Postgame Interview

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team began Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover play in fine fashion Saturday with a commanding 92-63 victory against Shippensburg University at Morrow Field House.
 
The Rock's 92 points are the second most points scored by a Rock team over the last nine years and the most against an NCAA Division II school since SRU scored 101 points against Lock Haven University on Feb. 18, 2009. The 29-point triumph is also SRU's fourth largest margin of victory under fourth-year head coach Bobby McGraw.
 
The victory improves The Rock's record to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in league competition while Shippensburg drops to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play in the loss. Slippery Rock never trailed on Saturday.
 
Madison Johnson was dominant for The Rock, totaling a game-high 27 points while grabbing nine rebounds. Johnson was a near automatic 11-for-14 from the field overall, 4-for-6 from 3-point range and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Through three games, Johnson is shooting 65.4 percent from the field.
 
Brooke Hinderliter had a great performance against the Raiders as well with 19 points, nine rebounds, six assists and no turnovers. Johnson and Hinderliter both pulled in six offensive rebounds apiece.
 
Offensively, Ciara Patterson scored 15 points while adding three steals and one block on the defensive end of the floor. Sierra Fordham and Mallory Heinle rounded out The Rock's leading scorers with 11 and 10 points, respectively, with Heinle also pulling down five rebounds.
 
In what turned into a game that saw every member of The Rock's rotation contribute, Morgan Henderson had seven rebounds and two steals, Krista Pietropola collected seven rebounds, Skyla O'Connor tallied two steals and LeeAnn Gibson came away with five rebounds.
 
Slippery Rock overcame a rough start offensively in which it made just one of its first eight shots to finish the game shooting a respectable 44.0 percent (33-for-75) from the field and a stellar 86.4 percent (19-for-22) from the free throw line.
 
SRU held advantages over the Raiders in rebounding (48-34), assists (15-11), blocks (4-3), steals (11-4), points off turnovers (23-13), points in the paint (46-22), second chance points (26-3) and fast break points (12-0).
 
Slippery Rock scored the game's first six points and eventually took a 14-9 lead into the second quarter. The Raider trailed by just six points at 23-17 with 6:58 to play in the second period before SRU busted the game open via a 17-10 run that gave The Rock a 40-27 lead at halftime. Johnson scored 12 points over the final seven minutes of the opening half.
 
Shippensburg never threatened The Rock's sizable lead in the second half as Slippery Rock gradually built its advantage to as many as 29 points late in the fourth quarter. SRU closed out the victory by shooting 53.8 percent (28-for-52) from the field over the final three quarters.
 
A stout Rock defensive effort forced Shippensburg into 21 turnovers and a 35.7 field goal percentage (20-for-56).
 
Victoria Blackburn scored 18 points and Kristin McGeough had two blocks for Shippensburg in the loss.
 
Slippery Rock will look to cap off a perfect weekend with another home victory 1 p.m. Sunday against Kutztown University.
 
 
 
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