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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team couldn't overcome a poor shooting performance in the first half as Mercyhurst University led wire-to-wire to earn a 60-44 win in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action Saturday afternoon at Morrow Field House.
The Rock (4-11, 3-8 PSAC) made just three field goals in the first half, all 2-pointers, and netted nine free throws for just 15 points in the opening 20 minutes. Mercyhurst (5-10, 5-6 PSAC) wasn't much better, connecting on just 10 field goals and only managing a 25-15 lead at the break.
Slippery Rock was much better in the second half, nearly doubling the production from the first half, but the Lakers held pace to maintain the lead throughout the second period.
The Rock placed two players in double figures, led by
Erinne Cunningham with 15 points.
D'Asia Chambers recorded her team-high third double-double of the year with 12 points and 12 rebounds. No other player recorded more than five points for Slippery Rock.
SRU also welcomed back
Alexis Mayo to the lineup after she missed the last eight games with an injury. She finished with four points and two steals in 14 minutes.
The Rock finished the game shooting 29.2 percent from the field (11-27) after shooting just 14.3 percent in the first half (3-21). The team matched its season low with just one made 3-pointer, going 1-of-19 from long range for a 5.3 percent efficiency and finished 68.2 percent from the free throw line (15-22).
Mercyhurst placed three players in double figures, led by a 15-point effort from Kaylee Foster. Dana Banda and
Paris Thomas each chipped in 11 points. Saturday's game was a return to Morrow Field House for Thomas, who played her junior season at Slippery Rock last winter.
The Lakers finished the game shooting 33.9 percent from the field (20-59), 9.5 percent from beyond the 3-point line (2-21) and 78.3 percent from the free throw line (18-23). Mercyhurst forced 26 turnovers and pulled down a 41-40 advantage in total rebounds.
Both teams came out of the gates slow with Mercyhurst taking a 4-0 lead just under six minutes into the game. The Rock did not score their first points for more than six minutes. The Lakers built a seven point advantage, 11-4, with 4:09 to play in the first period and eventually would push that lead out to 10 points, 25-15 at the break.
The lead grew to 16 points at the beginning of the second half and Slippery Rock would spend the rest of the game chasing, but could come no closer than with 10 points.
The Rock returns to action Wednesday night when California (Pa.) visits Morrow Field House for a 6 p.m. PSAC West matchup.
