ERIE, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team battled through foul trouble all day and still had a chance to come away with a win on the road at Gannon University Saturday, but saw those chances slip away in the final 15 seconds as the Golden Knights fought off The Rock for a 72-68 win.
 
The victory means that Gannon improves to 20-8 overall and 16-6 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference games and locks up the No. 2 seed in the PSAC West and the first round playoff bye that comes with it. Slippery Rock drops to 20-8 overall and 14-8 in PSAC games and slides into the No. 3 seed in the PSAC West and will host No. 6 seed Mercyhurst in the first round of the playoffs Monday night at 7 p.m. The winner of that game will then travel back to Erie Wednesday to visit Gannon in the PSAC Quarterfinals. The Golden Knights have now won 13 straight games at home and improved to 13-1 on the year at the Hammermill Center, compared to just 7-7 away from home.
 
Slippery Rock had three starters sit for most of the first half with foul trouble and finished the game with four players with at least three fouls and one player with five. Micah Till played just 25 minutes due to the foul trouble and still managed 14 points and 12 rebounds for his 20th double-double of the year. His 12 rebounds also brought his single-season total to 338, setting a new program record and topping the former SRU record of 334 that was set by Connie Palumbo way back in the 1956-57 season.
 
Despite the foul trouble and getting to the free throw line not a single time in the first 18 minutes of the second half, Slippery Rock battled back from a nine-point deficit and took a 68-67 lead on a layup from Till with 1:49 to play. He was fouled on the play and missed the free throw, which would be the only free throw attempt of the half for SRU.
 
The two teams had nearly identical numbers in the second half after playing to a 29-29 tie in the first half. Both teams were 18-of-34 from the field over the final 20 minutes. SRU outscored Gannon from the floor thanks to three made 3-pointers to just one for the Golden Knights, but the hosts got to the free throw line 10 times in the period and outscored SRU 6-0 at the charity stripe.
 
Slippery Rock had its chance late in the game leading by one with the ball, but couldn't convert on a shot attempt with 48 seconds to play and Gannon made it count on the other end. The Golden Knights got an offensive rebound on their first miss and knocked down a long jumper with 12 seconds left to retake a 69-68 lead.
 
SRU had a chance at the game-winner after a timeout, but never got a shot up after turning the ball over. Gannon walked down the floor for the easy layup and hit the ensuing free throw to account for the final 72-68 margin.
 
The late offensive rebound for Gannon marked the 42nd total rebound of the day for the hosts, who outrebounded SRU 42-40 to mark just the second time this season The Rock have been outrebounded. Slippery Rock posted a +10 advantage on the glass over Gannon in the first meeting this year, an 11-point win at home.
 
SRU finished the game shooting 40.3 percent from the field (27-of-67), 26.7 percent from 3-point (4-of-15) and 62.5 percent at the free throw line (10-of-16). Gannon was 39.4 percent from the field (26-of-66), 44.4 percent from 3-point (4-of-9) and 69.6 percent at the free throw line (16-of-23).
 
Till led four Rock players in double figures on the day with his 14 points. Brandon Simmons finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocks before fouling out. Bruce Spruell and Khyree Wooten each finished with 12 points, while Cristal Malalu chipped in eight points and Gabe Mack added seven points.
 
Gannon was paced by Zay Jackson with a game-high 25 points on an 8-of-19 shooting effort from the floor. Evan Phoenix added 15 points and Jair Green scored 10 points and grabbed 10 boards.
 
Slippery Rock will turn its attention to the first round of the payoffs Monday night when Mercyhurst visits Morrow Field House. The two teams split the season series this year with each squad winning on their own floor. The Rock defeated Mercyhurst 77-57 in the first home meeting of the season back on Jan. 3. Tip is set for 7 p.m.


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