PSAC Runner-Up Trophy Photo
Senior Jair Green matched his career-high with 25 points for the second consecutive night.
67
Gannon GAN-M 22-9
89
Winner East Stroudsburg ESU-M 24-5
Gannon GAN-M
22-9
67
Final
89
East Stroudsburg ESU-M
24-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon GAN-M 23 44 67
East Stroudsburg ESU-M 43 46 89

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vs. East Stroudsburg University

3/10/2018 | 2:30 PM

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Mar. 10 (Sat) / 2:30 PM
vs. East Stroudsburg University

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Men's Basketball Team Falls in PSAC Title Game at East Stroudsburg; Sits on NCAA Tourney Bubble (Video)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at East Stroudsburg 89, Gannon 67
  • Records: Gannon (22-9), East Stroudsburg (24-5)
  • Location: East Stroudsburg, Pa. - Koehler Fieldhouse
  • The Short Story: The East Stroudsburg men's basketball team used a 23-9 run over the last eight minutes of the first half and never let its foot off the pedal en route to an 89-67 victory Sunday night in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship Game hosted by the Warriors. Entering the weekend as an NCAA Tournament bubble team, the Golden Knights will now wait until tonight's NCAA Selection Show to see if they did enough to receive an at-large bid. The show can be viewed at www.ncaa.com beginning at 10:30 p.m.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • After an opening two minutes of scoreless play, East Stroudsburg began the scoring with five straight points.
  • A 7-0 run moments later pushed the Warriors' lead to 12-2 after the first four minutes and 47 seconds.
  • Gannon fought back and pulled within 14-10 after senior Jair Green (Williamstown, N.J./Paul VI) scored on a lay-up and senior Zay Jackson (Queens, N.Y./Westside) followed with back-to-back buckets.
  • The home team's lead stood at 20-14 with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half when East Stroudsburg erupted for 14-2 blitz over the span of four minutes and 16 seconds. A Josh Williams' tip-in capped the run, giving the Warriors a 34-16 advantage at the 3:24 mark.
  • ESU ended the first half with a lay-up at the buzzer and went into the break with a 43-23 lead. 
  • East Stroudsburg grabbed its biggest lead of the evening at 61-36 with 13:02 to play.
  • Gannon cut the deficit under the 20-point plateau several times, but was unable to get closer than 15 points the rest of the way before East Stroudsburg captured the PSAC championship with an 89-67 victory.

GAME NOTES
  • Green led Gannon in scoring for the second consecutive game and 10th time this season with 25 points, five assists and three rebounds. He tied his career-high in scoring set last night against Shippensburg during the conference semifinals.
  • Junior Evan Phoenix (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall) recorded his 11th double-double of the season and 19th of his two-year Golden Knight career with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
  • Jackson completed Gannon's group of double-digit scorers with 13 points and four rebounds.
  • Gannon shot 41.7 percent (25-60) from the field, 18.2 percent (2-11) from three-point range and 57.7 percent (15-26) from the free throw line. 
  • Nick Giordano paced three East Stroudsburg starters in double digits with 15 points.
  • Jakwan Jones and PSAC Tournament Most Valuable Player Steve Harris followed with 14 and 11 points, respectively.
  • Josh Williams came off the bench to score 13 points. 
  • East Stroudsburg shot 51.6 percent (32-62) from the floor, 43.5 percent (10-23) from behind the arc and 68.2 percent (15-22) from the charity stripe. 
  • Gannon out-rebounded ESU 41-33, including a 13-6 difference on the offensive glass.
  • East Stroudsburg generated a 39-11 advantage in bench points and 19-4 edge in points off turnovers.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon was playing in its third PSAC title game since joining the league in 2008-09.
  • The Golden Knights were playing in their fourth PSAC Final Four during the last five seasons.
  • Gannon out-rebounded its opponent for the 12th consecutive game and 29th time in 31 games.
  • Jackson reached double digits in scoring for the 13th consecutive game while Phoenix did so for the ninth straight contest. 
  • Gannon suffered only its fourth loss in 22 games since December 9.
  • The Golden Knights were ranked 10th for the second consecutive week in the latest NCAA Division II Atlantic regional rankings released Wednesday afternoon. The Warriors were tabbed fourth.
  • Gannon saw its win streak snapped at eight.
  • East Stroudsburg's 89 points represented the highest total by a Gannon opponent this season.
  • Gannon recorded its fourth 20-win season in last six years with 22 wins being its highest total since 2014-15.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon's fate now lies in the hands of the NCAA Division II Tournament Selection Committee.
  • The Golden Knights are considered a bubble team and would need to be ranked in the top seven since previously-unranked Virginia Union captured an automatic bid as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Tournament champion.
  • Gannon would need to jump three spots after being tabbed 10th in this week's rankings.
  • The NCAA Division II Tournament Selection Show can be viewed at www.ncaa.com beginning at 10:30 p.m.
  • There will be no link until the show pops up on the NCAA site, so fans will need to keep refreshing the page until the link shows.
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Players Mentioned

Jair Green

#21 Jair Green

G
6' 4"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
Zay Jackson

#3 Zay Jackson

G
6' 0"
Senior
Criminal Justice
Evan Phoenix

#2 Evan Phoenix

F
6' 9"
Junior
Marketing

Players Mentioned

Jair Green

#21 Jair Green

6' 4"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
G
Zay Jackson

#3 Zay Jackson

6' 0"
Senior
Criminal Justice
G
Evan Phoenix

#2 Evan Phoenix

6' 9"
Junior
Marketing
F