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Slippery Rock Recap
Sports
Information Department, Dan Teliski, Director
Phone: (814) 871-7418
Date: January 3, 2008
GANNON STUNS SLIPPERY ROCK
WITH PAIR OF BUZZER BEATERS
KNIGHTS ERASE SEVEN-POINT DEFICIT IN FINAL 2:30 OF REGULATION
ERIE, Pa. - Teams can always point to significant victories that
lead to successful seasons. The Gannon women’s basketball team might have
carved out one of those signature victories Thursday night at the Hammermill
Center.
Trailing for the majority of the game, Gannon rallied from a seven-point
deficit with 2:30 to play and a five-point deficit with 26 seconds remaining
to forge overtime, before winning the game with a buzzer beater in the extra
session.
Nijha McNeely’s jumper with 2:30 remaining in regulation gave Slippery Rock
a 69-62 lead when Gannon made its move. Brittany Tabron (Canton, Ohio/Canton
Central Catholic) scored on a lay-up at the 2:02 mark. After Slippery
Rock missed a jumper, Ashley Lowdermilk (Kensington, Ohio/Carrollton)
drilled a three-pointer to cut the Rock lead to 69-67 with 1:25 left.
Slippery Rock regained a five-point lead at 72-67 with 26 ticks left on the
clock following a jumper and free throw. Lowdermilk hit another triple to
pull the Lady Knights within 72-70 with 20 seconds left.
Gannon then fouled Chere’ Marshall, who made the first and missed the critical
second free throw. The Lady Knights grabbed the rebound and got two three-point
attempts off. The second one by Lowdermilk from the right corner found nothing
but net with three seconds left on the clock and forced overtime. It was
Lowdermilk’s third triple in the final 1:25 of regulation.
The two teams traded baskets to open the overtime session, setting off an
unbelievable final 1:05. Julie Molloy gave Slippery Rock its first overtime
lead with a three-pointer from the right wing at the 1:05 mark, pushing the
Rock in front by a 78-77 count.
Gannon immediately grabbed the lead back at 81-78 with two free throws and
a lay-up by Kim Vargas (Sterling, Va./Broad Run). However, the Rock
wasn’t done. Amanda Nero drilled a triple with 13 seconds remaining to tie
the score at 81. The Lady Knights inbounded the ball and set up an isolation
play for point guard Tiffany Crocker (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman),
who scored on a driving lay-up down the left side of the paint with one second
left on the clock. A desperation full-court shot by Slippery Rock fell short
and set off a celebration by the Gannon fans.
Gannon trailed 38-33 at halftime and won for the first time this season when
trailing at halftime. The Lady Knights’ largest deficit came at 58-48 with
9:49 remaining in regulation.
Vargas led all scorers with 23 points and 11 rebounds, recording her second
double-double of the season. Freeman added 20 points and eight rebounds.
Lowdermilk chipped in 16 markers, six rebounds, and four assists.
Gannon shot 44.8 percent (30-67) from the field, 37.5 percent (9-24) from
three-point range, and 63.6 percent (14-22) from the free throw line.
Haley Gaidosh led Slippery Rock with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Nero and
Molloy added 18 and 15 points, respectively.
Slippery Rock shot 43.1 percent (31-72) from the floor, 57.1 percent (8-14)
from behind the arc, and 64.7 percent (11-17) from the charity stripe.
Gannon improved to 8-4 with its second consecutive victory. Slippery Rock
dropped to 4-8. The Lady Knights return to action Saturday, January 5 at
local rival Mercyhurst. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tickets are currently
on sale at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. through Friday
or until the game sells out.
A complete box score from Thursday’s Gannon-Slippery Rock women’s basketball
game can be found at http://www.gannon.edu/sports/women/BASKETBA/STATS.HTM/GAME12.HTM.
Gannon University~University Square ~ Erie, PA 16541-0001
Toll Free: 1-800-GANNON-U
Sports
Press Box E-mail
updated 1/3/08 by: drt
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