SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team was able to overcome a sluggish start to erase an 11-point second half deficit on the way to a 76-71 victory over Wheeling University Tuesday at Morrow Field house.
 
The non-conference victory pushed SRU's winning streak to four games while improving its record to 7-2 on the year overall. Slippery Rock has now overcome double-digit deficits in the second half in its last two games against Division II competition. Wheeling falls to 3-7 in 2021-22 following the road loss.
 
The Rock's comeback win was paced by the duo of Tyler Frederick and Jonathan McFall. Frederick went for 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a pair of blocks while McFall added 20 points, six rebounds and a pair of steals. McFall and Frederick combined to shoot 18-of-26 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 at the foul line.
 
Amante Britt and Frankie Hughes both finished in double figures as well with Britt scoring 11 points and Hughes posting 12. All 23 of the points from Britt and Hughes came in the second half. Britt also ended the night with a game-high seven assists while Hughes blocked one shot and made four steals.
 
Rounding out The Rock's top performers against the Cardinals were Lashon Lindsey and Bobby Clifford. Lindsey came off the bench to grab eight rebounds, score four points and block one shot, meanwhile Clifford totaled five points and five rebounds.
 
Slippery Rock found itself trailing Wheeling 41-31 following a first half in which the Cardinals shot 50 percent from the field overall thanks in no small part to an impressive 8-of-15 showing from 3-point range. Conversely, SRU was unable to find its rhythm in the opening 20 minutes as it made just 41 percent of its shots, including a 1-for-15 effort from 3-point territory.
 
Wheeling stretched its lead out to as many as 11 points five minutes into the second half before Slippery Rock mounted its comeback. The Rock methodically chipped away at Wheeling's lead as SRU increased its defensive intensity, resulting in WU's hot shooting to stall and allowing Slippery Rock to cut its deficit to just seven points at 63-56 with 7:21 left in regulation.
 
Slippery Rock made a final push in the form of an 11-2 run over the following four minutes capped off by a pair of Frederick foul shots that gave SRU its first lead since the midway point of the first half, 66-65, with 3:25 to play. Frederick scored six points in the decisive run.
 
SRU avoided any thoughts of a Wheeling comeback in the game's final minutes by holding the Cardinals to just six points over the last three minutes while Hughes helped to seal the game by scoring six of The Rock's final 10 points on the way to a five-point win.
 
The Rock forced Wheeling to shoot just 35.3 percent (12-of-34) overall in the final 20 minutes with just two of the Cardinals nine second half 3-point attempts being successful.
 
On the night, Slippery Rock overcame a 3-of-25 (12 percent) mark from long range to shoot 47.1 percent (33-of-70) from the field overall in addition to going 7-for-9 (77.8 percent) from the foul line. SRU also held a +7 (41-34) rebounding margin in addition to committing a season-low six turnovers and forcing Wheeling into 11 miscues.
 
Slippery Rock also held edges over Wheeling in points off turnovers (11-8), second chance points (17-8) and offensive rebounds (13-8). Frederick accounted for six of The Rock's offensive rebounds.
 
Wheeling concluded the evening shooting 41.9 percent (26-of-62) overall, 41.7 percent from 3-point range (10-of-24) and a perfect 9-of-9 at the foul line. Jarett Haines scored a team-best 17 points for the Cardinals.
 
Slippery Rock returns to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference competition when it hosts back-to-back crossover games at Morrow Field House 3 p.m. Saturday against Kutztown University and 3 p.m. Sunday versus West Chester University.
 
 


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