Box Score Erie, Pa. – Charleston would face the Golden Knights of Gannon on Tuesday night in the NCAA Atlantic Region Final. Just as basketball games tend to go in the month of March, it would be a shocking end to a game that looked promising for the Golden Eagles.
The Basics:
Location: Hagerty Family Event Center
Score: UC 65, GU 67
Records: UC 29-5 (17-3 MEC), Gannon 32-2 (20-2 PSAC)
How it Happened:
The Golden Eagles got things started in the sweet sixteen match after winning the tip and got on the board first with a put back by Eddie Colbert III. A defensive board down at the other end gave Charleston the momentum and Tyler Eberhart put his team up by four after driving to the hoop. Another defensive board sent Charleston down to the offensive end and Tae Wilson found his first points with a layup. Charleston now up 6-2, got yet another defensive board and converted it into three points with a DeAirius Barker three, Charleston leading 9-4 at the under sixteen media timeout.
After the timeout, Charleston picked up another defensive rebound and traded it in for a Colbert III three followed by an Eberhart three. The Golden Eagles quickly up 15-4 just a minute after the media, forcing a Gannon called timeout. At the under twelve media timeout, Charleston led 21-10 with nine defensive rebounds in the first eight minutes.
Charleston maintained their lead, entering the next media timeout up 29-17 shooting 67%
With under eight minutes left in the half. After the timeout the Golden Eagles fell victim of two shot clock violation turnovers, but only allowed a two-point bucket to bring the score to 29-19, Charleston with possession.
The Golden Eagles continued to roll, leading 41-27 at the half, Tyler Eberhart with 12 points and five boards to lead the offense. Charleston continued to shoot the ball well, shooting 63% from the field compared to Gannon's 28%.
The Golden Eagles got the ball in the second half but quickly committed two offensive fouls, giving Gannon the momentum, and letting them score four. Charleston responded with an Eddie Colbert III jumper and then the and one to complete the three-point play, leading by 13 with 18 minutes left to play.
The next four points went to Gannon, but Dwaine Jones was fouled and sent to the line with a chance to tack one two more for his squad. Jones was 2-2 from the charity stripe putting his team back up by 11. A travel call against Gannon quickly gave the Golden Eagles the ball back, and Tyler Eberhart sealed the deal with a dunk to quiet the Gannon crowd.
The crowd got back into it when Gannon scored four unanswered points, cutting their deficit to 50-43. Heading into the under eight media timeout, the Golden Eagles still led by seven, 56-49, Tyler Eberhart with 20 points in the contest.
Gannon brought the game back to a one possession game after a layup, defensive board, and a trip to the charity stripe. Charleston's Eddie Colbert III then got fouled down the other end of the court and gave Charleston the five-point advantage back before committing another, allowing Gannon to bring it back within four.
At the under four media timeout, Charleston led 61-57, only shooting 40% from the field, Gannon shooting 50%. After the timeout, Gannon went 2-2 from the free throw line, making it a two-point game with just over three minutes to go. The Golden Eagles then turned the ball over, Gannon capitalizing and tying the game with a two-point bucket.
The game was going to be decided in the final seconds, the contest tied at 65-65 with just 16 seconds left to play and Gannon having possession and calling a full timeout. With seconds running off the clock, Gannon threw up a shot that missed, but with tenths of a second left, the Golden Knights hit a tip in shot that fell through the net as the buzzer sounded. Despite trailing all game, Gannon was victorious 67-65.
