SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - A short-handed Slippery Rock University women's basketball team lost on the road to Edinboro, 86-68, Wednesday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition.
 
Despite the loss Slippery Rock still has a realistic chance to earn a PSAC Tournament bid as SRU will enter Saturday's regular-season finale against Mercyhurst with a 6-15 league record, one game behind both Mercyhurst (7-14) and Seton Hill (7-14) for sixth place in the PSAC West standings. The top six teams in the Western Division at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for the conference tournament.
 
If The Rock were to defeat Mercyhurst on Saturday while Seton Hill, which has lost 12 consecutive league games, were to lose at Edinboro then SRU would clinch the sixth seed due to owning the tiebreaker over Mercyhurst and Seton Hill.
 
Due to illness, Slippery Rock was without the services of three of its top four post players against Edinboro including LeeAnn Gibson's, the PSAC's fourth-leading rebounder, as well as reserves Anyah Curd and Carol Weber.
 
Brooke Hinderliter paced The Rock's offense with 25 points, five rebounds and one assist. Hinderliter will enter the final game of the regular season with 1,727 career points, 34 points shy of breaking Heather Kearney's school record of 1,760 points.
 
Making her first collegiate start, Brittany Andrews went 6-for-8 from the field on the way to a 13-point, seven-rebound, two-steal performance for the sophomore. Madison Johnson added 17 points to supplement Hinderliter's team-high point total.
 
Daeja Quick provided The Rock with game-highs of seven assists and four steals in addition to eight points and just two turnovers over 25 minutes of playing time.  
 
Karington Ketterer added five rebounds and one block, Kasch Harris tallied two points and three rebounds and Caroline Gibson grabbed two rebounds to round out The Rock's top contributors Wednesday.
 
Edinboro appeared poised to make quick work of a depleted Rock roster Wednesday as the Fighting Scots jumped out to a 10-2 lead three minutes into regulation on the way to pushing their lead out to a 22-10 advantage at the conclusion of the first quarter.
 
Undeterred, Slippery Rock battled back in the second quarter with an impressive 11-2 run of its own that trimmed Edinboro's lead down to just three points at 24-21 with 5:37 remaining in the period. Johnson led The Rock run with seven points during the spurt.
 
However, the Fighting Scots answered back by scoring 17 of the final 23 points of the quarter to take an 11-point advantage into the halftime break. Slippery Rock and Edinboro traded baskets through the opening stages of the third quarter, but the Fighting Scots were ultimately able to finish off The Rock via a 16-10 run to end the quarter en route to an eventual 18-point victory.
 
Slippery Rock concluded the night shooting 39.4 percent (28-of-71) from the field overall and 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from the foul line. SRU's seven free throws were its fewest total attempts of the season. The Rock held an 8-7 advantage over the Fighting Scots in steals while committing only 13 turnovers offensively.
 
Michaela Barnes had a career-night for Edinboro as the senior scored 45 points and passed out six assists to lead the Fighting Scots. Edinboro ended the contest shooting 46.9 percent (30-of-64) and 80 percent (20-of-25) at the free throw line while holding a 45-34 edge in rebounding and committing just 11 turnovers.
 
Tipoff between The Rock and Lakers in Saturday's must-win game at Morrow Field House is set for 1 p.m. Prior to the game, Slippery Rock will recognize its 2019-20 senior class of Gibson, Hinderliter, Johnson and Ketterer as part of its annual Senior Day festivities.




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