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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University's men's basketball team made 13 of 16 free throws in the five-minute overtime period Saturday afternoon to knock off visiting California (Pa.) in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action in Morrow Field House.

The Rock (16-6 overall, 7-3 PSAC W) and Vulcans (9-11, 4-6) battled to a 45-45 stalemate in regulation time before SRU outscored its guests by a 19-8 margin in overtime to record the win.

Redshirt junior guard Antonio Butler led the winning effort with a game-high 20 points, including old-fashioned three-point plays on back-to-back possessions in overtime that gave The Rock a lead they would not relinquish. Butler also grabbed five rebounds in the game.

Senior swingman Tabari Perry scored 12 points, including a perfect 6-of-6 performance at the foul line in overtime, and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds for The Rock, who snapped a modest a two-game losing streak.

Rock senior center Maurice Lewis-Briggs collected 10 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 2:59 left to play in regulation time, while senior guard Sa'Quan Davis and junior guard Matej Delinac each chipped in seven points.

Not to be overlooked was the five-point performance by redshirt sophomore guard Maxx Rynd, who scored all his points in the overtime period, including a 3-for-4 effort from the foul line.

Tynell Fortune led California in scoring with 12 points, while Drew Cook and Jake Jacubec each scored 10 points.

The Rock finished the game with a 37% (20 of 54) efficiency on its action shots with an 18% (3 of 17) showing from 3-point range. SRU sank 21 of 26 (81%) free throws in the game, had a 43-31 rebounding advantage and were on the low end of an 18-17 turnover comparison.

California shot 36% (18 of 50) from the field, 25% (4 of 16) from 3-point range and 59% (13 of 22) from the foul line.

Early on, it looked like The Rock would roll to victory as the hosts jumped out to a 5-0 lead, led by nine points (13-4) after six and a half minutes of action and held a 14-point (24-10) lead with 3:20 left in the first half.

California closed the margin to seven, 27-20, at halftime and, after trailing by a 34-26 score with 14:00 left to play, scored 12 unanswered points to take a four-point, 38-34, lead with 9:30 remaining in regulation action.

The score was tied at 38, 42 and 45 in the final minutes of standard time.

California scored the first two points in overtime before the first of Butler's two extra-stanza three-point plays gave The Rock the lead for good a little over one minute into the overtime period.

The Rock will look to ride the momentum of the heart-stopping win into and through their next game, a 7:30 p.m. date Wednesday with Gannon University at the Hammermill Center in Erie.

Gannon handed The Rock a 68-61 setback in the teams' first meeting this season.

Notes: Saturday marked the second time in as many games and the third time this season The Rock were forced to work overtime … Saturday's game was SRU's first OT victory of the season … The Rock lost a 73-68 decision to Charleston (W. Va.) in their season opener Nov. 9 and dropped an 87-86 decision last Wednesday in Clarion … The 45 points scored by The Rock in regulation time Saturday marked the lowest standard-time total in Kevin Reynolds' six-year career as SRU's head coach.