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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team scored 27 consecutive points to start its 2014-15 season en route to a 66-43 victory over Salem International University Friday night at Morrow Field House.
 
The 23-point win was Slippery Rock's largest season-opening triumph since beating Cheyney 86-43 to start the 1997-98 season. The victory was also the first of head coach Bobby McGraw's career. He became the fourth coach in SRU history to win their first game with the Green and White.
 
For the game, SRU shot a respectable 44.6 percent (29-for-65) from the field to go with a defensive effort that saw The Rock force 30 Tiger turnovers and hold SIU to a 35.8 (19-for-53) shooting percentage. Prior to Friday, SRU had not forced more than 30 opponent turnovers since Salem committed 34 miscues in the two schools' 2008-09 meeting.
 
Leading the way for Slippery Rock was senior forward D'Asia Chambers, who netted her 15^th career double-double by going for 13 points and 14 rebounds, coming one rebound short of matching her career-high. Chambers, who shot 6-for-8 from the field, completed an all-around dominating performance by adding five assists and two steals in 24 minutes of action.
 
Junior guard Erica Aiello matched Chambers with 13 points and five assists of her own to go with a career-high seven steals.
 
The trio of freshman forward Mallory Heinle, senior forward Danielle Garroutte and junior guard Taylor Siggers rounded out The Rock's leading scorers with eight points each.
 
Slippery Rock connected on its opening four shots, including a pair of three-pointers from Aiello, to jump out to a quick 10-0 lead through the opening two minutes of play. From there, Slippery Rock combined a smothering defense that forced six turnovers and an offensive performance in which SRU made 12 of its first 19 shots to pull ahead 27-0 just over 10 minutes into the season.
 
With the game already firmly in hand, The Rock closed out the first half by outscoring the Tigers 18-15 to take a 45-15 lead into halftime. Aiello and Chambers shouldered the scoring load in the opening 20 minutes with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Chambers also pulled down 11 rebounds.
 
Salem managed to outscore Slippery Rock 28-21 in the final 20 minutes of play, but SRU was never seriously threatened as it cruised to the 23-point win. Siggers scored a team-high six points in the second period for Slippery Rock while freshman guard Sierra Fordham came off the bench to tally four points as well on 2-of-3 shooting.
 
As a team, Slippery Rock held edges over Salem International in rebounds (44-32), blocks (5-3), points off turnovers (25-23), points in the paint (38-32) and bench scoring (16-0).
 
Shakinah Haggins paced Salem in the loss with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
 
SRU now holds a 3-2 lead in the all-time series against Salem.
 
Slippery Rock returns to competition Wednesday when it makes the trip to No. 13 Gannon University to open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.