SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team increased its winning streak to four games after staving off upset-minded Gannon University to earn a 68-63 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division victory at Morrow Field House Saturday.
 
With the win, Slippery Rock improves to 15-10 overall and 11-8 in the PSAC West while Gannon falls to 12-12 overall and 9-11 in league games. Slippery Rock has held opponents to under 70 points in all four games during its current winning streak.
 
The victory also ensures The Rock of the program's fourth consecutive winning season, and 12th overall since 2008-09, regardless of what happens the rest of the year.
 
Additionally, Saturday's win was the 49th in the career of head coach Ian Grady, giving him the most victories among all active PSAC coaches in their first three seasons at their current schools.
 
In what was an all-around team victory, point guard Amante Britt led the way for Slippery Rock in the form of a 19-point, six-assist, five-rebound, one-steal showing that included just one turnover. Britt shot 8-of-14 from the field overall and 3-of-7 from 3-point range.
 
Prior to the game, Britt received the Pop Knauss Scholarship, an award given annually to a member of the Slippery Rock men's basketball team.
 
Tyler Frederick registered his 10th double-double of the season, and his second in as many games, courtesy of a 16-point, 10-rebound effort that also included a season-best three steals.
 
Jonathan McFall also finished in double figures with 11 points in addition to four rebounds and a block. Frankie Hughes scored nine points while Bobby Clifford supplied SRU with six points, six rebounds and a team season-high five blocks.
 
Rounding out The Rock's top contributors was Lashon Lindsey, who came off the bench to go for five points, four rebounds, two steals and a block.
 
Following a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes that resulted in Slippery Rock taking a 34-30 lead into halftime, SRU came out of the break strong with a 21-10 run that stretched its lead out to 15-points at 55-40 with 10 minutes to play in regulation.
 
Just as Slippery Rock seemed poised to put the game away Gannon battled back to control the next nine minutes, eventually cutting SRU's advantage to 65-63 with 12 seconds left to play.
 
However, any thoughts of an upset were promptly put to rest. Following a foul, Frankie Hughes made 1-of-2 foul shots with the miss being hauled in by Frederick who was then fouled himself leading to a pair of successful free throws that sealed The Rock's five-point victory.  
 
Slippery Rock produced another solid shooting performance in the win, finishing the game making 47.2 percent (25-of-53) of its field goal attempts while converting 73.3 percent (11-for-15) of its foul shots.
 
SRU scored 19 points off of 13 Gannon turnovers and while The Rock closed the contest with an uncharacteristically low six offensive rebounds, they did convert all of the offensive boards into buckets en route to finishing with 12 second chance points.
 
Defensively, Slippery Rock limited Gannon to a 39 percent (23-of-59) shooting performance from the field. The Golden Knights kept the game competitive by making 6-of-15 3-pointers (40 percent) and 11-of-14 free throws (78.6 percent) while holding a +4 rebounding margin (36-32) over SRU.
 
Slippery Rock now hits the road to play California University (Pa.) for a critical PSAC West game 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21. The Vulcans defeated The Rock, 92-83, at Morrow Field House earlier in the season.
 
 
 


 
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