ERIE Pa. – Ending a short two game road stint in Erie, the Clarion Men's Basketball team fell to the Gannon Golden Knights by a final score of 71-51 Wednesday evening at the Hammermill Center. The loss moves the Golden Eagles to 5-21 overall and 4-16 in the PSAC, while Gannon improves to 13-11 (12-18).
 
Jordan Agyemang scored the opening basket of the game on a layup and that is the last time that the Golden Eagles would lead all game. It was all Gannon from the jump as the Golden Knights opened the game on a 7-2 run.
 
The offense would settle down though as Clarion managed to stay within striking distance most of the first half. Godspower Ogide made his presence in the paint felt early as he had eight of his career high 14 points in the first half.
 
Clarion went in to the half trailing 39-20 on the back of jumper by Golden Knight Michael Tertsea with just 16 seconds remaining in the half.
 
The Golden Eagles shot 32% from the field in the first frame and 29% from beyond the arc, while Gannon shot a hot 59% from the field but just a minuscule 13% from deep.
 
In the second half the Blue and Gold continued to feed Ogide as the first basket of the second was more points in the paint, but the Golden Knights continued to push the tempo and make basket after basket. Mid way through the second half Gannon built a lead as large as 26 points, but Clarion continued to claw back.
 
After a good layup by Stevan Rodriguez and a pair of free throws from Kaison Branch, Clarion cut the lead to 22 points with just over nine minutes left to play.
 
Gannon would go on another short run towards the end of the game building the lead back up to 26 points, but again Clarion would battle back and again Rodriguez started the run scoring the next six points.  
 
After a Rodriguez layup, a Sheriff Conteh steal that lead to another Rodriquez layup, Clarion cut the lead to 67-45. Rodriguez scored again at the 3:46 mark cutting the Gannon lead to just 20 points. That is all the closer Clarion would get though as the Golden Knights sailed to a 71-51 victory.
 
On the game Clarion shot 33% from the field and 71% from the charity stripe, while scoring 30 points in the paint.
 
Rodriguez paced the Golden Eagles with 16 points and three rebounds, while Ogide scored a career high 14 points and grabbed a team-high six boards and one block.
 
The Golden Eagles will be back in action on Saturday, February 22^nd for Senior Day, as they host Cal U at 3 pm in Tippin Gym.