Gannon's sixth-ranked men's basketball team improved to 4-0 Wednesday night with a victory over NCAA Division III Allegheny College at the Hammermill Center (check out Erie Times-News coverage).
It's a terrific start to the season, with the possibility for as many as eight more victories before PSAC competition begins Jan. 14 at California (Pa.).
What's it mean? The Knights have reached the NCAA Division II playoffs in eight of the 12 seasons since 1980 that they have started at least 4-0.
The Golden Knights will tell you they're not counting even a single victory until it's earned. And even if they were to win every pre-Cal game -- all but the last two at home -- they'd still have two road wins to go before laying claim to the program's best start since 1980.
1. 2001-02, 13-0. The Knights played only three games among the first 13 decided by three or fewer points, blowing out Indiana (Pa.) 92-65; Grand Valley State 92-67; Allegheny 105-64; Tiffin 119-76; and Pace 98-61. It wasn't until Jan. 12, at Northwood (Mich.), that Gannon lost for the first time, 83-78 in overtime. The Knights finished 21-7 and lost 70-53 to Findlay in the first round of the Division II tournament.
2. 1999-2000, 11-0. The Knights score 90 in the first three games and in five of their first 11. Northern Michigan held the Knights under 70 points for the first time that season Jan. 8 at the Hammermill Center, 84-69. Gannon finished 23-5 and lost to Michigan Tech, 91-86, in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
3. 1988-89, 21-9. Gannon nearly got out of December without a loss. After beating Kentucky State 96-81 in the first round of the Porreco Cup Dec. 29, the Knights lost 75-58 to North Carolina Central in the championship game Dec. 30. Gannon finished 21-9, winning two of three games in the MECC Tournament.
4. 2002-03, 8-0. Only one of the Knights' first eight games was as close as nine points -- a 76-67 home win over Grand Valley State. Then nemesis Kentucky Wesleyan hammered Gannon 85-64 in a non-conference game in Owensboro, Ky., starting a 2-4 stretch in a season that ended with a 20-10 record and 81-74 loss to that same Wesleyan team in the NCAA tournament's first round.
5. 1994-95, 7-0. The Knights scored 88 points or more in five games during their season-opening winning streak, then got shut down in a 73-54 loss at West Virginia Wesleyan. Gannon finished 22-8 and reached the NCAA East Regional by winning a play-in game against Bloomsburg, 82-81. The Knights went 0-2 in the regional.
6. 6-0, three times since 1980, most recently 2007-08. Gannon's first loss a season ago was Dec. 8 at Edinboro, 64-60. It was a blemish on a 26-5 turnaround season that didn't end until an 88-82 loss to Drury in the second round of the NCAA tournament.