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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Following a 14-day break between games, the Slippery Rock University women's basketball team returns to competition 3 p.m. Sunday in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover play at Bloomsburg University.
 
GAME 13 DETAILS
Opponent: Bloomsburg University
Date: Jan. 3 | 3 p.m.
Location: Nelson Field House | Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Game Notes: Link
Live Stats: Link
Audio: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Bloomsburg leads 14-12
Last Played: Jan. 7, 2015 (No. 20 Bloomsburg won 80-47 at SRU)
 
NOTES TO KNOW
• SRU enters today's game slotted fifth in the PSAC West standings at 7-5 overall and 4-3 in league play.
 
• Slippery Rock needs a win to avoid its first three-game losing streak over the last 23 games.
 
• Slippery Rock is 4-0 against PSAC East teams this season.
 
• Bloomsburg is 7-4 on the year overall and 4-3 in conference play as well which is good enough to rank second in the PSAC East standings.
 
• The Huskies have lost three out of its last four games including a 76-72 decision Dec. 30 vs. Philadelphia.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but was unable to hold on to its advantage as Seton Hill University overcame the early deficit to steal a victory, 61-58, at Morrow Field House Dec. 19 in PSAC West play.
 
CROSSOVER SUCCESS
Slippery Rock is a perfect 4-0 this season against PSAC East schools; SRU defeated Mansfield (87-62), Lock Haven (58-49), West Chester (70-63) and Cheyney (71-66) earlier in the year. Slippery Rock has already assured itself of its first winning record against PSAC East schools since going 4-3 against eastern division foes in 2006-07.
 
A win against Bloomsburg would tie this year's team with the 2005-06, 2003-04, 2001-02 and 2000-01 teams for the most wins in a season against PSAC East schools.
 
ROCK LEADERS
Points Per Game: Lexi Carpenter (15.7), Audrey Stapleton (11.7), Ciara Patterson (11.0), Erica Aiello (9.2(.
Field Goal Percentage: Stapleton (.510, 53-104), Megan Hardiman (.480, 24-50), Morgan Henderson (.404, 19-47), Mallory Heinle (.395, 17-43).
3-Point Field Goals Made: Patterson (16), Stapleton (15), Hardiman (13, Krista Pietropola (11), Aiello (11)
Free Throw Percentage: Carpenter (.930, 53-57), Stapleton (.826, 19-23), Hardiman (.824, 14-17), Aiello (.775, 31-40)
Rebounds Per Game: Hardiman (5.6), Henderson (4.2), Carpenter (3.9), Pietropola (3.8)
Assists Per Game: Carpenter (4.6), Aiello (2.8), Patterson (2.7)
Steals Per Game: Patterson (2.1), Carpenter (1.6)
Blocks Per Game: Sorriyah Ranger (0.9)
 
FIRST HALF DOMINANCE
Slippery Rock is an impressive 7-1 this season when leading or being tied at halftime. On the year, Slippery Rock has outscored its opponents 390-353 (+37) in the first half of games this season.
 
Slippery Rock is on pace to score 910 points in the first half of games this season, easily the most for the program dating back to the 2001-02 season. Defensively, Slippery Rock is on pace to allow 823 first-half points, which would be the lowest total since giving up 821 points in the opening 20 minutes in 2007-08.
 
TURNOVERS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
SRU ranks third in the PSAC in turnover margin at +4.50. SRU commits just 12.8 miscues per game, the second lowest average in the conference. while forcing its opponents to commit 17.3 turnovers a contest. Slippery Rock has only committed more turnovers than its opponents in one game this season.
 
Slippery Rock has not finished the season averaging fewer than 13 turnovers per game in over 15 years.
 
ROCK CONSTANT
Erica Aiello has started 65 consecutive games she has appeared in for Slippery Rock dating back to the final game of her freshman season. Aiello, who ranks 10th in school history in both assists (311) and minutes played (2.420), currently ranks sixth in program history for consecutive starts. With at least 16 games left in her collegiate career, Aiello could climb to as high as fourth on the list.
 
Name: Consecutive starts (Years)
Heather Kearney: 95 (1995-99)
Jackie Altenweg: 84 (1999-02)
Shelbey Wardman: 84 (1999-02)
Amber McFeely: 82 (2003-06)
Beth Dansberger: 81 (1993-96)
Erica Aiello: 65 (2012-16)
 
AMONG THE BEST IN THE NATION IN FREE THROWS
Slippery Rock enters the Bloomsburg game ranked 10th in the nation in free throw shooting percentage at 77.3 percent (174-225).
 
Individually, Lexi Carpenter ranks second in the PSAC in free throw shooting at 93.0 percent (53-for-57). Audrey Stapleton (82.6 percent / 19-for-23), Megan Hardiman (82.4 / 14-for-17), Erica Aiello (77.5, 31-for-40), Ciara Patterson (75.0, 24-for-32) and Krista Pietropola (75.0, 6-for-8) all shoot 75 percent or better from the foul line.
 
Carpenter has made 16 consecutive free throws dating back to the Central State contest (six games).
 
Bloomsburg ranks second in the PSAC, and 11th in the nation, behind Slippery Rock with a team free throw shooting percentage of 77.2.
 
GREAT FROM DISTANCE TOO
Slippery Rock also leads the conference and ranks 10th in the country in 3-point shooting as well at 39.6 percent (84-for-212).
 
Six players take the majority of The Rock's 3-point attempts with Megan Hardiman leading the group at 59.1 percent (13-for-22) followed by Audrey Stapleton (51.7, 15-for-29), Mallory Heinle (45.5, 10-for-22), Ciara Patterson (37.2, 16-for-43), Krista Pietropola (36.7, 11-for-30) and Erica Aiello (33.3, 11-for-33). Aiello has rebounded from an early shooting slump to make five of her last nine 3-point attempts.
 
The school record for 3-pointers made in a season is 170 in 2001-02 This year's team is currently on pace to make 196 3-pointers. The single-season Rock record for 3-point accuracy is 37.6 percent (170-for-458), which was also set in 2001-02.
 
STEPPING UP
After playing no more than 13 minutes in any of SRU's first nine games of the year, Mallory Heinle has played at least 22 minutes in The Rock's last three contests. She has responded by producing per game averages of 10.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals while shooting 40.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range.
 
BEST SHOOTER IN THE REGION
Audrey Stapleton's accurate shooting from a year ago has carried over to the 2015-16 season. Stapleton is currently shooting 51.0 percent (53-for-104) from the field overall, 51.7 percent (15-for-29) from 3-point range and 82.6 percent (19-for-23) from the foul line.
 
Stapleton is the only player in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region, which consists of schools from the PSAC, Mountain East Conference and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, that is currently shooting at least 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the foul line.
 
After scoring just 17 points over SRU's first three games, Stapleton has scored at least 12 points in eight of the last nine games to raise her scoring average to 11.7 ppg and become Slippery Rock's second leading scorer behind Lexi Carpenter.

DOING IT ALL
Lexi Carpenter's impact on the court extends past her scoring ability. In addition to ranking 11th in the PSAC in scoring, she also averages 4.6 assists (the eighth most in the league), 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
 
The only other players in the PSAC to average at least 15 points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal per game are Bloomsburg's Mia Hopkins and West Chester's Brittany Sicinski.
 
SCOUTING BLOOMSBURG
Bloomsburg is led by Mia Hopkins, who averages 19.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field. Adreana Sadowski leads the league in both blocks per game (2.2) and field goal percentage (62.9). The Huskies average 71.9 ppg while allowing 69.0 ppg.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Slippery Rock is 12-14 against Bloomsburg all-time. Slippery Rock has lost four straight games to the Huskies dating back to the 2010-11 season. However, the teams have only met twice in the last four years and just once since 2013-14.
 
Most SRU Points Scored: 87 (1984-85)
Least SRU Points Scored: 42 (1987-88)
Largest SRU Win: 30 (81-51, 2007-08),
Most BU Points Scored: 96 (1991-92)
Least BU Points Scored: 48 (2003-04)
Largest BU Win: 38 (84-46, 2012-13)
Average Points Scored by SRU: 71.0
Average Points Scored by BU: 63.0
At Slippery Rock: Series Tied 6-6
At Bloomsburg: Bloomsburg leads 8-4
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock closes out crossover play when it hosts East Stroudsburg University 5:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at Morrow Field House. SRU then embarks on consecutive road games Jan. 9 at Indiana (Pa.) and Jan 13  at Clarion.