INDIANAPOLIS — Gannon men’s basketball reached a low-point in 2022-23. Its three wins were its fewest since the late 1940s and it had not won a PSAC Tournament game since 2017-18, which was also the last time it qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Three years, 92 wins and a couple PSAC tournament titles later, the Gannon Golden Knights are NCAA Division-II national champions for the first time in program history.
"We had a lot of family here, but going up in the stands (after the game), I was shaking hands and hugging people who were tearing up because of what it meant to them," coach Easton Bazzoli said following Sunday’s 84-61 win over Lander. "The best thing about it is these guys did it the right way with tons of character. The number of people who have stopped me to tell me they can see how much these guys love and care for each other — that's as big as any championship."
Bazzoli has been integral to the program’s remarkable turnaround. He was an assistant under current Lamar coach Jordan Fee, helping the Golden Knights to a school-record 32 wins and an Elite Eight appearance in 2023-24, then took over as head coach a year later.
Bazzoli has found (and maintained) the program’s success by running the same high-octane, freeform offense Fee brought with him from powerhouse Nova Southeastern. To wit, Gannon (34-3) arrived at Gainbridge Fieldhouse averaging over 95 points per game (third most nationally), 27 of which came off turnovers. It led the country in turnovers forced per game (23) and ranked second in turnover margin.
But taking down Lander required a change in approach — early on, at least. The Golden Knights were more methodical, relatively speaking, at the outset, patiently picking their spots against Lander's notoriously suffocating defense. They erased an early four-point deficit with a piecemeal 15-0 run that featured contributions from four different players — including six points from Layne Sarver and four from Lucas Sekasi — and left the score at 20-9 with nine minutes left.
A Dylan Canoville layup and four straight points from Jake Tringone drew Lander within five, but Mackenzie Morgan quickly squashed the rally with a triple and Gannon was off to the races, pushing its lead to 16 at halftime with a variety of contributors. It maintained a 20-point advantage through most of the second half.
"It really takes a whole team effort," said Morgan, who logged 12 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. "You can't run this system without everyone bought in."
"This style, it's the most fun I've had playing basketball and honestly, it was part of the reason why I came to Gannon," added sophomore Pace Prosser, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. "The speed of the game and the freedom with the decisions you're able to make both offensively and defensively. … It's a really fun way to play."
Prosser stuffed the stat sheet with a game-high 28 points (10 of 19 shooting, four 3s), 11 rebounds, five assists, five steals and a block. Sekasi tallied 13 points and seven assists, while Lucas Morgan rounded out Gannon's double-digit scorers with 11.
The Golden Knights, who finished the season with a school-record 34 wins, shot 45.5% as a team and finished 11 for 27 from 3. They generated 16 turnovers (13 steals).
Canoville led a trio of double-digit scorers for Lander (30-6), logging 14 points and 10 rebounds. Jacob Daniels and Greyson Pritzl notched 11 points apiece, while Tringone finished with nine. Daniels also had six assists.
The Bearcats shot 38.7%.
“They beat us proper. There’s no question about it," Lander coach Omar Wattad said. "We knew they'd press, that’s part of their identity, but we really tried to hammer home how good they are in the halfcourt defensively. And the first half, our execution — due to Gannon's defense and physicality — was porous. … The credit goes to them. They 100% deserve the national championship."
Sunday's setback does not take any shine off Lander's tournament run, which was highlighted by dramatic wins over Lincoln Memorial and Columbus State in the Southeast Regional, an Elite Eight thriller vs. Daemen and a dominating upset of defending champion Nova Southeastern in the semifinals.
It also set a school record with its 30 wins.
"(This season) was nothing short of legendary," Lander junior Navaughn Maise said, holding back tears as he continued. "I love these guys. We worked day-in and day-out to earn this opportunity and these guys, I'll go to battle for them any day. I love them to death."
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