Rock records first win, 84-79 over Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.)

Darnell Johnson scored a team-high 25 points for SRU (1-2), Jamar Scales added 19, Ken Ottrix 13 and Joseph Vines 10

ERIE, Pa. -- Darnell Johnson scored a team-high 25 points Saturday night to lead The Rock to its first win of the season, an 84-79 triumph over Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) in the consolation game of the Gary Miller Classic hosted by Gannon University.

Jamar Scales added 19 points and six rebounds, Ken Ottrix added 13 points and two blocked shots and Joseph Vines contributed 10 points and six rebounds for The Rock (1-2).

Mark Saladzius scored 28 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Roberts Wesleyan (1-3).

The Rock shot 58.5% (31 of 53) from the floor in the game, highlighted by a 16-of-24 (.66.7%) effort in the second half. The Green and White also shot 60% (6 of 10) from 3-point range and a respectable 64% (14 of 25) from the foul line.

In light of the fact that The Rock suffered from charity-toss woes in its first two games, it needs to be noted that SRU iced the win with a 7-of-11 effort at the foul line in the final 90 seconds of action.

The game featured significant offensive spurts by both teams.

The teams traded baskets for the opening six and half minutes before The Rock put together a 17-2 run to take a 29-15 lead with 7:30 left in the first half. Roberts Wesleyan answered that with a 21-7 run of its own to tie the score at 36-36 with 0:45 left before intermission.

Scales scored on a layup with 0:17 left to give SRU a 38-36 halftime edge, which the Green and White extended to 11 points (47-36) with a 9-0 run to open the second half.

Roberts Wesleyan battled back to close the gap to one point, 64-63, with six minutes left to play, only to see The Rock respond with a 9-0 run to stretch the lead to 73-63 with 3:45 left.

Roberts Wesleyan made one final run and closed the gap to three points, 82-79, with 16 seconds left.

The Rock is idle until next Saturday, when it opens Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference "crossover" action with a 3 p.m. at West Chester. SRU visits Millersville the following day before returning home to entertain Glenville State in a 7:30 p.m. game Dec. 6 in Morrow Field House.

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