 2026
 
THE KNIGHT CAP

• PSAC West Top Seed: Gannon earned the No. 1 seed in the PSAC West with the victory.
• Winner-Take-All: The Golden Knights defeated No. 5 IUP in a game that decided the division crown and top seed.
• Milestone Moment: Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) reached the 1,000-point mark for her career.
• Balanced Scoring: Wheatley led with 18 points, while Claxon and Popyk added 15 apiece.
• Milestone Roster: The Golden Knights' roster includes three players who have reached the 1,000-point mark in their careers:  Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster), Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester), and Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra).
• Closing Strong: Gannon outscored IUP 25–20 in the fourth quarter to pull away late.

 
 UP NEXT
Gannon will receive a first-round bye on Monday before playing the winner of Bloomsburg and Shepherd on Wednesday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m. in the PSAC quarterfinals.

For ticket information, fans can visit gannonsports.com or follow Gannon Athletics on all social media platforms.

This story was written using the support of AI.