EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Behind a career-best 33 points from junior guard Brooke Hinderliter, the Slippery Rock University women's basketball team defeated East Stroudsburg University, 75-68, in a road Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover game Monday.
 
The victory improves The Rock's record to 3-4 on the season overall and a perfect 1-0 in league games. SRU is now 14-5 against teams from the PSAC East over the last four years. The loss drops East Stroudsburg's record to 3-4 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC.
 
Hinderliter dominated Monday's game, shooting an efficient 11-for-18 from the field and a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line to eclipse her previous career-high of 29 points; set a year ago against West Liberty University. In addition to her scoring effort, Hinderliter also added four rebounds, three assists and one steal over 34 minutes.
 
It has taken Hinderliter just 63 career games to score 826 points, which ranks 21st at Slippery Rock all-time. She is only two points away from passing Julie Molloy (2007-10) for 20th place in program history for points in a career.
 
The guard duo of redshirt senior Ciara Patterson and sophomore Daeja Quick finished in double figures as well at 13 and 10 points, respectively, with Patterson making four steals and dishing out three assists.
 
Senior forward Morgan Henderson added six points and a team-high six rebounds. Junior forward LeeAnn Gibson, who was playing in her first game of the regular season after suffering a preseason injury, chipped in six points, grabbed three rebounds and tallied a pair of steals.
 
Redshirt junior guard Madison Johnson (four points), sophomore forward Brittany Andrews (two points) and redshirt sophomore guard Kasch Harris (one point) rounded out The Rock's top scorers.
 
Slippery Rock scored seven straight points to start the game and appeared poised to run away with the victory early before East Stroudsburg caught fire from deep to make four 3-pointers over the opening 10 minutes and take a 20-19 lead into the second quarter.
 
However, The Rock's defense came alive in the second quarter by forcing the Warriors into five turnovers and a 28.6 (4-for-14) field goal percentage all the while making 60 percent (6-of-10) of its own shot attempts en route to a 16-9 run that opened up a 35-29 lead for SRU heading into the break.
 
Slippery Rock and East Stroudsburg traded baskets for much of the third quarter with ESU gaining a slight advantage in play as the Warriors were able to trim four points off The Rock's halftime lead to make it a 47-45 game going to the fourth quarter.
 
SRU controlled the opening stages of the fourth quarter, stretching its lead out to as many as 11 points at 62-51 with 5:57 remaining in regulation before East Stroudsburg battled back with a 16-8 run to cut The Rock's deficit down to just three points with 1:53 to play.
 
However, Hinderliter and Patterson proceeded to ice the game in the contest's final moments by going a combined 5-for-6 from the foul line to secure the seven-point victory.
 
Slippery Rock set season-highs against the Warriors in field goal percentage (.490), free throws made (24) and free throw shooting percentage (.821). Defensively, SRU forced East Stroudsburg into 21 turnovers while committing 16 miscues of its own for a +5 margin.
 
East Stroudsburg closed the game shooting 46.4 percent from the field overall, 31.6 percent from long range and 71.4 percent from the free throw line. The Warriors also held a 32-24 edge in rebounding over The Rock. Marlene Bassett scored 25 points and Julia Kutz had a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds to pace East Stroudsburg.   
 
Slippery Rock continues PSAC crossover competition when it hosts West Chester University 1 p.m. Saturday at Morrow Field House to start a five-game homestand that will span 26 days.
 



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