The Game Stories
} Edinboro clinched a berth in the PSAC Tournament with an 82-72 win over Lock Haven on Saturday.  The Fighting Scots grabbed a 35-25 lead at the half, only to see the Bald Eagles go ahead by four points with eight minutes to play.  Then Edinboro went on an 18-0 run, holding Lock Haven scoreless for over five minutes.

} The Fighting Scots have now won four of their last five games, but face a challenging stretch of three straight road games against the top three teams in the PSAC West.  After playing at Gannon on Wednesday, they play at Slippery Rock on Saturday before a contest at indiana(Pa.) on February 20.  Those three teams have a combined record of 52-13.  Edinboro then ends the regular season with back-to-back home games against Clarion and Mercyhurst.

} Edinboro qualified for the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2008-09.  The three-year drought had been the longest in Greg Walcavich's 24-year tenure as head coach.   The Fighting Scots come in with a 14-7 record and are 10-7 in the PSAC West. The 14 wins are the most since the 2008-09 team won 18 games.

} One positive that came from last Wednesday's loss to California(Pa.) was the return of Bryan Theriot.  The 6'9” junior played 19 minutes after missing the previous five games with a knee injury.  He led Edinboro with 20 points, adding six rebounds.  On Saturday he scored 15 points vs. Lock Haven. 

} Gannon won the first meeting at McComb Fieldhouse on January 16, 86-63, outscoring the Fighting Scots, 43-21, over the final 14 minutes. The 23-point loss was a rarity in a series which has featured nailbiters. In fact, it marked the most lopsided loss for the Scots in the series since a 95-70 defeat in 1982-83.

} Head coach Greg Walcavich is in his 24th season in charge of the Fighting Scots, showing a 426-248 record.  Including stints at Birmingham Southern and West Virginia Wesleyan he is 580-311 overall as he is in his 31st season as a head coach.

} Gannon comes in with a 19-4 record and is 13-4 in the PSAC West, one game behind Indiana(Pa.).  The Golden Knights come off a big week in which they won at Indiana(Pa.) and California(Pa.).  They are riding a three-game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight games, interrupted only by a loss at Slippery Rock.

} Edinboro was picked to finish fourth in the PSAC?West.  Gannon, meanwhile, was picked to finish third in the Western Division coaches poll.
 
Scouting Gannon
} The Golden Knights are enjoying one of their best seasons in recent years, showing a 19-4 overall record and 13-4 in the PSAC West.  This is a typical John Reilly-coached team, featuring hard-nosed defense and great rebounding.  The Golden Knights rank second in the PSAC in field goal percentage defense (38.6 pct.), scoring defense (58.1 ppg.), and rebounding margin (+9.0).  In addition, Gannon leads the conference in field goal percentage at 48.6 percent.  The Knights have allowed just two teams to score 70 points, with 72 by IUP the most allowed this year.  The last nine opponents have failed to reach 70 points.  Darrell Blanton, a 6'4” senior, is the leading scorer (16.0 ppg.) and rebounder (6.6 rpg.).  He is shooting 58.6 percent from the floor.  Robert Wilson, a transfer from Urbana, adds 12.7 ppg. and 6.0 rpg.  The Knights lost Adam Blazek for nine games with a broken hand, but the sophomore guard is averaging 11.4 ppg.   Oscar Macias, a 6'3” senior, is also in double figures at 10.5 ppg. and is the team's top three-point threat with 44 in 100 attempts.
 
The Edinboro-Gannon Series
} Gannon leads 61-34
In a series that first began in 1948-49, Gannon holds a sizeable but deceiving lead.  Edinboro has won four of the last six games and eight of the last 14 meetings.  Gannon won 24 of the first 27 meetings through 1962-63.  The two teams split last year's meetings, winning on each other's home court.  Edinboro looks to avoid a sweep of the season series.  The last time that happened was 2008-09.
(For complete series scores see page 6)
} Greg Walcavich Record vs. Gannon -- 18-23
} John Reilly's Record vs. Edinboro -- 6-7
 
The Last Meeting
} January 16, 2013 --  Gannon 86, Edinboro 63
A tight game turned into one of the larger margins of victory in the series as Gannon would hand Edinboro the most lopsided loss for the Scots in the series since a 95-70 defeat in 1982-83.  The Fighting Scots trailed just 45-42 with 13:32 to play when Bryan Theriot went down with an injury and would not return.  Gannon would go on to score 14 points in a row, and things got worse for the Scots when Jay Fletcher left the game with an injury with 7:20 remaining.  Gannon shot 52.3 percent from the floor, the only team to shoot over 50 percent vs. the Scots this year.   In addition, the Knights owned a 39-24 advantage on the glass, with sixteen of those rebounds coming on the offensive glass.  All told, Edinboro was outscored 50-26 in the paint.  Johnathan Logan led the Fighting Scots with  19 points on the strength of a 5-for-12 showing from beyond the 3-point arc.  Isaiah Prince added 17 points, while Theriot (5 of 7 FGs, 6 of 7 FTs) had 16 points despite playing just 20 minutes. 

Gannon had four players in double figures, led by Algeron Torrence, who came off the bench to make 9 of 14 field goals and 6 of 6 free throws for 24 points.  Darrell Blanton had 18 points and six rebounds.  The Knights received a huge boost with the return of Adam Blazek, the 2012 PSAC West Freshman of the Year, who had missed the last nine games with a broken hand.  He scored 15 points and had six rebounds in a reserve role.  Robert Wilson finished with 10 points.
 
The Coaches
} Greg Walcavich, Edinboro -- is in his 24th season at the helm of the Fighting Scots and his 31st overall as a head coach.  He has a 426-248 record at Edinboro and is 580-311 overall.  Walcavich has also previously served as the head coach at Birmingham Southern and West Virginia Wesleyan. (For an indepth bio see page 10)
} John Reilly, Gannon  -- took over as Gannon's 18th head coach in 2005-06, and has led the Golden Knights to a 138-83 record during his eight seasons.  He previously served as the head coach at Brecia University for 12 seasons, compiling a 232-145 record.  He led the NAIA?program to five twenty-win seasons.  Reilly entered the 2012-13 campaign ranked 37th among Division II coaches in victories, and he is now third in career victories at Gannon.  He enjoyed his finest season at Gannon in 2008-09, as the Golden Knights set a school record for wins, finishing 30-4 and advancing to the NCAA?Division II?Elite Eight.   Gannon was ranked No. 5 in the final National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)/Division II Top 25 poll, marking the highest final ranking in school history.  The Golden Knights won the PSAC Western Division regular-season, the PSAC Tournament and the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional championships during the season. As a result, Reilly was named NABC Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.  His 2007-08 squad ended the year with a 26-5 record.  
 
The Last Time Out
} Edinboro 82, Lock Haven 72 -- The Fighting Scots overcame a four-point deficit with eight minutes to play thanks to an 18-0 run, holding Lock Haven  scoreless for over five minutes.  Isaiah Prince scored eight of his 17 points during the run.  Jay Fletcher led Edinboro with 19 points, making 4 of 7 3-pointers.  Bryan Theriot came off the bench to contribute 15 points, and Johnathan Logan added 12 points.  Edinboro shot 50.9 percent from the floor while holding Lock Haven to 35.2 percent.        
} Gannon 56, California(Pa.) 53  -- the Golden Knights picked up the road win thanks to a strong effort off the bench from Tanner Furno.  He made 6 of 8 field goals to finish with 12 points, adding six rebounds.  Robert Wilson was the only other Golden Knight in double figures with 11 points.  Gannon shot 62.5 percent from the floor in the second half to overcome a 22-19 deficit at the half.
 
On the Radio, TV
} WFSE FM?88.9 broadcasts most Edinboro basketball games, including the Gannon game.  In addition, ETV, Edinboro's student-run television station, will stream most home games live.  Go to www.edinboro.tv to view the game.  Live stats are available for home games on Edinboro's website at www.gofightingscots.com.