Gannon Women's Basketball Team Opens Season with 80-68 Victory over Northwood

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - The Gannon women’s basketball team opened the 2010-11 regular season with 80-68 victory over Northwood (Mich.) at the Ferris State tournament on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Knights have now won 41 consecutive regular season games.

Gannon scored the first four points of the game thanks to a Jennifer Papich (Pittsburgh, Pa / Fox Chapel) free throw followed by a Caitlyn Lowe (Gettysburg, Pa. / Gettysburg) three-point basket. The lead would change hands several times during the first 15 minutes with neither team able to stretch an advantage past four points.

With 4:39 left in the first half, Shanna Thompson (Shaker Heights, Ohio / Shaker Heights) helped break open the first half by scoring on back-to-back possessions. A 17-5 run over the last five minutes of the half would put the Lady Knights ahead by a 39-26 score at the break.

Gannon would come out just as strong in the second half, stretching the lead to 18 points with a long-range shot from Kelsey McCoy (Sylvania, Ohio / Sylvania Northview). Gannon would maintain the double-digit lead throughout most of the second half as the Timberwolves would never get closer than nine points.

Gannon shot 41.4 percent from the field while limiting Northwood to 30.7 percent. The Lady Knights shot 36.4 percent from behind the arc while Northwood managed just 18.2 percent of their long-range shots. The Timberwolves did win the rebound battle, grabbing 51 for the game. Northwood earned 34 points in the paint thanks to 24 offensive rebounds.

Papich led all Lady Knights in scoring with 14 points. The freshman grabbed six rebounds and recorded a game-high three steals. Jessie Tamerlano (North Royalton, Ohio / North Royalton) grabbed eight rebounds while dishing out seven assists and scoring 11 points. Amanda Dacek (Middleburg Heights, Ohio / Berea) also added seven assists and scored 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting. Lowe finished with 12 points while Julie Kleber (Suffern, N.Y. / Suffern) had 10. In all five Lady Knights scored double-digit points.

Northwood’s Pam Wilson and Savannah Stedman both earned double-doubles. Wilson scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Stedman had 13 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.

Gannon starts the season off 1-0. The Lady Knights haven’t lost a regular season game since January 24, 2009 when Indiana (Pa.) defeated Gannon 65-52. Gannon hands Northwood its first loss of the season and is now 2-1.

The Lady Knights will take on the host institution, Ferris State, tomorrow at 3 p.m.