2015 PSAC Men's Basketball Championship: GANNON WINS CROWN
GANNON CAPTURES PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP
Boxscore
Gannon Story
IUP Story
Erie, Pa. – Gannon defeated IUP 69-66 to claim the 2015 PSAC Men’s Basketball Championship title in the Hammermill Center in Erie, Pa. on Sunday afternoon.
With the victory, Gannon earns an automatic bid into the 2015 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship tournament.
Gannon’s
Girbran Smith sunk the game winning 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left in the contest. He compiled 37 points over the tournament weekend, including 27 against the Crimson Hawks, and was named the PSAC championship’s Most Valuable Player.
Gannon took a 42-35 lead into halftime after shooting a blistering .591 from the field, including a 5-of-8 performance from distance led by Smith’s 4-of-5 3-point showing in the first 20 minutes. The Hawks shot .500 from the floor hitting 12-of-24 attempts in the first stanza.
IUP chipped away at the Gannon lead and tied the contest at 53 apiece on a 3-pointer from
Devante Chance at the 9:09 mark. The final nine minutes of the contest saw four ties and as many lead changes. Chance put IUP up by five, 66-61, with 3:32 left on the clock, but an
A’Darius Porter layup followed by an IUP turnover and Smith jumper pulled the Knights to within one, 66-65, with 2:20 to play.
Gannon’s
Adam Blazek drew contact from
Brandon Norfleet at the 1:36 mark and sunk one of his free throw attempts to knot the game at 66 apiece. On the ensuing IUP possession, Smith blocked
Shawn Dyer’s layup attempt to get the ball back into Gannon’s hands. Smith missed two 3-point attempts during that possession, but following a Chance turnover, Smith worked for one last scoring opportunity and certainly made it count. Smith notched the game-winning shot with 2.4 seconds left on the game clock and cemented the PSAC title for the Golden Knights.
Blazek finished the night with 12 points, five assists, and three steals, while Porter contributed 11 points, a pair of blocks and as many steals. Off the bench,
Rich Austin was 4-of-4 from the floor and sunk a pair of free throws for 10 points, while
Raphell Thomas-Edwards and
Jean Yves Toupane each pulled down six rebounds.
Chance and Dyer each capped the game with 22 points each, while Norfleet led the Hawks with six rebounds. Chance was 6-of-9 from 3-point range, while Dyer shot 6-of-9 from the field and sunk three treys.
The league title marks Gannon’s second since joining the league prior to the 2008-09 season. The Golden Knights also won the 2009 crown.
The NCAA will announce the 64-team field for the Division II championship tournament tonight at 10:30 p.m. You can watch the selection show live
here.
PSAC SEMIFINAL RECAPS
Gannon Pushes Past Kutztown
Erie, Pa. – Gannon defeated Kutztown 69-56 in the 2015 PSAC Men’s Basketball Semifinals on Saturday afternoon in Erie, Pa.
With the victory, the Golden Knights will play IUP at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday in the league title game at the Hammermill Center. The game will air live on PCN.
Earlier this season, the Golden Knights defeated IUP 61-56 in overtime at the Hammermill in December, but IUP downed the Knights 64-54 most recently in Indiana in early February. The last time the two foes squared off in PSAC postseason action was in the 2010 quarterfinals with IUP winning 62-53.
Gannon, the league’s top scoring defensive squad (56ppg), held the Golden Bears, ranked fourth in the PSAC in scoring offense (76.2ppg), to just 18 points and a .263 shooting percentage in the first half.
Jean Yves Toupane of Gannon led all scorers with 17 points, including a 3-of-5 performance from distance, while All-PSAC performers
Adam Blazek notched 15 and
Girbran Smith contributed 10. Toupane and Blazek each pulled-down five rebounds, while
Raphell Thomas-Edwards and PSAC Defensive Player of the Year
A’Darius Porter led the team with seven boards apiece.
Gannon won its first PSAC crown in 2009 with an 80-65 win over Kutztown. The 2009 title game is only championship game the Knights have played in since joining the league prior to the 2008-09 season. The Golden Knights have made three straight PSAC tournaments appearances and have won back-to-back PSAC Western Division regular season titles.
Kutztown finishes its season with a 19-12 overall record and a 14-8 mark in conference play.
Boxscore
Gannon Story
Kutztown Story
IUP Downs East Stroudsburg
Erie, Pa. – IUP defeated East Stroudsburg 76-70 in the 2015 PSAC Men’s Basketball Semifinals on Saturday afternoon in Erie, Pa.
With the victory, IUP advances to the PSAC Championship title game against Gannon. The teams will square off at 3:30 p.m. in the Hammermill Center. The game will air live on PCN.
Earlier this season, the Golden Knights defeated IUP 61-56 in overtime at the Hammermill in December, but IUP downed the Knights 64-54 most recently in Indiana in early February. The last time the two foes squared off in PSAC postseason action was in the 2010 quarterfinals with IUP winning 62-53.
Shawn Dyer led the Crimson Hawks with 20 points, while
Brandon Norfleet contributed 17. PSAC West Athlete of the Year
Devante Chance poured-in 15 points and handed out 10 assists.
The Hawks shot just .346 from the floor in the first half, including a 3-of-14 showing from 3-point range, and trailed the Warriors 33-26 at the break. In the second stanza, the Hawks shot .692 from the field compared to the Warriors’ .308 field goal performance.
IUP will pay in its fourth PSAC title game in the last six years and won the crown in 2010, 2011 and 2013. The Crimson Hawks will make their 13th league championship game appearance on Sunday and have won nine crowns in program history.
The Warriors, who made their sixth straight appearance in the league semifinals, cap their season with a 19-10 overall record.
Boxscore
East Stroudsburg Story
IUP Story
PSAC MEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR PREVIEW
Erie, Pa. – Following the quarterfinal round of the 2015 Men’s Basketball Championship, four teams remain to vie for the PSAC crown. Gannon University will serve as the Final Four host.
At 1:00 p.m. in the Hammermill Center on Saturday, March 7, IUP and East Stroudsburg will tip-off in the first semifinal. Gannon will face Kutztown at 3:30 p.m. in the second semifinal on Saturday.
The Championship game will be broadcast live on PCN TV and will tip-off at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Production is courtesy of CUTV. Please click
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Please see below for more information about each team competing for the league title this weekend.
2014-15 Team Rankings
(PSAC rank) average
|
East Stroudsburg |
Gannon |
IUP |
Kutztown |
| Scoring Offense |
(1st) 83.8 |
(17th) 63.1 |
(5th) 75.5 |
(4th) 76.2 |
| Scoring Defense |
(9th) 72.0 |
(1st) 56.0 |
(2nd) 61.8 |
(10th) 72.0 |
| Scoring Margin |
(2nd) 11.9 |
(4th) 7.1 |
(1st) 13.7 |
(7th) 4.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Field Goal % |
(5th) 45.5% |
(9th) 44.6% |
(1st) 48.6% |
(2nd) 47.4% |
| 3-Point % |
(5th) 36.0% |
(6th) 35.9% |
(2nd) 38.3% |
(7th) 35.3% |
| Free Throw % |
(9th) 71.4% |
(16th) 68.4% |
(1st) 77.7% |
(4th) 73.6% |
|
|
|
|
|
| Field Goal % Defense |
(15th) 45.5% |
(2nd) 39.6% |
(6th) 40.3% |
(9th) 42.6% |
| 3-Point % Defense |
(2nd) 31.5% |
(13th) 33.9% |
(8th) 32.9% |
(7th) 32.7% |
|
|
|
|
|
| Rebounding Margin |
(9th) -0.4 |
(2nd) +10.7 |
(6th) +4.0 |
(11th) -1.4 |
| Blocked Shots |
(12th) 3.11 |
(18th) 1.45 |
(9th) 3.40 |
(3rd) 4.30 |
| Steals |
(2nd) 10.96 |
(12th) 6.79 |
(13th) 6.67 |
(10th) 7.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Turnover Margin |
(1st) +5.54 |
(14th) -1.14 |
(5th) +1.70 |
(7th) +0.57 |
| Turnovers Forced |
(1st) 19.1 |
(14th) 13.7 |
(10th) 14.5 |
(11th) 14.3 |
| Assist-Turnover Ratio |
(1st) 1.34 |
(13th) 0.80 |
(2nd) 1.21 |
(3rd) 1.17 |
| Assists |
(1st) 18.1 |
(15th) 11.8 |
(3rd) 15.4 |
(2nd) 16.0 |
EAST STROUDSBURG (19-9, 16-6 PSAC)
Game Notes
PSAC Tournament Titles: 2014, 2012, 1990
• ESU advanced to the Final Four for the sixth straight year, matching the longest stretch (California, 1992-97) since semifinals were introduced in 1981.
• ESU seniors Matt Tobin and Whis Grant have both been named PSAC East Athlete of the Year in their careers – Tobin this year, and Grant in 2013.
• Tobin and Grant are the only current PSAC teammates with 1,000 career points, and Tobin is the first ESU player with 1,000 points and 500 assists.
2014-15 Versus IUP: IUP defeated East Stroudsburg, 78-63 • 1/3/15
All-Time Versus IUP: IUP has 15 wins, East Stroudsburg has 5 wins
PSAC Tournament record: IUP has 3 wins, East Stroudsburg has 0 wins
2014-15 Statistical Leaders
| Points/Game |
|
| W. Grant |
13.0 |
| J. Nwaniemeka |
12.9 |
| R. Moore |
12.5 |
| 3-Pt FG |
|
| W. Grant |
56 |
| W. Brown |
49 |
| FT Pct (2m pg) |
|
| L. Tillery |
.836 |
| J. Nwaniemeka |
.743 |
| Rebounds/Game |
|
| R. Moore |
6.4 |
| L. Tillery |
4.1 |
| Assists |
|
| M. Tobin |
164 |
| Steals |
|
| M. Tobin |
59 |
GANNON (20-8, 18-4 PSAC)
Game Notes
PSAC Tournament Titles: 2009
• Gannon is hosting its first PSAC Men’s Basketball Final Four since the 2009 NCAA Division II Elite Eight team hosted.
• Gannon’s 26-point victory against Slippery Rock in the quarterfinals represented its largest postseason scoring margin in program history.
• The Golden Knights posted their third consecutive 20-win season in 2014-15 and the 27th in program history.
• 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.
2014-15 Versus Kutztown: Gannon defeated Kutztown, 76-61 • 1/7/2015
All-Time Versus Kutztown: Gannon has 12 wins, Kutztown has 1 win
PSAC Tournament record: Gannon has 1 win, Kutztown has 0 wins
2014-15 Statistical Leaders
| Points/Game |
|
| G. Smith |
14.4 |
| A. Blazek |
14.1 |
| R. Thomas-Edwards |
9.2 |
| 3-Pt FG |
|
| G. Smith |
59 |
| A. Blazek |
53 |
| FT Pct (2.5m pg) |
|
| A. Blazek |
.835 |
| G. Smith |
.831 |
| Rebounds/Game |
|
| R. Thomas-Edwards |
7.9 |
| A. Porter |
7.5 |
| Assists |
|
| A. Blazek |
110 |
| Steals |
|
| A. Blazek |
66 |
IUP (24-5, 17-5 PSAC)
Game Notes
PSAC Tournament Titles: 2013, 2011, 2010, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1995, 1974, 1960
• This is IUP’s eighth consecutive trip to the PSAC tournament under Lombardi. The Crimson Hawks are 12-4 in the conference tournament under his direction. • With a 25-4 record entering the weekend, this is the eighth 25-win campaign in IUP program history and the first since going 26-6 and winning the PSAC championship during the 2012-13 season.
• PSAC West Athlete of the Year Devante Chance is just the fourth player in program history to record 1,000 points and 400 assists for a career. He heads into this weekend ranked 21st all-time at IUP with 1,138 points and first with 469 assists.
2014-15 Versus East Stroudsburg: IUP defeated East Stroudsburg, 78-63 • 1/3/15
All-Time Versus East Stroudsburg: IUP has 15 wins, East Stroudsburg has 5 wins
PSAC Tournament record: IUP has 3 wins, East Stroudsburg has 0 wins
2014-15 Statistical Leaders
| Points/Game |
|
| D. Chance |
16.2 |
| S. Dyer |
13.1 |
| B. Norfleet |
11.6 |
| 3-Pt FG |
|
| D. Chance |
69 |
| S. Dyer |
67 |
| FT Pct (2m pg) |
|
| B. Norfleet |
.917 |
| D. Chance |
.826 |
| Rebounds/Game |
|
| S. Dyer |
5.7 |
| D. Ugbede |
4.8 |
| Assists |
|
| D. Chance |
174 |
| Steals |
|
| D. Chance |
52 |
KUTZTOWN (18-11, 14-8 PSAC)
Game Notes
PSAC Tournament Titles: None
• Kutztown returns to the Final Four for the first time since 2010 under PSAC East Coach of the Year Bernie Driscoll. The Golden Bears have appeared in the PSAC Tournament in 12 of the last 13 seasons.
• All-PSAC Second Team selection senior Tynell Fortune (16.5 ppg) has scored in double figures in 19 straight games.
• Josh Johnson, an All-PSAC Second Team honoree, has posted eight double-doubles and scored in double figures 22 times this season.
• Senior Tyler Brooks, the PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year, will play in his 100th career game on Saturday vs. Gannon. He leads the Eastern Division with 55 blocks this season (1.8/game).
2014-15 Versus Gannon: Gannon defeated Kutztown, 76-61 • 1/7/2015
All-Time Versus Gannon: Gannon has 12 wins, Kutztown has 1 win
PSAC Tournament record: Gannon has 1 win, Kutztown has 0 wins
2014-15 Statistical Leaders
| Points/Game |
|
| T. Fortune |
16.5 |
| J. Johnson |
14.8 |
| H. Sellars |
9.6 |
| 3-Pt FG |
|
| T. Fortune |
57 |
| H. Sellars |
32 |
| FT Pct (2.5m pg) |
|
| T. Fortune |
.870 |
| Rebounds/Game |
|
| J. Johnson |
7.4 |
| T. Brooks |
5.5 |
| Assists |
|
| T. Brooks |
93 |
| A. Beidelman |
87 |
| Steals |
|
| T. Brooks |
49 |
PSAC QUARTERFINAL RECAPS
East Stroudsburg Advances Past Millersville
East Stroudsburg, Pa. – East Stroudsburg defeated Millersville 79-62 in the PSAC Men’s Basketball Quarterfinals on Wednesday night in East Stroudsburg, Pa.
With the victory, the Eastern Division’s No. 1-seed will play the West’s No. 3-seed IUP on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the PSAC Semifinals hosted by Gannon University.
Lamont Tillery led the Warriors with 16 points, including four from 3-point range, while
Jamal Nwaniemeka added 15 points and six rebounds.
Rasheed Moore contributed 13 points and pulled-down five boards, while
Whis Grant poured-in 12 points and dished-out seven assists. PSAC East Athlete of the Year
Matt Tobin handed-out nine helpers and recorded four steals.
East Stroudsburg, the defending PSAC champion, is making its sixth straight PSAC Final Four appearance. The Warriors have won two of the last three league titles, while IUP has captured three of the last five.
Millersville caps its season with a 16-14 overall record and an 11-11 slate in PSAC action.
Boxscore
East Stroudsburg Story
Millersville Story
Gannon Shuts Down Slippery Rock
Erie, Pa. – Gannon dominated Slippery Rock for a 71-45 victory in the PSAC Men’s Basketball Championship Quarterfinals on Tuesday night in Erie, Pa.
With the victory, the Golden Knights will host the PSAC Semifinals and Championship game this weekend as the highest remaining Western Division seed. Gannon will face the Eastern Division's No. 3-seed Kutztown at 3:30 p.m.
Gannon shot lights-out in the opening stanza hitting all seven 3-point attempts and 18-of-27 field goals for a .667 shooting percentage to result in a 44-22 halftime lead.
Gannon's senior
Adam Blazek led all scorers with 18 points, whiled adding eight rebounds, five assist and three steals.
Girbran Smith added 16 points, while
Raphell Thomas-Edwards notched a double-double with 10 points and as many rebounds.
The Golden Knights will make their second straight appearance in the conference semifinals. A season ago, Gannon suffered a 77-76 overtime loss at the hands of West Chester. The last time Gannon hosted the men’s Final Four, the Golden Knights captured the league title with an 80-65 win over Kutztown in the title game.
Slippery Rock will await the NCAA Tournament selections and is 20-10 overall, marking the program’s fifth 20-win season under head coach Kevin Reynolds.
Boxscore
Gannon Story
Slippery Rock Story
IUP Upsets Mercyhurst
Erie, Pa. – The West's No. 3-seed IUP upset No. 2-seed Mercyhurst 67-59 in PSAC Men’s Basketball Quarterfinal action on Tuesday night in Erie, Pa.
With the win IUP will face the winner of Eastern Division No. 4-seed Millersville and No. 1-seed East Stroudsburg on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Gannon. Millersville will travel to East Stroudsburg for a quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday, March 4.
Shawn Dyer of IUP led all scorers with 23 points and completed the double-double with 10 rebounds.
Devante Chance posted 16 points, six rebounds, a pair of steals, and went 8-of-8 from the charity stripe.
Daddy Ugbede contributed 10 points and pulled-down seven boards.
IUP has won the PSAC title in 2010, 2011, and 2013 and owns nine overall championship crowns. The Crimson Hawks are making their eighth straight league tournament appearance under head coach Joe Lombardi.
Mercyhurst will await the NCAA Tournament selections and holds a 20-8 overall record. The Lakers have earned a PSAC postseason bid for six straight years and have reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
Boxscore
IUP Story
Mercyhurst Story
Kutztown Outlasts West Chester
West Chester, Pa. – The Eastern Division's No. 3-seed Kutztown upset No. 2-seed West Chester 90-77 in overtime in the quarterfinals of the 2015 PSAC Men’s Basketball Championship on Tuesday night in West Chester, Pa.
With the win, Kutztown will play PSAC Final Four host the West's No. 1-seed Gannon in the semifinals at 3:30 p.m on Saturday.
In their last meeting, the Golden Bears and Golden Rams battled into four overtime periods with West Chester taking a 97-96 victory.
Tynell Fortune racked-up a game-high 23 points for the Golden Bears, including eight in extra time.
Austin Beidelman finished with 18 points, while
Howard Sellars came off the bench and pitched-in 16.
Kutztown has earned its first appearance in the league semifinals since its championship title game run in 2010. Gannon and Kutztown last squared-off in the PSAC postseason in the 2009 PSAC title game in which the Golden Knights defeated Kutztown 80-65.
West Chester finishes its season with a 16-13 overall record and a 14-8 slate in PSAC action.
Boxscore
Kutztown Story
West Chester Story
PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND RECAPS
Kutztown Runs Past Ship
Kutztown, Pa – Kutztown defeated Shippensburg 77-54 in the first round of the 2015 PSAC Men’s Basketball Championship on Saturday afternoon in Kutztown, Pa.
Kutztown, the No. 3-seed in the Eastern Division, will travel to No. 2-seed West Chester for a Tuesday, March 3, PSAC Quarterfinal contest.
Leading the way for the Golden Bears with 23 points and 11 rebounds was
Josh Johnson, while
Tynell Fortune racked-up 21 points.
Howard Sellars added nine points in just 12 minutes and
Tyler Brooks led all players with four blocks.
This will be Kutztown’s first trip to the quarterfinals since 2012, when the Golden Bears fell to eventual champion East Stroudsburg 99-91.
Shippensburg caps the year with a 13-14 overall record and a 9-13 mark in PSAC action.
Boxscore
Kutztown Story
Shippensburg Story
Millersville Holds off Lock Haven
Millersville, Pa. – Millersville survived a late Lock Haven run to defeat the Bald Eagles 74-67 in the first round of the 2015 PSAC Men’s Basketball Championship on Saturday afternoon in Millersville, Pa.
Millersville, the No. 4-seed in the Eastern Division, will travel to No. 1-seed East Stroudsburg for a Tuesday, March 3, PSAC Quarterfinal contest at 7 p.m.
Five Marauders reached double-digit scoring, led by
Moe Anthony’s 19-point and 18-rebound performance.
Sam Light netted 11 points and four assists, while
Shawn Williams, Jalen Lester, and
Tavon Parker added 13, 11, and 10-point performances, respectively.
This marks the second consecutive year that Millersville topped Lock Haven in the first round of the league championship and will face East Stroudsburg in the quarterfinals. The Warriors won last year’s playoff meeting 78-58.
Lock Haven finishes the year with a 10-17 record and 10-12 slate in the PSAC.
Boxscore
Millersville Story
Lock Haven Story
IUP Downs Pitt-Johnstown
Indiana, Pa. – IUP topped Pitt-Johnstown 82-63 in the 2015 PSAC Men’s Basketball Championship first round match up on Saturday night in Indiana, Pa.
IUP, the No. 3-seed in the West, will travel to No. 2-seed Mercyhurst on Tuesday, March 3, for a 7 p.m. game.
Leading the way for the Crimson Hawks was
Devante Chance with 18 points and eight assists, while
Shawn Dyer contributed 17 points and six rebounds.
Brandon Norfleet and
Jeremy Jeffers added 15 points apiece, and
Daddy Ugbede chipped in 13.
IUP and Mercyhurst last met in the quarterfinal round in 2014, in which Mercyhurst won 67-56. The Crimson Hawks claimed three of the last five PSAC championship titles and are searching for their first title since 2013.
The Mountain Cats finish the season with an overall record of 12-15 and a 9-13 conference mark.
Boxscore
IUP Story
Pitt-Johnstown Story
Slippery Rock Squeezes Past Edinboro
Slippery Rock, Pa. – Slippery Rock defeated Edinboro 64-60 in the first round of the 2015 PSAC Men’s Basketball Championship on Saturday night in Slippery Rock, Pa.
Slippery Rock, the No. 4-seed in the West, will travel to No. 1-seed Gannon on Tuesday, March 3, for a 7 p.m. meeting.
Antonio Butler led The Rock with 19 points and five rebounds.
Desma Nicholson added 15 points off the bench, while
Frank Holloway chipped in eight points and seven boards.
Slippery Rock and Gannon are familiar foes in the quarterfinal round, splitting the meetings the past two seasons. The Rock topped the Golden Knights 62-58 in overtime in 2013, while Gannon prevailed 73-69 in 2014.
The Fighting Scots finish the year at 14-13 overall and 11-11 in conference action.
Boxscore
Slippery Rock Story
Edinboro Story
PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE AIRED LIVE ON PCN
Lock Haven, Pa - The 2015 PSAC Basketball Championship title games will be aired live on PCN-TV on Sunday, March 9. The women's game is slated to tip-off at 1:00 p.m., with the men's game beginning at 3:30 p.m.
The women's semifinals and finals will be hosted by the highest remaining Eastern Division seed following the quarterfinals. The men's semifinals and title game will be played at the highest remaining seed from the Western Division.
Re-airs are scheduled for Monday, March 9 with the women's final at 6:00 p.m. and the men's at 9:00 p.m.
Please click here to determine the channel designation of PCN-TV in your area.
In addition to watching the game on television, fans can stream the game online. Click here for more information.
The PCN Mobile App is also available for download so fans can watch the game live via their mobile device. The app is available on the App Store and Play Store. After subscribing for a one day or yearly subscription to PCN on pcntv.com, the PCN Mobile App is then available for download and fans can have access to PCN anytime, anywhere.
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