CALIFORNIA, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team's season came to an end Monday with a 72-55 loss at California University (Pa.) in the first round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
Slippery Rock closes the year with a solid 17-12 overall record for its 12th winning season in the last 13 years. With the win, Cal U improves to 21-8 in 2021-22 and advances to the PSAC Tournament quarterfinals where it will play top-seeded Indiana University (Pa.) Wednesday.
 
Unfortunately for SRU, it had its worst shooting performance of the season Monday as Slippery Rock converted just 33.9 percent (21-of-62) of its total field goal attempts including a 9-for-35 (.257) showing from 3-point range.
 
The Rock and Vulcans traded baskets and mini runs for the majority of the first half before Cal U was able to end the opening 20 minutes by scoring nine of the period's final 14 points to take a nine-point advantage at 42-33 into halftime.
 
SRU was never able to truly threaten California's lead in the second half as the Vulcans steadily built its lead out to as many as 21 points on the way to an eventual 17-point win.
 
Amante Britt led all Rock players with a team-high 14 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Britt ends his junior year with 131 assists, the 12th highest single-season total in program history.
 
Frankie Hughes made four 3-pointers on the way to scoring 12 points in addition to pulling in six rebounds, blocking one shot and making one steal. Hughes, the PSAC's leader in made 3-pointers, finishes the season with 85 successful 3's this year, just two shy of tying the program record for 3-pointers in a season of 87.
 
Tyler Frederick and Jonathan McFall both narrowly missed out on double-doubles with matching stat lines of eight points and eight rebounds.
 
Rounding out The Rock's top performers Monday were Bobby Clifford (seven points), Lashon Lindsey (seven rebounds) and Dylan Ahearn (three points).  
 
The Rock and Vulcans ended the contest even in rebounding (38-38) with SRU holding a 13-10 edge on the offensive glass. However, the Vulcans were able to turn their offensive boards into 18 second chance points while SRU concluded the game with just six.
 
California finished the game shooting 46.9 percent (30-of-64) from the field overall and 34.8 percent (8-of-23) from 3-point range. Cal U forced SRU into 14 turnovers which were parlayed into 18 points off turnovers all the while making just seven miscues of its own.
 
The Vulcans were led by Philip Alston, who scored 24 points on a near perfect 10-of-12 night from the field that included a 3-pointer in addition to a flawless 3-of-3 effort at the foul line. Zyan Collins had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds for CU as well.
 
While the overwhelming majority of SRU's 2021-22 roster will be back next year, Monday's game was the final in the career of Frederick, who ends his lone season at The Rock nearly averaging a double-double of 14.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
 




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