SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team came out flat and never recovered on the way to a 73-55 loss to Gannon University in the final regular season game Saturday from Morrow Field House.
 
The Rock (19-9, 16-5 PSAC) shot just 32.1 percent from the field in the opening half and trailed by eight points at halftime after scoring a season-low 23 points. Gannon (11-17, 9-12 PSAC) entered the game as the worst shooting team in the PSAC with a season average below 40 percent, but shot 65.2 percent in the second half to pull away and never let SRU back into the game.
 
The Golden Knights' victory snapped a streak of 11 straight home wins for Slippery Rock and is the only PSAC blemish on The Rock's home record this year (10-1 in PSAC games at home). Gannon swept the season series after putting up its best two shooting performances in conference play in its two games against SRU.
 
Gannon finished the game shooting 49.1 percent from the field (27-of-55), 57.1 percent from 3-point (8-of-14) and 84.6 percent at the free throw line (11-of-13). The Golden Knights also took advantage of SRU playing without PSAC leading rebounder and All-American Micah Till, who missed his sixth straight game with an injury, and outrebounded The Rock 43-27 on the day.
 
Slippery Rock shot just 34.9 percent from the field (22-of-63), 28.6 percent from 3-point (8-of-28) and 50 percent at the free throw line (3-of-6) after getting to the charity stripe a season-low six times.
 
Nolen Gerald and Jared Armstrong each finished with 12 points for SRU. Julius Palmer added 10 points and John Warren II scored eight points, handed out six assists and grabbed four steals.
 
Will Bounds added five points and Vinny Lasley and Nik Cazacu capped the scorers with four points each. The Rock blocked a total of nine shots in the game, with Palmer, Warren and Bounds all blocking two shots.
 
Gannon was paced by Daryl Porter, who more than doubled his season average of 11.0 points per game to lead all scorers with 24 points. He also pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds for a double-double. Matt Johnson added 16 points for the Golden Knights.
 
Gannon clinched the No. 5 seed in the PSAC Western Division with the win and will travel to No. 4 Pitt-Johnstown Monday evening for the opening round of the PSAC Tournament. Slippery Rock had already locked up the No. 2 seed before Saturday's game and will have a first round bye in the tournament. The Rock will then host the winner of No. 6 Seton Hill and No. 3 Mercyhurst in the quarterfinals Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
 
Saturday was also Senior Day for Slippery Rock, which honored senior players Warren, Gerald, Lasley and Palmer, along with senior managers Jess Damico and Clay Johnson in a brief pregame ceremony.
 
 
 
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