No. 4/11 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (13-1, 5-0 PSAC West) at LOCK HAVEN BALD EAGLES (7-3, 2-2 PSAC East)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, December 21, 2024 | 1:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: Thomas Fieldhouse l Lock Haven, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
THE GANNON-LOCK HAVEN SERIES
Gannon leads 19-9
Gannon and Lock Haven played twice last year in a span of six days, with plenty on the line in both games. The Golden Knights claimed the PSAC championship with an 80-65 win over the Bald Eagles. Six days later it was Gannon prevailing 91-72 in the Atlantic Regional semifinals. In a series that first began in 1984-85, Gannon has won the last three meetings after Lock Haven had won the previous two meetings.
Last Meeting: March 16, 2024 – at Gannon 91, Lock Haven 72 I RECAP
Gannon defeated the Bald Eagles for the second time in six days, this time in the semifinals of the Atlantic Regional. The Golden Knights held a slim 43-39 lead at the half but then outscored the Bald Eagles 30-12 in the third quarter. Sam Pirosko led the Golden Knights with 34 points while Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) added 17.
ERIE, Pa. – Gannon concludes the 2024 portion of its schedule on Saturday, December 21 playing at Lock Haven in a meeting of the two PSAC preseason favorites. The contest at Thomas Fieldhouse tips of at 1:00 p.m.
The game also marks the final PSAC crossover contest for the Golden Knights as they begin PSAC West action with the turn of the calendar to 2025. Gannon enters with a 13-1 record and 5-0 in the PSAC. The Golden Knights extended their winning streak to four straight games with an 85-39 win over Shepherd on Tuesday. That same day Lock Haven suffered a 71-69 loss just down the road at Edinboro, losing on a last-second shot. That left the Bald Eagles at 7-3 and 2-2 in league play.
Gannon and Lock Haven met twice a year ago, the first in the PSAC Championship and six days later in the semifinals of the Atlantic Regional. The Golden Knights prevailed in both contests, 80-65 in the former and 91-72 in the latter. The second game ended Lock Haven’s season at 29-4, the most wins in school history.
Head coach Cleve Wright has been forced to piece together a lineup with injuries at one point sapping Gannon of three starters. Post player Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) has now missed the last five games. Versatile guard Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) has missed four complete games after suffering an injury at Charleston (WV) and played just 14 minutes at Shippensburg. Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra), a converted guard now playing the post, was able to return after missing just one game but was also limited to 15 minutes at Shippensburg. The redshirt junior led Gannon with 14 points against Shepherd.
The Golden Knights were without promising sophomore point guard Olivia Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) against Shepherd, and 3-point sharpshooter Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria) was shaken up early and did not return.
The Knight Watch:
Record: 13-1, 5-0 PSAC West
Head Coach: Cleve Wright (17th year at Gannon, 21st overall)
- Gannon opened the season with nine straight wins, climbing as high as second in the national rankings, before losing at Ohio Dominican. The Golden Knights have since run off four straight wins to improve to 13-1 overall and 5-0 in the PSAC. They are playing for the fifth time in six games on the road. Gannon has climbed back to fourth in the WBCA Top 25 and is 11th in the D2CCA poll.
- The latest four-game winning streak has been forged by a trademark of Wright-coached team – suffocating defense. Opposing teams have not scored more than 52 points in those games and are averaging 44.8 points in the last four games. In addition, Gannon has held all four opponents to under 30 percent shooting from the floor. The Golden Knights lead the PSAC in scoring defense (53.9 ppg.) and are second in field goal percentage defense (33.5 pct.).
- Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) leads the Golden Knights in scoring at 17.2 ppg., good for sixth in the PSAC. After scoring 20-or-more points in three of the previous four games the junior guard scored 13 points vs. Shepherd. In the process she became the 32nd Golden Knight to top 1,000 career points. She reached the mark in the third quarter and now has 1,005 career points. She has made 29-of-63 3-pointers. She was a first team All-PSAC West selection last year and was the 2022 PSAC West Freshman of the Year.
- With Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) missing the last five games in the post Wright has had to mix and match. It has given a number of young players an opportunity to step up. Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) moved from the wing to the post this season and the redshirt junior is averaging 9.3 ppg. and 4.8 rpg. Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School), like Wheatley a native of Australia, adds 5.3 ppg. and 4.3 rpg. But over the last four games the 6-foot-2 sophomore is averaging 11.5 ppg. and 6.5 rpg. Freshman Jordan Popyk (Novi, Mich./Novi) has started the last four games in the middle and is averaging 7.0 ppg. and 4.3 rpg. over that stretch.
Scouting Lock Haven
Record: 7-3, 2-2 PSAC East
Head Coach: Jennifer Smith (17th year)
Top Players: Kiera Baughman (G, 5-6, Gr., 15.7 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 30 asts., 17 stls., 13-of-34 3’s); Jenadia Jordan (G, 5-7, Jr., 15.1 ppg., 5.9 rpg., 13-of-40 3’s); Madeline Evans (F, 6-1, So., 12.3 ppg., 12.2 rpg., 54.8 FG%), Rhlyn Rouse (F, 6-0, So., 11.0 ppg., 6.2 rpg.), Alana Robinson (F, 5-9, Jr., 8.3 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 23 stls.)
- Head coach Jennifer Smith led Lock Haven to its finest season ever as the Bald Eagles finished with a 29-4 record and reached the Atlantic Regional semifinal for the first time in over three decades. They made their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1991.
- The Bald Eagles were the unanimous favorite in the PSAC East preseason poll and are off to a 7-3 start. That includes 2-2 in PSAC play. They had a three-game losing streak snapped on Tuesday with a 71-69 loss at Edinboro on a last-second shot.
- Lock Haven returned three All-PSAC East honorees and added IUP transfer Kiera Baughman. Baughman, a 5-foot-5 graduate student, has emerged as the team’s leading scorer at 15.7 ppg.
- Alana Robinson, a 5-foot-9 junior, was named the PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year and a first team All-PSAC East selection. Jenadia Jordan also earned first team honors while Rhlyn Rouse was selected the Freshman of the Year and was a second team All-PSAC East pick.
- Lock Haven ranks third in the PSAC in rebounding margin (+5.4) thanks in no small part to Madeline Evans. The 6-foot-1 sophomore leads the PSAC in rebounding at 12.2 per game.
Next for the Golden Knights: Gannon opens the New Year and PSAC West action on Saturday, January 4 hosting California (Pa.). The contest is an early showdown between the top two teams in the Western Division preseason poll and will take place at Hagerty Family Events Center. Tipoff is 1:00 p.m.
