men's regional
Matt Durisko

Men's Basketball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Elite Eight Preview: No. 3 Golden Knights Face No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino in Quarterfinals

No. 3 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (32-2, 20-2 PSAC West) vs. No. 6 CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO (26-7, 17-5 CCAA)
NCAA Div. II Elite Eight -- Quarterfinals
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 | 1:00 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: Ford Center l Evansville, Ind.
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THE GANNON-CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO SERIES
First Meeting


ERIE, Pa. – A surprising Gannon team that won three games a year ago earned its sixth trip to the Elite Eight with an incredible finish in Tuesday's Atlantic Regional championship game befitting of the miracle turnaround. When Nigel Haughton (Bel Air, Md./South Kent) followed up Lyle Tipton's (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) miss and scored as time expired Gannon not only defeated Charleston (WV) 67-65 but earned a trip to Evansville, ind. to compete in the Elite Eight.

First-year head coach Jordan Fee's team was picked to finish seventh in the PSAC West preseason poll. A new-look squad ran off ten straight wins to start the season, and after a couple losses have gone on a school-record 21-game winning streak.

Gannon enters the Elite Eight as the number three seed and will face No. 6 seed Cal State San Berardino in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, March 26. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at the Ford Center.

Oddly enough, a win in the quarterfinals could set up a meeting with Fee's former team and defending national champion Nova Southeastern, the number two seed.

In another oddity, Fee is familiar with Cal State San Bernardino. The Coyotes reached the national semifinals a year ago before running into Nova Southeastern and losing 94-87. However, it is a vastly different CSUSB team that is making its second straight trip to the Elite Eight, including first-year head coach Gus Argenal.

Gannon comes in with a 32-2 record, a new school record for victories. The Golden Knights earlier won the PSAC Championship. Cal State San Bernardino owns a 26-7 record after finishing at 31-4 a year ago. The Coyotes defeated Azusa Pacific 74-67 to win the West Regional for the second straight year.

Gannon has made a remarkable turn-around under Fee. The Golden Knights finished with a 3-23 record a year ago. They enter Tuesday's game at 32-2, setting a new school record for victories. That's an improvement of 25 games over last year, a new NCAA record across all divisions.

The Golden Knights have done it with a high-scoring offense and harassing defense. They have led the country in scoring offense all year until after the Charleston game. Gannon now comes in second at 101.4 ppg. They have twice set the school record for points in a game, scoring 146 points vs. Penn State DuBois after opening the season with 140 vs. Glenville State.

Gannon has reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 2009. That year the Golden Knights lost to Central Missouri 86-77 in the quarterfinals in Springfield, Mass. That was also the site of the most successful run by a Gannon team. The Golden Knights reached the championship game before falling to Kentucky Wesleyan 92-74.
 
Fee is making his third straight trip to the Elite Eight. A year ago he served as the associate head coach at Nova Southeastern and was on the bench as the Sharks won the Division II national championship. The year before that they lost in the national quarterfinals.
 
He earlier led Gannon to its third PSAC Championship and first since 2015. He did so with a team picked to finish seventh in the PSAC West in the preseason poll. The Golden Knights have climbed all the way to third in the NABC Division II Top 25, matching their highest ranking ever in the poll. In addition Gannon is also third in the D2CSC Media Poll. Cal State San Bernardino was 20th in both polls.


GANNON WINS ATLANTIC REGIONAL ON LAST SECOND SHOT BY HAUGHTON
A standing room only crowd witnessed Gannon post one of its most dramatic wins ever in the Atlantic Regional championship game. The Golden Knights fell behind Charleston (WV) by 16 points in the first half and trailed by 14 points at the half. They would chip away in the second half to finally pull even late in the game. Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) would tie the game at 65-65 with a pair of free throws with 54 seconds remaining. Charleston came down and missed a 3-pointer with Nigel Haughton (Bel Air, Md./South Kent) grabbing the rebounds. With time winding down Lyle Tipton (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) drove down the left side of the lane. His off-balance, contested shot was rebounded by Haughton under the basket, with Haughton laying it in and the buzzer going off as it nstled through the net. The basket gave Gannon a 67-65 win for its first regional crown since 2009. It was the only lead of the game for the Golden Knights.  Omojafo paced Gannon with 25 points.
 
OMOJAFO NAMED ATLANTIC REGIONAL MVP, HOBBS ON ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
After previously being named the PSAC Championships' MVP Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) was selected the MVP of the Atlantic Regional. The sophomore guard finished with a game-high 25 points in the 67-65 win over Charleston (WV) in the championship game. Zachary Hobbs (Gilbert, Ariz./Mesa) also landed a spot on the All-Tournament team after contributing 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
GOLDEN KNIGHTS MOST IMPROVED TEAM IN NCAA HISTORY
A year ago Gannon finished with a 3-23 record. Enter Jordan Fee. The Golden Knights are currently at 32-2, a new school record for wins.  That's an improvement of 24.5 games. The Golden Knights have ensured the greatest improvement not only in Division II men's basketball but in NCAA history, men's and women's basketball. Here's a list of the greatest improvement by teams in each division from one year to the next. (Special thanks to Nick Moeller from the NCAA)
 
Most Improved Teams from One Season to the Next
24.5 games – GANNON, 2023-24 (from 3-23 to 31-2)
DI Men's Basketball
18 games—Southern Miss., 2023 (from 7-26 to 25-8)
DII Men's Basketball
18.5 games—N.M. Highlands, 2009 (from 1-26 to 20-8)
DIII Men's Basketball
17 games—Hunter, 1998 (from 9-17 to 28-2)
DI Women's Basketball
17 games—Valparaiso, 2002 (from 7-22 to 26-7)
DII Women's Basketball
18.5 games—Grand Canyon, 2007 (from 4-22 to 23-4)
DIII Women's Basketball
18.5 games—East Texas Baptist, 2018 (from 3-22 to 25-7)
 
OMOJAFO NAMED TO D2CCA ALL-ATLANTIC REGION FIRST TEAM; NABC ALL-ATLANTIC DISTRICT TEAM
On Monday Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) was named to the NABC All-Atlantic District first team, and last Tuesday he was named to the D2CCA All-Atlantic Region First Team. The native of Hamilton, Ontario was also on the Bevo Francis Top 50 Watch List. He is third in the PSAC in scoring at 20.0 ppg. and now ranks second in a season in scoring at Gannon with 680 points. He has also set season records for free throws made (231) and attempted (281).
 
OMOJAFO THIRD GOLDEN KNIGHT NAMED PSAC TOURNAMENT MVP
Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) was named the PSAC Tournament MVP after leading Gannon to its third PSAC championship last Sunday. The 6-foot-5 sophomore scored 30 points in the semifinal win over Millersville followed by a 22-point effort in the championship game win over California (Pa.). Omojafo is the third Golden Knight named the PSAC Tournament. Tyler Stoczynski earned the honor in 2009 and Girbran Smith in 2015.
 
Gannon PSAC Tournament MVPs
2009 – Tyler Stoczynski
2015 – Girbran Smith
2024 – Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf)
 
FEE NAMED PSAC WEST COACH OF THE YEAR, THREE GOLDEN KNIGHTS ACCORDED ALL-PSAC WEST HONORS
The PSAC announced its postseason award winners in basketball late recently with Gannon head coach Jordan Fee named the PSAC West Coach of the Year. In his first season at Gannon Fee has guided the Golden Knights to a 32-2 record, a new school record for wins in a season. The Golden Knights won the Western Division regular season title with a 20-2 record. Gannon has matched its highest national ranking ever after climbing to third in the latest NABC Top 25. Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf), Derrick James (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) and Lyle Tipton (Glenside, Pa./Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy) have were named to the All-PSAC West teams. Omojafo, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, was voted to the first time while ranking third in the conference in scoring at 20.0 ppg. He has scored 680 points this season, the second-highest season total. Tipton, a 6-foot-3 graduate student, is second on the team in scoring at 14.8 ppg. and adds 4.2 rpg. James is a sophomore guard and comes in at 9.9 ppg. He ranks second in the PSAC in assists with 168 while committing just 67 turnovers and leads the conference in steals with 81.
 
GANNON EARNS PSAC WEST REGULAR SEASON CROWN FOR FOURTH TIME
With one game remaining Gannon had clinched at least a tie for the PSAC West regular season title and the top seed in the division. Saturday's 84-75 win at Seton Hill gave the Golden Knights the outright division crown. It marks Gannon's fourth divisional crown since joining the PSAC in 2008-09. Gannon won the regular season title that very first year and also won it outright in 2014-15. Both years Gannon went on to win the PSAC championship. In 2013-14 the Golden Knights were PSAC West co-champions. The 20-2 record in league play is also a record for most PSAC wins in a season. The 2014-15 team finished at 18-4.
 
FEE SETS RECORD FOR WINS BY FIRST-YEAR COACH
Earlier in the season Jordan Fee joined an elite group of coaches at Gannon to post 20 wins in their first season. Fee took it even further and thanks to the recent win at Seton Hill holds the Gannon record for wins by a first-year head coach. He has reached 32 wins, breaking the record of 25 previously set by Ed Sparling 1974-75 to a 25-4 finish. Bob Dukiet guided the Golden Knights to a 24-8 record in his first season in 1989-90 and Tom Chapman had a 22-9 record in 1984-85, his first season at the helm.
 
21-GAME WINNING SETS SCHOOL RECORD
Gannon opened the 2023-24 campaign with ten straight victories. The Golden Knights suffered losses to Millersville and California (Pa.) but they have not lost since the latter setback. Tuesday's 67-65 win over Charleston (WV) was Gannon's 20th straight. The 2001-02 team had held the previous record with 14 games in a row.
 
32 WINS A NEW SCHOOL RECORD
Gannon picked up its 31st win last Saturday with an 103-88 win over West Liberty in the Atlantic Regional Semifinals. That broke the previous record most wins in a season. The Golden Knights made it 32 wins on Tuesday vs. Charleston (WV). The 2008-09 Golden Knight edition previously held the school record for wins in a season with a 30-4 record.
 
Most Victories in a Season
2023-24 -- 32-2
2008-09 -- 30-4
1986-87 -- 28-6
2007-08 -- 26-5
1985-86 -- 25-6
1974-75 -- 25-4
 
SCOUTING CALL STATE SAN BERNARDINO
The Coyotes of Cal State San Bernardino are making their second straight trip to the Elite Eight. CSUSB defeated Azusa Pacific 74-67 a week ago in the West Regional championship game. The Coyotes come in with a 26-7 record under first-year head coach Gus Argenal. They have won three straight games after losing to Cal State Los Angeles 73-62 in the CCAA Championship game. CSUSB had four players earn All-CCAA honors, led by Defensive Player of the Year LeAndrew Knight. The senior guard was the best defender on the best defensive team in the CCAA, He spearheads a Coyotes' defense that allows just 65.3 points per game (12th in Div. II) and out-rebounds opponents by 8.8 boards per game (fourth in Div. II). He has 46 steals while averaging 10.0 ppg. and 6.5 rpg. He was also named an honorable mention All-CCAA performer. Two Coyotes earned first team honors. Junior guard Chris Mitchell, a 6-foot-4 junior transfer from Cal Poly Pomona, averages a team-high 16.5 ppg. and 7.3 rpg. with 37 3-pointers in 85 attempts. Senior Robby Robinson was also named to the first team after earning team honors a year ago. The 6-foot-8 Robinson averages 14.4 ppg. and a team-high 8.6 rpg. He has scored over 1,000 career points after playing two seasons at Nevada and one at New Orleans. Sedrick Altman earned second team All-CCAA accolades. A 6-foot-3 senior guard who previously played at Rider, he averages 13.0 ppg. with a team-high 57 3-pointers in 198 attempts.
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Nigel Haughton

#10 Nigel Haughton

G
6' 1"
Graduate Student
Zachary Hobbs

#24 Zachary Hobbs

G/F
6' 4"
Graduate Student
Derrick James

#12 Derrick James

G
5' 10"
Sophomore
Josh Omojafo

#4 Josh Omojafo

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Lyle Tipton

#33 Lyle Tipton

G/F
6' 3"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Nigel Haughton

#10 Nigel Haughton

6' 1"
Graduate Student
G
Zachary Hobbs

#24 Zachary Hobbs

6' 4"
Graduate Student
G/F
Derrick James

#12 Derrick James

5' 10"
Sophomore
G
Josh Omojafo

#4 Josh Omojafo

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Lyle Tipton

#33 Lyle Tipton

6' 3"
Graduate Student
G/F