SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team snapped a four-game losing skid in convincing fashion Saturday afternoon with a 67-32 victory over Seton Hill in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action from Morrow Field House.
 
The Rock jumped out to a 28-16 halftime lead and were in control from the game's opening minutes. SRU entered the game ranked in the top 15 in the country in scoring defense, shooting percentage defense and rebounding margin and is likely to see those rankings climb even higher after Saturday's win. The Rock posted a 48-19 advantage in total rebounds (+29), held Seton Hill to just 32 points and only nine made field goals with a final shooting efficiency of 20.5 percent.
 
The victory snaps what was only the third four-game losing streak in the nine seasons that Kevin Reynolds has been head coach at Slippery Rock and keeps SRU in a playoff position with an 11-10 overall record and a 7-8 mark in PSAC games, good four fourth in the PSAC West. Seton Hill drops to 8-11 overall and 5-10 in PSAC games with the loss.
 
Slippery Rock got scoring contributions from 10 of the 11 players that saw time Saturday and the lone player not to score, Milly Raye, played his first significant minutes since joining the basketball program this winter after coming over from the football team.
 
The Rock shot 48.1 percent from the field (25-of-52), 50 percent from 3-point (8-of-16) and 64.3 percent at the free throw line (9-of-14). The massive advantage on the glass and an 18-5 edge in second chance scoring helped negate 17 turnovers for the hosts.
 
Merdic Green paced Slippery Rock with a game-high 18 points to go along with five rebounds. Khyree Wooten added 12 points and two assists as the only other player in the game to reach double figures for either team.
 
Tony Gates came agonizingly close to his first career double-double with nine points and nine rebounds in his second straight start. Amir Maddred added eight points and eight rebounds off the bench, while Vinny Lasley scored five points and grabbed six boards.
 
Naquil Jones added four points, three rebounds and a team-high five assists in 19 minutes off the bench. Christal Malalu and Guilherme Verardo each scored four points as well. George Chase added three points and Raye finished with one rebound and no turnovers while running the point for 14 minutes.
 
Seton Hill shot 20.5 percent from the field (9-of-44), 27.3 percent from 3-point (3-of-11) and 73.3 percent from the free throw line (11-of-15).
 
The Griffins used a total of 15 players in the game and were paced by Trevor Lecuona with eight points. Brandon Alston added six points and Spencer Casson scored five points and grabbed five rebounds.
 
Slippery Rock will look to keep its momentum going when California (Pa.) visits Morrow Field House Wednesday for The Rock's annual "White Out" game. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
 
 

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