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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Following two non-conference games, the surging Slippery Rock University men's basketball team will look to continue its winning ways with a pair of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover victories this weekend at Morrow Field House.
 
SRU will first host Kutztown University Saturday followed by a Sunday showdown with West Chester University. Both games are slated for 3 p.m. tip-offs.
 
TICKET PRICES
Adult General Admission - $10.00
Visiting PSAC Student with ID - $5.00
Age 6 to High School - $5.00
Under 6 Years Old - FREE
*Alumni Discount with Current Alumni Membership Card $2.00 off General Admission Only
 
COVID-19 FAN INFORMATION (MORROW FIELD HOUSE)
• Fans should not attend any events if you are experiencing any symptoms or feeling ill.
• Masks are REQUIRED inside all buildings on the SRU campus, regardless of vaccination status.
• Fans are encouraged to social distance when possible at events.
 
WATCH ON YOUR TV - "ROCK ATHLETICS DIGITAL NETWORK" APPS
• Fans can watch both games this weekend live and on-demand for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network, created and operated by the SRU athletic communication office.
 
• Search for Rock Athletics Digital Network in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple RV, Roku and Android TV devices. The streaming web player linked above will also integrate with Chrome Cast devices to allow viewers to cast the game to those devices.
 
GAME 10 DETAILS
Opponent: Kutztown University
Date: Dec. 18 – 3 p.m.
Location: Morrow Field House
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: KU leads 11-9
Last Played: Dec. 20, 2019 (KU won 94-84)
 
ALL-TIME SERIES vs. KUTZTOWN
Kutztown has won three straight games against The Rock dating back to the 2016-17 season to improve its record in the all-time series to 11-9.
 
LAST MEETING vs. KUTZTOWN
The Golden Bears connected on seven 3-pointers in the second half to pull out a 94-84 victory over SRU on Dec. 20, 2019. Will Robinson Jr. led four Rock players in double figures with 21 points in the road loss.
 
GAME 11 DETAILS
Opponent: West Chester University
Date: Dec. 19 – 3 p.m.
Location: Morrow Field House
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: WCU leads 14-7
Last Played: Dec. 21, 2019 (WCU won 100-82)
 
ALL-TIME SERIES vs. WEST CHESTER
Slippery Rock has defeated West Chester in three of the last five games of the series to cut the Golden Rams' all-time record against SRU to 14-7. SRU is 7-4 against West Chester at Morrow Field House.
 
LAST MEETING vs. WEST CHESTER
Slippery Rock was unable to overcome 12 West Chester 3-pointers in a 100-82 loss at West Chester Dec. 21, 2019. Jared Armstrong went for 24 points in the loss while Will Robinson Jr. added 21 points and Micah Till chipped in 17 points as well.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Record: 7-2
PSAC Record: 3-0
PSAC West Standings: First
Home Record: 5-1
Away Record: 2-1
Streak: W4
Last Five Games: 4-1
Head Coach: Ian Grady | Fourth year at SRU (41-26)
 
QUICK HIT
• SRU enters the weekend's games ranked fourth in the nation in offensive rebounding (15.7) as well as first in the PSAC in both rebounding margin (+8.9) and blocks (44) as well as second in turnover margin (+4.6) and fourth in scoring (86.8).
 
WHEELING RECAP
Jonathan McFall and Tyler Frederick scored 20 points apiece as Slippery Rock overcame a sluggish first half to earn a 76-71 non-conference victory over Wheeling Dec. 14 at Morrow Field House for what was SRU's fourth consecutive win.
 
STREAKING
The Rock's current four-game winning streak is the fourth winning streak of at least four games under head coach Ian Grady. Included in The Rock's winning streaks under Grady is a 12-game surge during the 2018-19 season that serves as the third longest winning streak in program history.
 
HISTORY MAKING START
If Slippery Rock defeats Kutztown Saturday it would mark the fifth best 10-game start to a season in program history. Over the last 96 years, only the 2009-10 (10-0), 1990-91 (9-1), 1963-64 (9-1) and 1952-53 (9-1) SRU teams opened the season with better records.
 
ROCK OUT TO PERFECT START IN PSAC SLATE
Slippery Rock enters the weekend with a spotless 3-0 record in the PSAC courtesy of wins over East Stroudsburg (81-73), Mansfield (82-67) and Bloomsburg (83-79). A victory over Kutztown would mark just the fourth time in program history that SRU has won its first four conference games, joining the 1989-90, 1971-72 and 1952-53 Rock teams.
 
COMEBACK KIDS
Slippery Rock has now overcome double-digit deficits in the second half in its last two games against Division II competition (11 vs. Seton Hill, 14 at Bloomsburg).
 
THE ROCK IN CROSSOVER CONTESTS
Dating back to the 2011-12 season when the PSAC began counting crossover games as division contests, Slippery Rock has compiled a record of 38-22 (.633) overall against Eastern Division teams including a quality 21-9 (.700) mark against PSAC East schools at Morrow Field House. So far this season, The Rock has defeated East Stroudsburg, Bloomsburg and Mansfield in crossover tilts.
 
FASHIONABLY LATE STARTERS
Slippery Rock can largely attribute its great start to the 2021-22 season to its excellent play in the second half.
 
While Slippery Rock has been prone to getting off to slow starts against Division II opponents (seven games), with 34.7 points, a 42.2 field goal percentage and a +1.1 rebounding margin over the opening 20 minutes, it has shined in the second half, scoring 45.4 points, shooting 52.7 percent and boasting a +4.6 rebounding margin.
 
Category-First Half / Second Half     
Scoring: 34.7 / 45.4   
Opponent Scoring: 36.9 / 38.1         
FG %: 42.2% / 52.7% 
Opponent FG %: 47.8% / 44.5%        
3PT FG %: 25.8% / 28.8%      
Opponent 3PT FG %: 49.3% / 36.1% 
Rebounding: 18.4 / 20.0       
Rebounding Margin: +1.1 / +4.6       
Turnover Margin: +1.5 / +1.5
* vs. Division II teams
 
McFALL ONE OF A KIND
Jonathan McFall is quickly establishing himself as one of the top all-round threats in the PSAC West. The crafty scorer has been on a tear of late with at least 20 points in three of The Rock's last five games.
 
One of the most active players around the rim in the PSAC, McFall not only averages 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game, but he is also The Rock's leading scorer at 17.3 points per game on an extremely efficient .583 field goal percentage and .913 free throw percentage.
 
No other player in the PSAC averages at least 17 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal per game while shooting above 50 percent from the field and 80 percent at the foul line.
 
BIG TEST ON DECK FOR ROCK POST DUO
The Rock's primary post presences of Tyler Frederick and Lashon Lindsey will face one of their larger tests - both literally and figuratively - against Kutztown as the Golden Bears feature a front line rotation that includes four players at least 6-7 with an average weight of 221.3 pounds as the quartet of Moe Williams (6-8, 220), Channick Nkoma (6-8, 235), Akello Mosby (6-8, 215) and Robert Tucker (6-7, 215) have all appeared in at least six games this season.
 
Frederick and Lindsey have more than held their own for The Rock this season as Frederick averages 15.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while Lindsey has compiled per game averages of 5.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocks per game.
 
In addition to averaging 5.7 offensive rebounds per contest, the post duo also combines to shoot an extremely efficient 53 percent (70-132) from the field.
 
BRITT LEADING THE WAY
Simply put, Slippery Rock is a better team when junior point guard Amante Britt is on the floor. Over The Rock's seven games against Division II competition, Britt holds a team high plus/minus - the measure of the point differential for a team when a player is on the court - of +39.
 
SRU's success with Britt in the game comes as no surprise as the veteran guard is having a career-year with per game averages of 12.7 points, 5.7 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals on a .489 field goal percentage. Across the PSAC, Britt ranks second in assists and third in assist/turnover ratio (2.2).
 
Britt comes into today's game ranked 17th in program history in career starts (67), 20th in assists (189) and 21st in steals (81). Barring in unforeseen circumstances, Britt will conclude this weekend having moved past Kevin Williams (1982-86) for 16th place in career starts, Dave Johnson (2001-04 / 190 assists) for 19th all-time in assists and Paul Gilbert (1994-97 / 83 steals) for 20th place for steals at The Rock.
 
ROUNDING OUT THE ROTATION
Frankie Hughes and Bobby Clifford represent two of four players for SRU that have started all nine games this season.
 
Hughes has scored in double figures in eight of nine games this season. A two-way threat, Hughes provides SRU with 14.2 ppg thanks in part to a team-high 17 3-pointers while also leading the team in steals (2.0 spg).
 
In his first year of actual collegiate competition, Clifford is scoring 7.0 points to go with 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists a night.
 
True freshman Dylan Ahearn has come off the bench to shoot 42.1 percent (8-of-19) from 3-point range. Fellow reserve Nik Cazacu has made eight of his last 10 field goal attempts.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART (AND WINS) ARE
Few teams in the Atlantic Region dominate at home like SRU does at Morrow Field House. Since 2008-09, Slippery Rock is an outstanding 137-40 (.774) at home. Luckily for SRU, 16 of The Rock's 28 games this season will be played in the friendly confines of Morrow Field House.
 
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MISTAKES
Slippery Rock, which has forced opponents into 15.6 turnovers per game this season, has done a great job of converting its opponent miscues into points. Through eight games, SRU has averaged 18.7 points off turnovers per game.
 
If The Rock are able to maintain that average through the rest of the season it would top the previous program record of 17.8 points off of turnovers per game set by the 2018-19 team. SRU began tracking points off turnover as a statistic in 2014-15.
 
WHO SAYS THERE'S NO SECOND CHANCES IN LIFE?
The Rock has been able to score 16.0 second chance points per game. Over the last seven seasons only the 2017-18 (17.6) and 2014-15 (16.9) teams have scored more second chance points per game.
 
GRADY MOVING UP WIN CHART
With The Rock's wins over Wheeling, head coach Ian Grady is now tied for third with Joe Lombardi (Indiana / 2006-09) among all 18 active PSAC coaches for victories in their first three full seasons at their current schools with 41. He needs two more wins to tie for Gary Manhcel (Mercyhurst / 2003-06) for second place.
 
West Chester's Damien Blair (2008-11) currently ranks first among active PSAC coaches for wins in their first three years at their current schools at 48.
 
KUTZTOWN PRIMER
Season Stats: Link
Record: 4-4
PSAC Record: 1-1
PSAC East Standings: Third
Home Record: 3-4
Away Record: 1-0
Streak: W2
Last Five Games: 4-1
Head Coach: Bernie Driscoll | 21st year at KU (334-243)
 
SCOUTING KUTZTOWN
Kutztown's offense is centered around the PSAC's sixth leading scorer Wesley Butler, who averages 19.3 points per game. Butler scored 26 points against Slippery Rock in 2019-20. In addition to scoring 12 ppg, center Moe Williams also pulls in 7.0 rebounds a game while ranking third in the PSAC with 12 blocks.
 
Kutztown is 4-1 in its last five games with the lone loss being an 86-73 setback vs. seventh-ranked IUP. Five of the Golden Bears' seven games against Division II competition have been decided by eight or less points. 
 
WEST CHESTER PRIMER
Season Stats: Link
Record: 6-2
PSAC Record: 1-2
PSAC East Standings: Fourth
Home Record: 1-2
Away Record: 3-0
Neutral Site Record: 2-0
Streak: W1
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Damien Blair | 13th year at WCU (229-124)
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN RAMS
Heading into its game at Cal U, West Chester ranked fourth in the PSAC in scoring (84.3 ppg), first in offensive rebounding (16.9) and second in overall rebounding (45.9). Four West Chester players average at least 10 ppg in Robert Smith (14.8), Kyle McGee (13.3), Jamil Manigo (13.3) and Matt Dade (12.4) with Josh Samec close behind the pack at 9.9 ppg.
 
Dade and McGee combine to provide West Chester with 17 rebounds per game. Five of West Chester's six wins have come by 10 or more points.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock breaks for the holidays before returning to Morrow Field House 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5, 2022 to host Pitt-Johnstown.





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