Box Score
ERIE, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team hung with No. 20 Gannon University until midway through the second half before the Golden Knights pulled away down the stretch for a 79-62 win in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action Wednesday night.
The Rock (5-12, 2-11 PSAC) trailed by just four points at halftime and held statistical advantages in every category but turnovers until nearly midway through the second half before Gannon (14-3, 11-2 PSAC) pulled away and took over the game.
Slippery Rock was shooting 50 percent from the field at 20-of-40 with just under 13 minutes to play in the game before hitting a cold spell and finishing just 6-of-17 as the Golden Knights pulled away.
Wednesday's game marked the second of three consecutive games against nationally ranked opponents for The Rock, who faced undefeated and third-ranked Edinboro last Saturday and will welcome No. 18 Indiana (Pa.) to Morrow Field House this Saturday for a 1 p.m, tip.
Danielle Smith paced SRU at Gannon with 15 points and six rebounds.
Jasmine Cooper added 12 points, while
Erinne Cunningham chipped in 11 points.
Sherita Stanley added 10 points and
D'Asia Chambers chipped in nine off the bench to top the leading scorers.
Slippery Rock finished the game shooting 26-of-57 from the floor for a 45.6 percent efficiency, including a 28.6 percent mark (8-of-28) from behind the 3-point arc. The Rock did not make a single trip to the free throw line in the first half and finished just 2-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Gannon came on strong down the stretch to finish the game shooting 50 percent, connecting on 29-of-58 shots from the field, including 8-of-15 from long range (53.3 percent). The hosts were 65 percent at the free throw line, knocking down 3-of-20. Both teams finished with 32 total rebounds, while the Golden Knights were +8 in the turnover department.
Nettie Blake led the hosts with a game-high 16 points to pace five Gannon players in double figures. Brittany Batts posted a 13-point effort, while Jennifer Papich added 11 points and Kelly Sundberg and Doriyon Glass each added 10 points.
The two teams traded scores out of the gate before Gannon opened up a 17-8 lead with 12:24 to play in the first half.
Slippery Rock responded with a 9-0 run to tie it at 17-17 with 10:41 left in the period, but again Gannon answered with a 6-0 run to take a 23-17 lead with 9:17 to play before the break.
The Rock cut the deficit to two points on two occasions before Gannon knocked down a pair of free throws to take a 39-35 lead into halftime.
The hosts opened the second half with another 6-0 run to open up the first double-digit lead of the game, 45-35, with 18:25 to play.
SRU battled back and cut the deficit to five points at 52-47 with 12:50 to play, at which point the team was still outshooting Gannon and was 20-of-40 from the field.
As the visitors struggled to score over the next four minutes, Gannon came on strong with a 13-4 run to open up a 65-51 lead with 8:22 to go. Slippery Rock would get to within no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
