CALIFORNIA (Jan. 13) – The California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team scored 14-unasnwered points in the closing minutes on Wednesday evening to erase an eight-point deficit and earn a 64-58 win over Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 10-4 overall behind an 8-3 mark in league play. Meanwhile, the Lady Knights suffered their first loss since Nov. 28 – seven games – and dropped to 11-4 this season with an 8-3 record in conference action. Cal U has won the last two games against Gannon after the Lady Knights previously won seven-consecutive meetings.
Sophomore forward
Seairra Barrett (Center Twp., Pa./Central Valley) recorded her third-straight double-double after posting 16 points and 15 rebounds. She shot 8-of-18 from the floor and also collected two assists and two steals while playing all 40 minutes. Barrett, who has totaled eight double-doubles this year, is averaging 16.0 points and 14.7 rebounds over the last three games.
Junior
Miki Glenn (Bridgeport, W.Va./Bridgeport) led the team in scoring with 19 points behind 9-of-10 from the free-throw line and matched her season high with eight assists. Freshman
Emily Suckling (Cheltenham, Australia/Mentone Girls' Secondary College) added 12 points off the bench on four-of-seven from beyond the arc (entered play with two three-pointers this season), while sophomore
Shatara Parsons (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) finished with eight points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
Cal U opened the game by scoring eight-straight points before Gannon countered with a 13-4 run to take a 13-12 lead with 1:32 left in the first quarter. Barrett scored on a layup in the final minute of the quarter to give the Vulcans a 14-13 lead. Cal U stretched the lead to 23-15 on another basket by Barrett with 6:36 remaining in the first half before Gannon later mounted an 11-3 rally to take a 30-28 lead at the break.
The teams traded baskets in the initial five minutes of the third quarter before the Lady Knights engineered a 14-7 run over four-plus minutes to build a 51-43 with 22 seconds left in the quarter. Glenn made a pair of free-throws in the closing seconds to cut the deficit to 51-45 at the end of the quarter. The teams were each limited to one field goal in the opening 4:30-plus of the fourth quarter before the Vulcans mounted a 14-0 run to take a 61-54 lead on a three-pointer by Suckling with 1:54 remaining. During the rally, Suckling made four three-pointers in a span of three minutes and the Lady Knights missed all five of their field-goal attempts. Gannon cut the deficit to 61-58 on a pair of baskets before Glenn sealed the win with three free-throws in the final 30 seconds.
Cal U finished the game shooting 41.0 percent (25-of-61) from the floor and attempted only seven free-throws. Meanwhile, Gannon shot at a 35.8 clip (24-of-67) from the field and 58.8 percent (10-of-17) from the charity stripe. The Vulcans committed only nine turnovers in the victory and scored 18 second-chance points, but were out-rebounded by a 45-37 margin.
Senior Morgan Neighbors led the Lady Knights with 18 points on 8-of-15 from the floor. Senior Jennie Thies tallied a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds (seven offensive), while sophomore McKenna Shives finished with 11 points in the loss.
Cal U returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 16, when it travels to face Slippery Rock at 5 p.m.
