Postgame Interview

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team earned its third win in its last four games with a 71-67 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan on Tuesday night at Morrow Field House.
 
The non-conference victory improved The Rock's record to 6-4 overall. The Bobcats drop to 4-6 on the year in the loss.
 
Ciara Patterson led Slippery Rock with an 18-point, four-assist, three-rebound, one-block effort. Patterson, the reigning PSAC West Athlete of the Week, had another solid shooting day, going 6-for-14 overall, 4-for-9 from 3-point range and a perfect 2-for-2 at the free throw line.
 
Brooke Hinderliter added 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal of her own while Sierra Fordham came off the bench to contribute nine points.
 
The duo of Madison Johnson and LeeAnn Gibson each tallied eight points with Gibson also grabbing six rebounds and blocking one shot.
 
Mallory Heinle pulled down a team-best nine rebounds over 22 minutes. Fellow reserve Skyla O'Connor chipped in six points and Morgan Henderson grabbed five rebounds to round out The Rock's top performers.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan led by five points, 60-55, with 6:58 to play in regulation, but Slippery Rock was able to rattle off a 12-7 run over the following 5:58 to pull even with the Bobcats at 67-67 with one minute to play in regulation.
 
The remainder of the game belonged to SRU. Patterson first put SRU up 69-67 with a pair of successful free throws with Heinle and Johnson following suite with one foul shot apiece over the final 60 seconds. Defensively, The Rock held Wesleyan to just five points over the game's final four minutes to claim the 71-67 victory.
 
Slippery Rock had its second best shooting performance of the season against the Bobcats, by making 48.2 percent (27-of-56) of its field goal attempts. SRU also converted a healthy 83.3 percent (10-for-12) of its free throw attempts. Slippery Rock is shooting 49.5 percent (53-for-107) over its last two games.
 
SRU held +10 rebound margin (40-30) over the Bobcats in addition to advantages in blocks (5-3), points in the paint (30-12) and second chance points (8-7).
 
Mari Stewart led West Virginia Wesleyan with a double-double of 27 points and 12 rebounds. After scoring 17 points in the third quarter, Slippery Rock was able to limit Stewart to just four points in the fourth quarter.
 
Slippery Rock will open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition 1 p.m. Dec. 30 at Seton Hill University.
 

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