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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team fought off a 28.8 percent shooting effort to come away with a crucial 56-51 win over Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action Wednesday night at Morrow Field House.
 
The Rock suffered through their worst shooting effort of the season, but sunk 23 free throws, posted a 45-35 rebounding advantage and put up a smothering defensive effort to come away with an unlikely win over Merchyhurst, which entered the night two games ahead of Slippery Rock for third in the PSAC West.
 
The win improves The Rock to 16-7 overall and 11-6 in league games, keeping them in fourth place but moving them back to within one game of third place. Mercyhurst stays in third place and sees its record fall to 15-7 overall and 12-5 in league games.
 
Slippery Rock struggled all night offensively, shooting just 24.1 percent in the first half and 34.8 percent in the second half. The hosts made just 15 total field goals in the game (15-of-52), shot 27.3 percent from 3-point (3-of-11) and 74.2 percent from the free throw line (23-of-31).
 
Included in that free throw effort were seven makes in the last 2:17 and six in the last 50 seconds.
 
Mercyhurst didn't shoot the ball much better, finishing the game at 32.1 percent from the field (18-of-56), 33.3 percent from 3-point (5-of-15) and 58.8 percent from the free throw line (10-of-17).
 
The game featured eight different ties and 10 lead changes as neither team could establish an advantage. The last of those ties came at 51-51 with just 50 seconds to play.
 
Antonio Butler knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game at 51-51 and then give SRU a one-point edge.
 
Mercyhurst failed to convert on its next possession thanks to a powerful block from Malcolm Richardson and Butler added to the lead by making one of two free throws to make it 53-51 with 12 seconds left.
 
Mercyhurst took a desperation 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left that missed badly and was out of bounds to The Rock. The Lakers bench was then hit with back-to-back technical fouls and an ejection for their head coach.
 
Butler hit one-of-two for the first technical and Desma Nicholson knocked down a pair for the second technical to account for the final 56-51 margin.
 
Butler scored in double figures for the 15th straight game to lead Slippery Rock with 22 points, three shy of his career-high. He also grabbed seven rebounds and was the only SRU player to score more than nine points.
 
Nicholson chipped in nine points off the bench, including a perfect 7-of-7 effort from the free throw line. Butler and Nicholson were the only SRU players to record more than six points in the game.
 
Richardson scored six points and grabbed five rebounds, Chaquille Pratt scored five points and pulled down six rebounds and Allen Jiles added four points off the bench.
 
Mercyhurst also finished with only one player in double figures after a 12-point night from Jean Onana. Paris Bennett added nine points and Callon Dailey chipped in eight points. Kayode Ajenifuja pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
The Lakers got more than half of their points from their bench, with the subs outscoring the starting five 27-24.
 
Wednesday's victory marked a return to the win column for Slippery Rock, which had lost two straight entering the game. The Rock fought off what could have been the first three-game losing skid for the team since the last three games of the 2009-10 season.
 
While Slippery Rock will be elated to come away with the win, Wednesday night's game marked the eighth time in the last nine games that The Rock has shot below 40 percent from the field, a trend that likely will need to change if the team has hopes of making a postseason run.
 
It may be fitting considering the recent shooting woes that Slippery Rock will get a much needed break this weekend with a conference bye, giving the team an entire week before its next contest.
 
Next Wednesday, Slippery Rock will travel to Edinboro for a 7:30 p.m. game.