INDIANA, Pa. – The No. 7 Gannon women's basketball team saw its NCAA Tournament run come to an end Saturday evening, falling to Winston-Salem State, 67–48 in the NCAA Atlantic Regional semifinal at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex.

Winston-Salem State jumped out to an early advantage and maintained control throughout the contest. The Rams built a 23–15 lead after the first quarter and extended the margin to 43–28 at halftime.

Gannon attempted to close the gap in the second half, but Winston-Salem State maintained control after building a 43–28 halftime lead. The Golden Knights were limited to 33.3 percent shooting (17-of-51) and finished 1-for-7 from three-point range on the night.

Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) led the Golden Knights with 20 points while adding five rebounds and three steals. Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) finished with eight points, while Lauren Kingsley (Pavilion, N.Y./Pavilion) contributed six points and four rebounds off the bench. Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) added two points and six rebounds, and Taylor Ethridge (Chesapeake, Va./Catholic) chipped in four points and three rebounds.

Winston-Salem State was led by Maia Charles with 19 points and six rebounds, while Jakaiya Mack and Makayla Waleed each added 10 points.

The Golden Knights were making their 17th appearance in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament. Winston-Salem State earned its spot in the Atlantic Regional after capturing the first CIAA Tournament championship in program history.

Knight Cap

• Leading Scorer: Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) paced the Golden Knights with 20 points while adding five rebounds and three steals.
• Bench Production: Lauren Kingsley (Pavilion, N.Y./Pavilion) finished with six points and four rebounds off the bench.
• Rebounding Effort: Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) pulled down six rebounds in the contest.
• Career Record: Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) set the Gannon all-time record for games played, appearing in her 147th career game.
• Scoring Milestone: Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) finished her career with 1,833 points, ranking fifth all-time in program history.
• Career-Best Season: Claxon totaled 540 points this season, the most she has scored in a single season during her career.
• Tournament Appearance: Gannon made its 17th appearance in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament.
• Final Record: The Golden Knights finish the season with a 29–5 overall record.

This story was written using the support of AI.