SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team put forth its best defensive effort of the season to secure a 58-36 win over Cheyney University Sunday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover action.
 
The win was the second conference victory of the weekend for The Rock after the team posted a 71-69 win over West Chester Saturday. Slippery Rock is now 4-0 at home this season and improves to 5-4 overall and 2-2 in PSAC games with the win. Cheyney drops to 1-7 overall and 1-3 in PSAC games.
 
The Rock were dominant defensively all day, holding the Wolves to just 18 points in each half and a 22 percent shooting efficiency. SRU also posted a 47-33 edge in total rebounds and has now outrebounded its opponent in all nine games this season.
 
Khyree Wooten led the way with a game-high 23 points and four assists. He was the only player for either team to reach double figures. Naquil Jones added nine points and eight rebounds and Guilherme Verardo chipped in six points and four boards.
 
Vinny Lasley and Jordan Marrow each scored five points and Christal Malalu scored four points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Amir Maddred also scored four points and Merdic Green scored two points to cap The Rock's scorers.
 
SRU shot 39.6 percent from the field (21-of-53), 22.7 percent from 3-point (5-of-22) and 68.8 percent at the free throw line (11-of-16). The Rock posted a 26-16 edge in scoring in the paint.
 
Cheyney shot 22.2 percent from the field (12-of-54), 20 percent from 3-point (3-of-15) and 64.3 percent at the free throw line (9-of-14). The Wolves forced SRU into 17 turnovers and converted those in to a 20-12 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Basir Fulmore led the Wolves with nine points and four rebounds. Andre Allen added seven points and Amir Boney scored five points.
 
Cheyney scored the first points of the game before Slippery Rock rattled off 12 straight points to take a 12-2 lead early. The Wolves battled back and cut it to six points, 22-16, with 7:01 to play in the first half, but SRU closed the half on a 9-2 run to lead 31-18 at the break. The margin never dipped below nine points in the second half and grew to as large as 23 points.
 
Sunday's game was the second in a three-game PSAC crossover homestand for Slippery Rock, which will host Millersville University next Saturday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m.