PITTSBURGH — Gannon University’s first appearance in an NCAA Division II men’s basketball final occurred in 1987.
It was at Springfield, Massachusetts, the sport’s birthplace, where the Golden Knights lost to Kentucky Wesleyan.
Nearly 40 years later, Gannon’s 2025-26 team has the chance to accomplish what its predecessor couldn’t: Win the last game of a season and become a national champion.
Coach Easton Bazzoli and his players will have that opportunity in Indiana, another cradle of American basketball.
Gannon will travel there April 5 via its 98-80 semifinal victory over Oklahoma Baptist in a March 27 semifinal at Duquesne University’s UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
Its at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, where the Knights (33-3) will face Lander University from Greenwood, South Carolina. The fifth-seeded Bearcats upset Florida’s Nova Southeastern, the top seed and defending national champion, 91-81 in the second semi.
Oklahoma Baptist, in its first Division II semifinal appearance, was eliminated at 31-4.
This is a developing story that the Erie Times-News will continue to follow.
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Gannon men’s basketball team advances to NCAA Division II title game