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 Kristen Rogers blocked GU's final shot Thursday night. |
Dec. 1, 2005
ERIE, Pa. - They may have debuted new green uniforms, but it was a familiar classic battle between Wayne State (3-3, 1-0 GLIAC) and Gannon (2-5, 0-1 GLIAC) Thursday night as the Warriors escaped with a 66-62 win to open Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Thursday night. WSU senior Kristen Rogers (Lansing, Mich.) blocked a shot with 9.7 seconds left to seal WSU's first win at the Hammermill Center since an 80-77 win on Jan. 15, 2003.
The Lady Knights led 8-0 before freshman point guard Joy Nash (Muskegon, Mich.) got a three-point play off a steal under the Warriors' basket. Another WSU steal by junior Cherita Smith (Grand Rapids, Mich.) led to a fast-break layup with 17:47 left in the first half.
After two Wayne State offensive rebounds, senior Casey Banks (Detroit, Mich.) finally got the ball to fall through the hoop as WSU trailed by just one, 12-11. The Warriors took their first lead of the game on the next possession on Monique George's (Detroit, Mich.) jumper in the paint.
GU went on a seven-point run to grab a 19-13 lead and then another run of nine points to build its lead to 10 points with 6:35 on the clock. The Warriors came right back as senior guard Shatona Clark's (Detroit, Mich.) offensive put-back and three-point play brought WSU within five at 30-25 with 3:54 left before the half.
The Warriors continued their rally back as sophomore Brittany White's (Chicago, Ill.) inbound play to George with 36.2 seconds left made it a one-point game, but Gannon got a last-second basket to hold a 34-31 halftime lead.
It took over three minutes for either team to score out of the locker room, but the Lady Knights then went on a 7-2 run in two minutes. But White back-to-back baskets and a pair of foul shots by Nash got WSU back within two at 43-41 with 12:06 left in the game.
Kristen Rogers knocked down a three-pointer on a nice pass from George, then George's steal transitioned into a second-chance basket by Smith who made the free throw to tie the game with 9:16 remaining. After a Christina Jackson score on the other end, Nicole Rogers (Lansing, Mich.) called for the ball on a three-pointer and connected for a one-point lead. Smith's little jumper in the lane gave the Warriors a 54-51 lead.
The Lady Knights took the lead back as they went on a 9-2 run before WSU tied the game up at 60 with 3:51 left. Then White's steal and layup put WSU back up until GU tied the game again. But Ralphanee Peyton's (Detroit, Mich.) basket at the 1:22 mark proved to be the game-winner as WSU played tough defense the final 41.9 seconds. But a jump ball call with 9.7 ticks left gave Gannon's Carrie Nolan a look at up an open three that she passed up. Instead, she dribbled and put up a jumper that Rogers blocked. White then made both foul shots with 5.7 seconds and the Lady Knights couldn't get off a final shot.
Nicole Rogers led the Warriors with her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Smith added 13 points as Clark and George each had six rebounds.
Gannon held a one-rebound margin, 42-41, but WSU had 19 offensive boards that led to 18 second-chance points. The Warriors also scored 33 points off 28 GU turnovers.
The Warriors remain in Erie for a Saturday afternoon contest at Mercyhurst College.
