Slippery Rock extended their winning streak to three games on Wednesday with a big conference win over Gannon University. The Rock proved to be too much for the Golden Knights as they coasted past them 71-58.
It was the first of two straight games against Gannon, after the first game was postponed earlier in the season. This game had more at stake since the win pushed Slippery Rock back into the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament.
The Golden Knights had just two leads all game, and both came in the first three minutes of action. In the next four minutes, The Rock went on a 14-2 run. It was highlighted by a dunk from Tyler Frederick.
For the rest of the half, The Rock’s lead didn’t dip below two possessions. After a three pointer from Amante Britt, The Rock walked into halftime up seven points with a 31-24 lead. At the break, Frankie Hughes led The Rock with 10 points as he went four for six from the field with two three pointers.
The second half saw a comeback effort from the Golden Knights, who cut the game to just three points on two separate occasions. After a jumper that was hit by Gannon’s Lance-Amir Paul, Hughes answered with a big three pointer to give The Rock a two-possession lead once again.
After the nine-minute mark, The Rock once again went on a run. This time it was a 12-0 run that gave them a 21-point lead. It was the biggest lead of the game, and it made the Golden Knight’s play catch up for the rest of the game.
In the end, four free throws from Hughes put the final nail in the coffin and gave The Rock their ticket to the PSAC tournament. The Rock returns home after the trip to Erie and will now look to earn themselves a better seed. But this Saturday, they’ll welcome the Golden Knights for their second straight bout and hope to clinch another win.
