The Slippery Rock University men’s basketball team bounced back from its 60-57 loss to Mercyhurst University last Saturday with a 94-76 conference win over Lock Haven University on Wednesday night at Morrow Fieldhouse.
With the win, the Rock (16-6 overall, 13-PSAC) moved into a tie for second place with Gannon University (19-5, 13-5) in the western division.
Indiana University of Pa. is still at the top of the standings by two games (18-3, 15-3).
Lock Haven lost its 12th consecutive game of the season and fell to last place in the eight-team conference.
Five players scored in the double-digits for the Rock on Wednesday.
Senior guard Darious Clark sank three 3-pointers and was a perfect 4-4 from the foul line en route to 19 points.
Senior forward Gerald Brooks came off the bench to record his fifth double-double of the season with 16 points, 15 boards, and four assists.
Senior guard John Bayardelle, senior forward Devin Taylor, and junior guard Sa’Quan Davis each scored 10 points apiece in the winning effort for SRU.
Taylor is just 19 points shy of
scoring 1,000 points in a Rock uniform.
“It’s exciting, but I’m trying not to think about how many points I need to reach this milestone. I just want to help get the win for the team on Saturday,” Taylor said.
The first few minutes of the game were close before the Green and White went on a 10-point run to take an early 23-12 lead with less than 15 minutes to play in the first half.
The Rock was in control of the game here on out, taking a 48-32 lead at the half.
Senior guard Aubin Reeves shot a long-range buzzer shot from half-court to finish the half with three points.
The Bald Eagles came within nine points of Slippery Rock (60-51) with 12:30 left to play. With about three minutes to play in the game, SRU took its largest lead of the contest, a 24-point (91-67) advantage.
The Rock finished the game shooting 49 percent (36 of 73) from the field, 35 percent (7-20) from behind the 3-point arc, and 79 percent (15 of 19) from the foul line.
For the 21st time this season, the nation’s leading rebounders out-rebounded Lock Haven (42-32).
The Rock also had only nine turnovers compared to Lock Haven’s 13.
The Green and White will host fourth place Edinboro University on Saturday afternoon for the PSAC’s “Hooping for a Cure” event for breast cancer awareness. Any fans wearing pink to the game will receive free admission. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
