Dec. 17, 2006

Final Stats

Erie, Pa. - The Rock snapped a three-game losing streak with a 76-65 win Sunday afternoon over winless (0-10) Columbia Union in the consolation game of the Mercyhurst College tournament.

Sunday's win gives interim head coach Jamal Palmer's Rock squad a 3-6 record this winter, one win more than SRU recorded in its entire 27-game season a year ago.

SRU will seek its fourth win of the season on Tuesday, when it hosts Kutztown in an 8 p.m. Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference "crossover" game in Morrow Field House.

The Rock will then host East Stroudsburg in another PSAC interdivisional game at 8 p.m. Wednesday before taking a break for Christmas.

SRU returns to Mercyhurst on Dec. 30 to meet the Lakers in a 3 p.m. game.

The Rock effort Sunday was led by Glenn Reepmeyer's "double-double," 15-point, 11-rebound performance.

The "double-double: was Reepmeyer's third of the season; he is the only Rock player to record double-digit scoring and rebounding totals in the same game this winter.

Jamar Scales chipped in 14 points and six rebounds Sunday, Matt Schaefer added 12 points and seven rebounds and Brandon Thompson contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.

Following the game, Scales was named to the all-tournament team. He had scored a team-high 26 points in Saturday's opening-round loss to Northwood (Mich.).

The Rock scored eight unanswered points in just more than three minutes midway through the first half to turn a 6-3 deficit into an 11-6 lead.

SRU held a lead of between three and nine points the remainder of the first half despite shooting a frigid 31.6% (12 of 38) from the field, an icy 9.1% (1-11) from 3-point range and a moderate 55.6% (5-9) from the foul line.

The Rock enjoyed a 14-7 advantage in "second chance points" en route to a 30-25 lead at intermission.

Columbia Union turned the tables on The Rock in the opening minutes of the second half, though, as the Pioneers put together a 14-4 run to take a 39-34 lead with 14:11 left to play.

The Rock clawed its way back to score 16 of the next 23 points, though, and held a 50-46 lead with 9:45 left to play.

SRU never trailed thereafter and held its largest lead, 13 points, on two occasions (68-55 and 70-57).

The Rock hit on 50% (16 of 32) of its shots from the field in the final 20 minutes, as well as a 2-for-3 effort from beyond the arc and a 12-of-17 performance from the foul line.