Jan. 16, 2005

Final Stats

Slippery Rock, Pa. - Bill Johnson and Dejan Jancic delivered a 1-2, outside-inside knockout punch Sunday afternoon vs. Kutztown to pace The Rock to its second win of the season, an inspiring 75-62 come-from-behind decision in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference "crossover" action in Morrow Field House.

Johnson scored a game-high 21 points, while Jancic recorded his first "double-double" of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds, both of which are season-high totals.

Freshman point guard Corey Nesser had his best day as a collegian as he scored a season-high 10 points and handed out a team-high five assists in a substitute role.

The win came at an opportune time for The Rock (2-14), which will begin a string of 11 straight PSAC-Western Division contests on Wednesday with a road trip to No. 23 Edinboro for a 7:30 p.m. game.

Kutztown jumped out to a quick 12-0 lead Sunday before The Rock started its comeback.

Energized by the insertion of three players off the bench, The Rock clawed its way back and trimmed the margin to only four points, 38-34, at intermission.

The Rock then slipped back to a seven-point (43-36) deficit before battling back again to tie the game at 44-44 with 15:23 left in the game, 47-47 with 13 minutes left and 49-49 with 12 minutes left.

A short jump shot by Jancic with 11:30 left to play gave SRU its first lead of the game (51-49).

The Rock never trailed thereafter.

SRU enjoyed a 10-point lead throughout the final two minutes of action.

After visiting Edinboro on Wednesday, The Rock will return home to host Lock Haven (1 p.m. on Jan. 22) and Clarion (8 p.m. on Jan. 26) in back-to-back games.

Notes -- Johnson, with his 21-point output Sunday, has now scored 20 or more points in five straight games, eight of the last nine outings, nine of the last 11 games and a total of 10 times in the first 16 games this winter.