Raphell Thomas-Edwards
Joe Mattis
The Gannon men's basketball team rides a six-game home winning streak into Saturday's contest against rival Edinboro at the Hammermill Center.

Men's Basketball Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Hosts Rival Edinboro in Saturday Night Showdown at the 'Mill (Game Notes)

GAME DAY CENTRAL
When: Saturday, January 10, 2015
Where: Erie, Pa.
Arena: Hammermill Center (2,800)
Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
Live Radio: Jet Radio 1400
Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
Live America One (PPV) Video: Click Here
Live Stats: Click Here
Tickets: Click Here

GAME INFORMATION
  • General Admission Ticket Prices: $5 adults / $3 Non-Gannon students / $3 Senior Citizens
  • All Gannon students, staff and faculty are admitted free of charge by showing their school ID
  • Ticket Windows: Open at 4:30 p.m. The contest will be part of a PSAC doubleheader that begins with the women's teams at 5:30 p.m. 
  • Parking: Free 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
PENNSYLVANIA STATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INFORMATION
ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
  • All-Time Series: Gannon leads 64-35
  • First Meeting: January 8, 1949 - at Edinboro 57, Gannon 48
  • Last Meeting: February 12, 2014 - at Gannon 71, Edinboro 54
  • Series Notes: Gannon swept last year's season series for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign. The Golden Knights lead the all-time series 64-35, including a 36-13 mark at the Hammermill Center. However, Edinboro has won three of the last four match-ups played at the Hammermill Center.

OTHER LINKS
LAST TIME OUT
  • On a night when senior Adam Blazek (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) became the program's all-time steals leader, Gannon overcame a six-point halftime deficit with a 48-27 scoring advantage during the second half en route to a 76-61 victory against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division leader Kutztown Wednesday evening at the Hammermill Center.

GANNON STORYLINES
  • Gannon returns to PSAC Western Division action Saturday night against Edinboro. Twelve of the final 13 regular-season games will be against Western Division rivals with one non-conference contest at Le Moyne.
  • The Golden Knights will host rival Edinboro on a Saturday night for the first time since the two rivals clashed in a non-conference affair on December 8, 2007. Gannon was a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) at the time.
  • Gannon has hosted Edinboro on a Wednesday night every year since the Golden Knights entered the PSAC in 2008-09.
  • Blazek became Gannon's all-time steals leader Wednesday night against Kutztown, surpassing Butch Warner (1981-85) with a takeaway 6:39 into the contest. The senior guard enters the Edinboro contest with 198 career steals.
  • Head coach John T. Reilly's club has played the toughest schedule in the PSAC, the third-toughest schedule in the Atlantic Region and 23rd-toughest schedule in NCAA Division II this season according to the NCAA's latest statistical report released January 5. Gannon's first 14 opponents have produced a combined winning percentage of .613 (95-60). Charleston (12th, .644, 56-31) and Winston-Salem State (19th, .627, 47-28) are the only two Atlantic Region programs with a tougher schedule to date. Only NCAA Division II opponents count in the report.
  • Blazek enters the Edinboro game with 303 career assists, needing four to jump past Joe Lindsay (2008-09) and into Gannon's all-time top 10.
  • Gannon remains in sole possession of first place in the PSAC Western Division with a 9-1 conference record. The Golden Knights hold the best PSAC record in either division. Indiana (Pa.) and Slippery Rock sit one game back in the loss column.
  • Blazek ranks 16th all-time at Gannon with 1,317 career points, needing 10 to jump past Bob Vilchinsky (1953-57) and into Gannon's all-time top 15. He can move past Rich Bush (1998-01) and into 14th place with 21 points.
  • Gannon is the country's top defensive team, allowing 56.6 points per game. The Golden Knights have held 11 opponents below 60 points during their first 15 games. Tarleton State is the next best NCAA Division II defensive team, but the Texans are 1.6 points behind the Golden Knights' defensive total.
  • Senior Raphell Thomas-Edwards (Leicester, England/The Gateway School) ranks second among PSAC players and 24th among all NCAA Division II players with five double-doubles.
  • 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.
  • The Golden Knights were predicted to defend their PSAC Western Division title in the league's preseason coaches poll.
  • Blazek ranks fifth all-time at Gannon with 166 career three-pointers. He needs 13 three-pointers to move past Chris Hollan (1988-90) and into fourth place.
  • Seniors A'Darius Porter (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland), Thomas-Edwards and Blazek were named to the six-man Preseason All-PSAC Western Division team.
  • 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 the Sporting News. The publication released a preseason top 10 and preseason All-Americans in its annual Sporting News College Basketball Yearbook.

EDINBORO STORYLINES
  • Edinboro snapped a two-game losing streak with a 90-63 victory Wednesday night against Lock Haven at home.
  • The Fighting Scots are 1-5 on the road and 6-2 at the McComb Fieldhouse.
  • Edinboro ranks second among PSAC teams in fewest turnovers per game (12.4), three-point field goals per game (8.5) and three-point field goal percentage (39.7). The squad is the PSAC's third-highest scoring team with 79 points per game.
  • The Fighting Scots have already surpassed last year's conference win total (3-13) with a 4-6 mark through their first 10 PSAC contests.
  • Edinboro's six PSAC losses have come by a combined 20 points. The largest margin of defeat was only six points against California (Pa.).
  • The Fighting Scots are 7-1 on weekdays and 0-6 in weekend games.
  • Edinboro opened the 2014-15 season with a 71-60 exhibition victory at NCAA Division I Miami (Ohio). The Fighting Scots overcame a 10-point halftime deficit, using a 36-12 second-half run en route to the triumph.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon hits the road Wednesday, January 14 at Pitt-Johnstown. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday's contest begins a four-game stretch to conclude the month of January that includes three road contests.
  • Gannon has won six consecutive games against Pitt-Johnstown and leads the all-time series 16-3.
  • Pitt-Johnstown's last victory in the series was a 69-62 verdict during the 1998 Gary Miller Classic Championship Game.
  • Gannon is a perfect 5-0 at UPJ's Sports Center. All five encounters on the Mountain Cats' home floor have been decided by 11 points or less.
  • The Golden Knights clinched the 2013-14 PSAC Western Division regular-season top seed at the UPJ Sports Center last year with a 75-64 victory on February 22.
  • Wednesday's contest can be heard on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG stream at www.wergfm.com.
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Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

G
6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
Marcus Jones

#21 Marcus Jones

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Psychology
A

#32 A'Darius Porter

F
6' 7"
Senior
Biology
Raphell Thomas-Edwards

#0 Raphell Thomas-Edwards

G/F
6' 6"
Senior
Communication Arts

Players Mentioned

Adam Blazek

#5 Adam Blazek

6' 1"
Senior
Journalism Communications
G
Marcus Jones

#21 Marcus Jones

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Psychology
G
A

#32 A'Darius Porter

6' 7"
Senior
Biology
F
Raphell Thomas-Edwards

#0 Raphell Thomas-Edwards

6' 6"
Senior
Communication Arts
G/F