PSAC champs! Gannon women's basketball team claims 3rd title in past 4 PSAC Tournaments - Gannon University Athletics (2024)

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Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 3/10/2024 8:38:00 PM | Jeff Kirik, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations

Sam Pirosko earns MVP award after scoring 32 in title game and 72 points in two contests

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Two things have been clear throughout the PSAC women's basketball season – Gannon is a championship-caliber team, and Sam Pirosko is the Golden Knights' leader.

Both of those things proved true on Sunday as coach Cleve Wright's Golden Knights claimed their third title in the past four PSAC Tournaments with an 80-65 victory over the host Lock Haven Bald Eagles in the PSAC Championship Game at Logan Fieldhouse.

Gannon, ranked No. 3 and No 4 nationally in the two NCAA Division II polls, moved to 32-2 on the season. After going 21-1 in the PSAC West during the regular season, the Knights swept their three PSAC Tournament games against Edinboro, West Chester, and Lock Haven.

"I'm so happy for our players, especially our sophom*ores and new kids, getting a chance to have that recognition," Wright said. "They worked so hard. I'm so elated about that and so excited about the way we played today – excited about moving forward. But we're really going to enjoy this one right now."

An elated Gannon women's basketball head coach Cleve Wright talks about his team's third title in the past four PSAC Tournaments ... and Gannon's twin titles.@GannonWBB @GannonU @PSACsports https://t.co/wcjPowmwoi

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) March 10, 2024

Pirosko was the catalyst for Gannon's dominant PSAC season.

She completed one of the greatest Final Four performances in PSAC history by scoring a combined 72 points in two games. The 5-foot-10 senior post player poured 32 points in the title game after collecting career highs of 40 points and 19 rebounds in a 79-73 semifinal win over West Chester on Saturday.

As a result, the returning All-American earned the PSAC Tournament MVP award two days after picking up her second consecutive PSAC West Athlete of the Year award.

Twin titles on same day:

The Gannon women joined the Gannon men in winning PSAC titles on the same day, minutes apart. That's the first time in school history that both basketball teams cut down the nets during the same season.

If fact, as the Gannon women played in Lock Haven, scoring updates were being read by the public address announcer at a packed Hagerty Family Events Center.

Each time the score was read, a loud cheer followed. When the final score was announced during a late timeout, Gannon fans erupted.

A short time later, the crowd roared again when the men's team secured an 89-74 victory over California for its conference title.

Golden Knights rule!
Coach Cleve Wright's Gannon women's basketball team is a PSAC champion again!
GU beats Lock Haven 80-65 on its home floor.@GannonWBB @GannonU pic.twitter.com/Cna4Q5V3oV

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) March 10, 2024

NCAAs next:

The Gannon women's team, which had been ranked No. 1 in the NCAA's Atlantic Region, was expected to earn the right host a regional at Hagerty Family Events Center. The Knights' tournament fate was set to be announced during the NCAA Selection Show at 10:30 p.m.

The Gannon men also were ranked No. 1 in the region and were favorites to host the Atlantic Regional when the men's NCAA Selection Show was set to take place on Sunday at 11 p.m.

PSAC Tournament MVP Sam Pirosko talks about her third PSAC title with Gannon, her MVP award, and the Golden Knights' twin titles.@GannonWBB @GannonU @PSACsports pic.twitter.com/9tk8ZJ8Nkm

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) March 10, 2024

Championship game recap:

Gannon faced a Lock Haven team that was also having a dream season. The Bald Eagles won the PSAC East regular-season title, claimed the No. 1 Eastern seed, and entered the title game with a 28-2 record after knocking off 2023 champion California on Saturday in the semifinals.

After the teams played a close first quarter that ended in a 15-15 score, the scored was tied again at 25-25 with 4 minutes left in the first half.

That's when Pirosko stepped up and scored six consecutive points to give the Golden Knights a 31-25 lead. She finished the half with 23 points as Gannon took a 37-30 lead into the lockerroom.

Pirosko had scored 27 points in the second half on Saturday, giving her 50 points between the two halves over two days.

In the second half, the game remained in contention as Lock Haven trailed 48-43 with 4:38 left in the third quarter.

Freshman Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) scored four points, freshman Olivia Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) drained a 3-pointer, Trinitee Harris (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central) sank a layup and Pirosko added a free throw as Gannon surged to a 58-45 advantage. Pirosko's conventional 3-point play capped the period as GU led 61-47 going into the fourth quarter.

Lock Haven twice whittled the lead to nine points in the fourth quarter but could get no closer.

By the numbers:

• Pirosko scored in double figures for the 67th consecutive game over two seasons. She also had six rebounds and three steals.
• After becoming Gannon's No. 2 all-time scorer on Saturday, Pirosko increased her career point total to 2,198. She trails only Rona Nesbit's total of 2,340.
• Pirosko went 9-for-10 from the line one day after setting Gannon records with a 19-of-20 effort from the foul line. That made her 28-for-30 in two days.
• Ratliff, sophom*ore guard Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster), and sophom*ore post Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) each scored 10 points for the Golden Knights.