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SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – Slippery Rock University failed to make a field-goal attempt during the overtime period Saturday afternoon and dropped a 73-68 decision to the University of Charleston in a duel of NCAA Division II Atlantic Region men's basketball teams.

Saturday's game, the first of four in the Clarion Hotel Conference Challenge hosted by Shepherd University, marked the season opener for both teams.

The Rock look to finish the weekend on a winning note when they take on Shepherd at 4 p.m. Sunday in the final game of the Challenge.

Senior center Maurice Lewis-Briggs led The Rock scoring attack with 18 points and also grabbed six rebounds and blocked two shots. Senior point guard Sa'Quan Davis added 12 points, redshirt senior forward Tabari Perry chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds and junior forward Kelvin Dixon grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and scored eight points for The Rock.

Xavier Humphrey and Denio Chirindja each scored 14 points for Charleston. Denzel Douglas and Aleksander Kesic added 10 points each.

SRU led by 10 points, 33-23, with 4:15 left to play in the first half of action, only to see Charleston go on an 8-2 run and trim the lead to four points, 35-31, at halftime.

The Rock held the lead throughout the first 18-plus minutes of the second half, save for a 40-40 tie with 14:30 left to play, before Charleston took a 60-59 lead with 1:30 left in regulation time.

The teams ended standard time deadlocked at 62-62 and were knotted at 64-64 and 66-66 before the Golden Eagles closed out the overtime period with a 7-2 run to record the victory.

SRU, after shooting 54% (14-26) from the field in the first half, were 10-of-32 (31%) in the final 25 minutes of action and finished the game with a 42% (25-60) efficiency on its field-goal tries.

In the five-minute overtime period, The Rock were 0-for-5 from the field, 0-for-3 from 3-point range, and scored all their points via a 6-for-6 showing from the foul line

The Rock were 6-of-17 (36%) from 3-point range and made 88% (14 of 16) of their free throws. The Green and White held a 36-35 rebounding edge but were on the high end of a 14-11 turnover comparison.

Charleston made 52% (13-25) of its shot attempts in the first half of action and finished the game shooting 42% (25 of 60) from the field. The Golden Eagles, who made two of six shots in overtime, made 35% (6 of 17) of their long-range shots and 77% (17 of 22) of their free throws in the game.

The Rock, after taking on Shepherd Sunday, turn their attention to Thursday's home opener vs. Ohio Valley University. Tipoff in Morrow Field House is set for 7 p.m.