Men’s Basketball | 3/5/2015 7:30:00 PM | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

GAME DAY CENTRAL
What: Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Men’s Basketball Final Four
When: Saturday, March 7, 2015 (Semifinals) | Sunday, March 8, 2015 (Championship)
Where: Erie, Pa.
Arena: Hammermill Center (2,800)

Semifinal #1

  • When: Saturday, March 7, 2015
  • Match-Up: Indiana (Pa.) (PSAC West #3) vs. East Stroudsburg (PSAC East #1)
  • Tip-off: 1 p.m.
  • Live Audio (IUP Feed): Click Here
  • Live Video: Click Here
  • Live Stats: Click Here

Semifinal #2

  • When: Saturday, March 7, 2015
  • Match-Up: Gannon (PSAC West #1) vs. Kutztown (PSAC East #3)
  • Tip-Off: 3:30 p.m.
  • Live Radio: Jet Radio 1400
  • Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
  • Live Video: Click Here
  • Live Stats: Click Here

Championship Game

  • When: Sunday, March 8, 2015
  • Match-Up: Semifinal Winners
  • Tip-Off: 3:30 p.m.
  • Live Television: Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN)
  • Live Video (PPV through PCN): Click Here
  • Live Radio: TBA Based on Semifinal Winners
  • Live Audio: TBA Based on Semifinal Winners
  • Live Stats: Click Here

GANNON BOOSTER CLUB RECEPTION

  • When: Saturday, March 7, 2015
  • Where: Yehl Ballroom in Gannon’s Waldron Center
  • Time: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
  • Who: Open to all Gannon Booster Club Members
  • Why: Come join fellow Gannon Booster Club members to enjoy a pre-game reception. Food and drinks sponsored by the Gannon Alumni Office and the Gannon Booster Club.

PSAC FINAL FOUR INFORMATION

  • Ticket Prices Through Saturday’s Semifinals:
    • $20 reserved seating
    • $14 adults general admission
    • $5 non-PSAC students general admission
    • (Only two-day passes are available through Saturday per PSAC rules)
  • Ticket Prices For Sunday’s Championship Game Only:
    • $12 reserved seating
    • $8 adults general admission
    • $3 non-PSAC student general admission
    • (One-day championship ticket only available on Sunday)
  • All PSAC students are admitted free of charge by showing their school ID
  • Ticket Windows: Open at 12 p.m. on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday
  • Complete Ticket Information: Click Here
  • Parking: Metered on-street parking | Paid parking garage located on Peach Street between 7th and 8th streets
  • Directions: To Hammermill Center I GPS Address: 620 Peach Street, Erie, Pa. 16501

GAME COVERAGE

PSAC INFORMATION

ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN (Vs. Kutztown)

  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 12-1
  • First Meeting: March 11, 1988 – at Gannon 84, Kutztown 64 (NCAA Tournament First Round)
  • Last Meeting: January 7, 2015 – at Gannon 76, Kutztown 61
  • Series Notes: Gannon has won three consecutive games against Kutztown to assume a 12-1 lead in the all-time series. The Golden Knights are a perfect 10-0 against the Golden Bears at the Hammermill Center, including a 3-0 mark in postseason action. Gannon defeated Kutztown at home during the 2009 PSAC and NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional championship games.

ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN (Vs. East Stroudsburg)

  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 8-6
  • First Meeting: November 24, 1989 – at Gannon 78, East Stroudsburg 67 (Gary Miller Classic Semifinals)
  • Last Meeting: December 16, 2014 – at Gannon 83, East Stroudsburg 79 (ot)
  • Series Notes: Gannon snapped a six-game losing streak against East Stroudsburg with an 83-79 overtime victory at the Hammermill Center on December 16, giving the Golden Knights an 8-6 lead in the all-time series. It was Gannon’s first victory against East Stroudsburg since the 1998-99 campaign. The Golden Knights initially won the first seven contests in the series.

ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN (Vs. Indiana, Pa.)

  • All-Time Series: Series tied 20-20
  • First Meeting: March 6, 1958 – at Indiana (Pa.) 97, Gannon 90 (NAIA District 30 Playoffs)
  • Last Meeting: February 7, 2015 – at Indiana (Pa.) 64, Gannon 54
  • Series Notes: Indiana (Pa.) snapped a four-game losing streak against Gannon with a 64-54 home victory on February 7, splitting the season series and tying the all-time series at 20. The Golden Knights swept last year’s season series, before both teams were victorious on their home floor this season.

OTHER LINKS

LAST TIME OUT

  • Fueled by a perfect 7-of-7 chart from behind the arc, Gannon shot 67 percent (18-27) during the first half and cruised to a 71-45 victory against Slippery Rock Tuesday night in the PSAC Quarterfinals at the Hammermill Center. Seniors Adam Blazek (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) and Girbran Smith (Nassau, Bahamas/Seton (Ill.) Academy) totaled 18 and 16 points, respectively.

GANNON STORYLINES

  • Gannon is making its third consecutive PSAC Tournament appearance and fifth overall since joining the league in 2008-09.
  • The Golden Knights have won back-to-back PSAC Western Division championships and entered the postseason as the PSAC West’s top seed.
  • Gannon is making its second consecutive PSAC Final Four appearance, but the program is serving as the host for the first time since 2009.
  • The Golden Knights are 36-10 all-time in postseason games at the Hammermill Center, including a 21-1 record during the last 22 postseason contests at the ‘Mill. The Golden Knights had won 19 consecutive postseason home games until Slippery Rock posted a 62-58 overtime victory in the 2013 PSAC Quarterfinals.
  • Gannon’s 26-point victory against Slippery Rock during this year’s PSAC Quarterfinals represented its largest postseason scoring margin during the program’s 71-year history.
  • Slippery Rock’s 45 points were the second fewest by a Gannon postseason opponent behind Wittenburg’s total during a 69-43 loss in the NCAA College Division Tournament on March 9, 1962.
  • Blazek ranks eighth all-time at Gannon with 1,510 career points, needing 33 to jump past Al Chrisman (1967-71) and into seventh place. He can move past Josh Morgan (1999-03) and into sixth place with 68 points.
  • Gannon played seven of its last 10 regular-season games on the road, going 9-1 during that stretch.
  • The Golden Knights’ opponents have recorded 264 combined victories, representing the 23rd-most NCAA Division II opponent wins in the country.
  • Head coach John T. Reilly‘s club has played the toughest schedule in the PSAC, the fourth-toughest schedule in the Atlantic Region and 28th-toughest schedule in NCAA Division II this season according to the NCAA’s latest statistical report released March 2. Gannon’s opponents have produced a combined winning percentage of .551 (264-215). Fairmont State (3rd, .583, 254-182). UVa.-Wise (15th, .560, 211-166) and Urbana (23rd, .553, 198-160) are the only Atlantic Region programs with a tougher schedule to date. Only NCAA Division II opponents count in the report.
  • Gannon produced the best regular-season conference record in the PSAC with an 18-4 mark. Mercyhurst and Indiana (Pa.) were one game back at 17-5.
  • Blazek ranks seventh all-time at Gannon with 363 career assists. He can move past James Jamison (1986-88) and into sixth place with 12 more assists.
  • Gannon is the country’s second-best defensive team, allowing 56.4 points per game. The Golden Knights have held 20 opponents below 60 points this season. Cal Poly Pomona is the best NCAA Division II defensive team, holding a 0.6-point lead over the Golden Knights.
  • Senior Rich Austin (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) enters the weekend with a .597 (77-129) shooting percentage. It currently represents the eighth-best single-season shooting percentage in school history.
  • Gannon is 9-4 on the road this season, securing at least nine road victories for the second time during the last three seasons.
  • The Golden Knights have played 12 games this season decided by five points or less, winning eight of them. The team has played 25 games decided by five points or less during the last two seasons.
  • Gannon has out-rebounded 18 consecutive opponents.
  • The Golden Knights were predicted to defend their PSAC Western Division title in the league’s preseason coaches poll.
  • Gannon has won 18 straight games when reaching the 80-point plateau. The Golden Knights’ last setback when scoring at least 80 points was a 103-100 overtime loss to Seton Hill in the 2011 Porreco Cup championship game. Gannon is 49-3 all-time under Reilly when scoring at least 80 points.
  • Blazek ranks fourth all-time at Gannon with 187 career three-pointers. He needs 12 three-pointers to move past Mike Crawford (1988-92) and into third place.
  • Reilly recorded his 180th victory at Gannon February 21 with a 59-57 overtime win at California (Pa.), surpassing current Youngstown State head coach Jerry Slocum as the program’s all-time winningest coach.
  • Senior A’Darius Porter (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland) was named 2015 PSAC Western Division Defensive Player of the Year. He is the second consecutive Golden Knight to receive the honor afterC.J. Oldham took home the award last season.
  • Smith and Blazek landed spots on the All-PSAC Western Division first team. Senior Raphell Thomas-Edwards (Leicester, England/The Gateway School) earned second-team accolades.
  • Blazek became Gannon’s all-time steals leader January 7 against Kutztown, surpassing Butch Warner (1981-85) 6:39 into the contest. The senior currently has 235 career steals.
  • Gannon was listed among others to watch in the Division II Bulletin preseason national rankings.
  • Blazek earned Preseason NCAA Division II All-America honorable-mention accolades from theSporting News. The publication released a preseason top 10 and preseason All-Americans in its annual Sporting News College Basketball Yearbook.

KUTZTOWN STORYLINES

  • Kutztown advanced to the semifinals with a 77-54 home victory against Shippensburg and 90-79 overtime win at West Chester in the quarterfinals.
  • The Golden Bears are 9-5 over their last 14 games, but those five losses have only been by an average of 2.8 points.
  • Kutztown ranks second among PSAC teams in assists per game (16.2), field goal percentage (47.4), free throw attempts (707), free throws made (520) and total blocked shots (127).
  • Senior Tynell Fortune is second among all PSAC players in free throw percentage (88.2).
  • Sophomore Josh Johnson ranks second in the conference with a 62.4 field goal percentage.

EAST STROUDSBURG STORYLINES

  • East Stroudsburg is making its sixth consecutive PSAC Final Four appearance
  • ESU’s six straight PSAC Final Four appearances match California (1992-97) for the most in the PSAC since the conference adopted a semifinal format in 1981.
  • The Warriors are the defending PSAC champion, defeating West Chester in last year’s finals at home by a 92-80 count.
  • East Stroudsburg has won two of the last three conference titles, raising the trophy in 2012 and 2014.
  • ESU is 91-30 during the last four years, a school record for wins by a four-year class and wins in a four-year stretch.
  • The Warriors became the first PSAC East school to win three straight divisional titles since 1985-87 (Millersville), and the first to win three straight outright divisional titles since 1976-80 (Cheyney).

INDIANA (Pa.) STORYLINES

  • Indiana (Pa.) has won nine PSAC Championships, including three of the last five. The Crimson Hawks finished first in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
  • IUP is ranked second in the latest NCAA Division II Atlantic regional rankings.
  • Senior guard Devante Chance was named the 2015 PSAC Western Division Player of the Year.
  • Indiana (Pa.) ranks ninth among all NCAA Division II programs in scoring defense, allowing 61.9 points per game.
  • The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC in field goal percentage (48.7), free throw percentage (77.1) and scoring margin (13.9).

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