Live Stats (MU) | Live Audio (MU) | Live Stats (LHU) | Audio (LHU) | Complete Game Notes
 
Slippery Rock Stats | Mansfield Stats | Lock Haven Stats
 
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team will start 2015 on the road for back-to-back games against Mansfield and Lock Haven of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division. SRU will play at Mansfield on Saturday and at Lock Haven on Sunday. Both games are set for a 1 p.m. tipoff.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Mansfield sports information department will provide live in-game statistics and live audio of the Jan. 3 contest. The Lock Haven sports information office will provide live in-game statistics and audio on Jan. 4. Live updates will also be on Twitter (@Rock_Athletics).
 
THE OPENING TIP
The games against the Mounties and Bald Eagles will be the fourth and fifth of The Rock's six scheduled PSAC crossover games. Following the Slippery Rock - Bloomsburg game on Jan. 7, SRU closes out the season by playing 13 games against PSAC-West teams.
 
Slippery Rock's defense has held opponents to a 34.9 field goal percentage, which ranks 21st in all of NCAA Division II.
 
SRU is coming off of a dramatic 64-62 loss at Kutztown on Dec. 20. SRU erased an 18-point second half deficit and nearly pulled off one of the best comebacks in school history before falling in the game's final seconds.
 
RECORDS
After losses to Millersville, Shippensburg and Kutztown, Slippery Rock's record stands at 5-5 overall and 1-5 in league competition. Mansfield won its first game of the season before dropping its next 10 games to enter its matchup against The Rock 1-10 overall and 0-7 in the PSAC. Lock Haven, which plays host to California (Pa.) on Jan. 3 begins the week 3-7 overall and 2-4 in league play.
 
ROCK LEADERS
The Rock trio of senior forward D'Asia Chambers, junior guard Taylor Siggers and junior guard Erica Aiello have shouldered the majority of the offensive burden this season. Chambers is averaging 17.6 points per game (ppg) while Siggers and Aiello are both close to scoring 10 points a night as well at 9.6 and 9.5 ppg.
 
In addition to being the PSAC's third leading scorer, Chambers ranks second in the league at 10.9 rebounds per game (rpg) while also leading SRU in field goal percentage (.496), steals per game (spg) (2.1) and blocks (0.9 per game).
 
Aiello paces The Rock in assists per game (3.5) and minutes played (27.4) while also coming up with 2.0 spg and shooting .461 from the field.
 
Freshman guard Shannon Jack has converted a Rock-high .842 percent (16-for-19) of her foul shots. Helping Chambers on the boards has been junior forward Megan Hardiman (4.3 rpg) and Siggers (4.0).
 
RECORD WATCH
Chambers' and Aiello's excellent play throughout their collegiate careers has either landed them in the top 10 of several Rock all-time records, or put them right on the cusp.
 
Chambers has 574 career rebounds, 49 blocks, 103 steals and 1,035 points in just over three seasons at SRU. She needs two rebounds to move into eighth place all-time, five blocks to rank ninth, 12 steals to place 10th and 67 points to pass Patti Bucklew (1974-76 / 1,102) for 12th place in SRU scoring history.
 
Aiello, who already ranks seventh in school history with 3.5 assists per game as a third-year player, has passed out 220 assists and made 55 three-pointers. She is 68 assists and 20 made three-pointers from ranking 10th in each category.
 
FIRST HALF STOPPERS
The Slippery Rock defense has held opponents to 28.3 ppg in the first half of games this season. Only two other teams in the entire PSAC hold its opposition to fewer points in Indiana and Edinboro at 25.4 and 28.0 ppg, respectively.
 
EARLY EXPERIENCE
Freshman forward Mallory Heinle has started nine of the first 10 games of her college career. Since the 2005-06 season, there have only been five SRU freshman to start more than 10 games in their rookie year; Jessica Schake (2005-06 / 26), Nikki Presto (2006-07 / 21), Bethany Caudill (2009-10 / 16), Amanda Mikatavage (2009-10 / 14) and Emilee Vitez (2009-10 / 13).
 
Heinle is averaging 4.6 ppg and 3.8 rpg while playing 18.1 minutes a contest so far as a freshman.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
16.5 - percent of available rebounds grabbed by Hardiman when on the floor. Chambers leads the team with a TRB% of 19.6.
 
9.1 - defensive rebounds per game by Chambers, the eighth most in the nation.
 
41 - Slippery Rock's blocked shots this season, the most in the PSAC. The share of the blocks belong to Chambers (9), Heinle (7), senior forward Danielle Garroutte (7), junior guard Breanna Gross (6) and junior forward Sorriyah Ranger (6).
 
18 - number of games in which Aiello has recorded five assists in her career.
 
THE COACHES
Leading the resurgence of Slippery Rock women's basketball is first-year head coach Bobby McGraw. McGraw, a former assistant men's basketball coach at La Roche College and volunteer assistant with the SRU men's basketball team, was named as assistant coach of the SRU women's basketball team Oct. 22, 2013. In May of 2014, McGraw was promoted to acting head coach of the SRU women's program for the 2014-15 season, replacing Tanya Longo.
 
Alison Tagliaferri enters her third season at the helm of the Mansfield University women's basketball program after serving as interim head coach during the 2012-13 season. Tagliaferri was an exceptional two-sport athlete at Mansfield playing basketball for five seasons from 2002-2006 under head coach Ruth Hermansen and playing softball for four seasons from 2002-05 under head coach Edith Gallagher.
 
The 2014-15 season marks Jennifer Smith's eighth season as the head coach of the Lady Eagle program. Last season, Smith led Lock Haven to its second consecutive seven-win season. For her career, Smith is 51-129.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK – MANSFIELD SERIES HISTORY
Beginning just 25 years ago, the Slippery Rock - Mansfield series is one of the newest PSAC rivalries for Slippery Rock. In 15 games all-time, Slippery Rock holds a 10-5 advantage over the Mounties. Both teams have split the last six games in the series with Mansfield winning two straight games. Most recently, Mansfield defeated The Rock 78-65 during the 2012-13 season. Slippery Rock's last win against the Mounties came in 2010-11 when Shannon Lee scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 59-43 win at Morrow Field House. Sherita Stanley added 17 points in the victory.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK – LOCK HAVEN SERIES
Slippery Rock is 44-30 all-time against the Bald Eagles. However, Lock Haven has won six consecutive games against Slippery Rock dating back to the 2009-10 season when SRU pulled off a 60-50 triumph at home behind 14 points from Grace Paucis. Prior to the 2010-11 season, Slippery Rock had won three of four games against Lock Haven.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock returns home to host Bloomsburg University on Jan. 7 at 5:30 p.m. in its final PSAC crossover game of the season.