INDIANA, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team fell short of a comeback win at Indiana University (Pa.) in a thrilling 71-68 double overtime loss Monday.
 
With the loss, The Rock's record moves to 10-13 overall and 5-12 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference while IUP improves to 18-6 overall and 12-6 in the league competition.
 
SRU's efforts were led by the senior duo of Daeja Quick (17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists 3 steals, 1 block) and Jamiyah Johnson (17 points, 14 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists).
 
Deleah Gibson added 15 points and three rebounds while Kennedy Middleton chipped in 11 points, six assists and five rebounds as well with the freshman tandem of Kaylin Venick and Bella Long coming off the bench to combine for seven points.
 
Entering the second quarter trailing 20-11, Slippery Rock outscored IUP 18-8 to cut the deficit to just two points (28-26) at halftime.
 
Coming out of the break, a Johnson layup tied the contest 28-28. From there on, The Rock and Crimson Hawks traded baskets for the remainder of regulation with neither team leading by more than four points as the contest headed to overtime tied 54-54.
 
Slippery Rock did have a chance to end the game in regulation when a Gibson layup put The Rock up three points with 43 seconds left to play. However, SRU missed three foul shots and committed one turnover down the stretch.
 
Through the first overtime period SRU and the Crimson Hawks played even as each team scored eight points including back-to-back 3-pointers for The Rock by Gibson and Quick in the final two minutes to force a second extra period.
 
A made 3-pointer by Courtney Alexander to open the second overtime gave IUP a lead that it would never relinquish. Quick attempted what would have been a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer that rimed out as the Crimson Hawks escaped with a three-point victory.
 
The Rock ended the night shooting 38.2 percent (26-of-68) from the floor, 25.9 percent (7-of-27) from long range and 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from the foul line. Despite the loss, The Rock forced the Crimson Hawks into 15 turnovers while making 14 miscues of their own in addition to scoring 12 points off of IUP mistakes.
 
As a team, Indiana shot 44.1 percent (30-of-68) from the floor, 26.1 percent (6-of-23) from 3-point range and 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from the charity stripe. IUP outrebounded The Rock 40-36. Alexander and Rajah Fink combined to score 45 of IUP's 71 points.
 
Slippery Rock returns home for its first meeting with PSAC West opponent Mercyhurst University 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Morrow Field House.




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