SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team closes out the first half of its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division schedule on the road 3 p.m. Saturday at Clarion.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Video and in-game statistics will be provided by the Clarion Sports Information office at the below links.
 
ALUMNI DAY SET FOR FEB. 4
The Slippery Rock men's basketball team invites all former members of the program back to SRU for its Alumni Day celebration on Feb. 4.
 
All former members of the program are invited back for the game, which figures to be a competitive contest between The Rock and Griffins as both teams are in the hunt to earn PSAC Tournament berths.
 
Returning alumni will be treated to free food and beverages in collaboration room. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP with assistant coach Brad Henry via e-mail at bradley.henry@sru.edu.
 
GAME 20 DETAILS
Opponent: Clarion
Date: Saturday – 3 p.m.
Location: Tippin Gymnasium – Clarion, Pennsylvania
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 110-84
Last Played: Feb. 14, 2022 (SRU won 87-65)
 
LAST TIME OUT
Both teams enter Saturday's game looking to snap losing streaks as SRU lost No. 1 Indiana University (Pa.), 72-57, Wednesday for its third consecutive setback while Clarion recorded its 15th straight loss in a 96-73 setback versus No. 20 Mercyhurst University.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Not only does Slippery Rock hold a 110-84 record all-time against Clarion, but it has also controlled the series as of late with eight wins in the last 10 meetings between The Rock and Golden Eagles by an average margin of victory of 17.8 points. SRU and Clarion split the season series last year with each team winning on their home court.
 
LAST MEETING
Behind a career-high 33 points from Amante Britt, Slippery Rock led for over 39 minutes in an 87-65 victory over Clarion Feb. 14, 2022 at Morrow Field House.
 
THE ROCK vs. CLARION LAST YEAR (2 Games)
• Amante Britt: 16.5 Points, 5.0 Rebounds, 4.0 Assists, 1.0 Steals
• Jonathan McFall: 10.0 Points, 4.0 Rebounds
• Nik Cazacu: 6.0 Points, 4.5 Rebounds
• Bobby Clifford: 4.5 Points, 4.0 Rebounds
• Lashon Lindsey: 4.0 Points, 4.5 Rebounds
• Dylan Ahearn (1 Game): 2.0 Points, 1.0 Steals
 
CLARION vs. SRU LAST YEAR (2 Games)
• Gerald Jarmon: 21.0 Points, 5.0 Rebounds
• Madior Seye (One Game): 7.0 Points, 8.0 Rebounds
• Mekhi Reynolds: 4.0 Points, 2.5 Assists, 1.5 Rebounds
• Steve Kelly: 3.0 Points, 1.5 Steals
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 12-7
PSAC Record: 6-7
PSAC West Standings: t-5th
D2SIDA Atlantic Region Poll: RV
Home Record: 10-2
Away Record: 2-5
Streak: L3
Last 5 Games: 1-4
Head Coach: Ian Grady | Fifth season (63-43)
 
STOPPING THE SLIDE
A victory over Clarion will help The Rock avoid a four-game losing streak. Losing streaks longer than two games have been a rarity of under head coach Ian Grady. Since Grady took over the program in 2018-19, SRU has suffered just three stretches with consecutive of three games or more.
 
A MAKE OR MISS GAME
Slippery Rock has shot 46.7 percent (358-for-767) from the field overall in its 12 wins this year, but only 39.3 percent (169-for-430) in its seven losses.
 
ATTACKING THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
Slippery Rock heads into the weekend ranked second in the PSAC, and 26th in the nation overall, in offensive rebounding with 12.8 per game. SRU has pulled in double-digit offensive rebounds 11 times in 2022-23.
 
Leading the way as SRU's offensive rebound leaders have been Khalid Gates (2.3), Jonathan McFall (1.8), Ahmad Galimore (1.8), Lashon Lindsey (1.5) and Bobby Clifford (1.4).
 
NO EASY BASKETS
Just as Slippery Rock has established a tradition of being one of the PSAC's top rebounding teams on an annual basis, SRU is also routinely among the best shot blocking teams in the league with 2022-23 being no exception.
 
Highlighted by a 14-block game against Lock Haven, SRU has had at least four blocks in a game on 11 occasions this season and currently leads the PSAC, and ranks 16th in the country, with 4.5 blocks a game.
 
The Rock's block efforts have been paced by the quartet of Lindsey (22), Gates (20), McFall (15) and Galimore (11) who all have at least 11 rejections on the season.
 
LINDSEY RACKING UP DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
Lindsey has tallied blocks and steals in bunches in the last seven games. Over the first 12 games of the year, Lindsey had seven blocks (0.6 bpg) and 16 steals (1.3 spg). However, in the last seven games alone, Lindsey has blocked 15 shots (2.1 bpg) and pocketed 15 steals (2.1 spg).
 
The big stretch has pushed Lindsey into sole possession of the team lead in blocks while being tied with Britt for SRU-high honors in steals.
 
GATES CLIMBING ROCK TRANSFER SCORING LIST
With 295 points already scored this year, Gates is on the cusp of cracking The Rock's top-25 list for points scored by a transfer in their first year at SRU. Gates, who was a JUCO All-American at Cecil College, needs 19 points to break into the top-25.
 
The record for points scored by a transfer in their first season at SRU is 640 by Micah Till (Harford CC) in 2017-18.
 
Points By Transfers in First Year at SRU
22: Rob Wilson (Ohio Valley Business College / 1989-90): 317
23: Bruce Spruell (American International / 2017-18): 316
24: Michael Evans Jr. (Morehead State / 2008-09): 315
25: Gerald Brooks (IUP / 2012-13): 313
NR: Khalid Gates (Cecil / 2022-23): 295
 
GETTING RIGHT AT THE FOUL LINE
Slippery Rock has had a pair of uncharacteristically off games from the foul line this week. SRU entered the week shooting 75.6 percent from the foul line for the season, but has gone just 28-of-46 (.609) in recent losses against Lock Haven and Indiana (Pa.).
 
THE ROCK'S RECORD WHEN…
Out-rebounding Opponents: 10-3
Committing Fewer Turnovers Than Opponents: 9-2
Leading at halftime: 8-0
Shooting Above 45%: 7-1
Losing at halftime: 4-7
 
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MISTAKES
Slippery Rock, which has forced opponents into 14.9 turnovers per game this season, has done a great job of converting its opponent miscues into points. Through 19 games, SRU has averaged 17.0 points off turnovers per game.
 
If The Rock are able to maintain that average through the rest of the season it would rank second behind the program single-season 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.
 
THE ROCK ROTATION
• Gates has now tallied 10 or more rebounds in three of SRU's last six games. He leads The Rock in scoring (15.5), field goal percentage (.529) and rebounding (7.1) while ranking second in blocks (1.1).
 
• McFall has posted four straight games with at least 13 points to up his season average to 12.9 ppg. One of SRU's top all-around shooters, McFall heads to Clarion hitting 48.9 percent of his total field goal attempts, 38.9 percent of his 3-pointers and 84.2 percent of his foul shots while collecting 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals a game.
 
• Britt is The Rock's second-leading scorer with 14.4 ppg in addition to leading the team in 3-pointers made (32), assists (2.3), steals (1.6) and minutes played (30.8).
 
• Lindsey will take a stat line of 7.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.4 assists and 1.2 blocks into the Clarion game.
 
• Galimore, who joined Gates, McFall, Britt and Lindsey in the starting lineup versus IUP, scores 4.5 points per game while also tallying 4.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and just under one block a night.
 
• After going just 2-for-9 and scoring four total points against Pitt-Johnstown and Lock Haven, Jomo Goings returned to form in the IUP game as he scored eight points on 4-of-8 shooting to go with six rebounds. He scores 7.8 ppg on the season with 3.1 rebounds as SRU's first guard off the bench this year.
 
• Clifford plays 23.9 minutes and averages 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds a contest while ranking third on the team in field goal percentage at .439.
 
• Rounding out The Rock's rotation is Alex Griggs (2.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.9 spg), Dylan Ahearn (2.3 ppg, 1.1 rpg) and Nik Cazacu (1.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg).
 
HOW THE ROCK STACKS UP (PSAC Team rankings)
• Blocks: 1st (4.47)
• Offensive Rebounding: 2nd (12.8)
• Rebounding Margin: 3rd (+3.6)
• Total Rebounding: 3rd (38.4)
• 3PT % Defense: 4th (.320)
• Steals: 5th (8.84)
• Free Throw %: 7th (.736)
• Scoring Margin: 8th (+3.1)
• Opponent Turnovers: 7th (14.9)
• Turnover Margin: 7th (+0.79)
• Field Goal % Defense: 8th (.434)
• Opponent Scoring: 8th (71.5)
• Scoring: 10th (74.5)
 
ROCK AMONG THE PSAC'S BEST
• Free Throw %: Jonathan McFall – 3rd (.842)
• Blocks Per Game: Lashon Lindsey – 5th (1.2)
• Field Goal %: Khalid Gates – 6th (.529)
• Steals Per Game: Lashon Lindsey – t7th (1.6)
• Steals Per Game: Amante Britt – t7th (1.6)
• Blocks Per Game: Khalid Gates – 9th (1.1)
• Total Points: Khalid Gates – 10th (295)
• Rebounding: Khalid Gates – 12th (7.1)
• Offensive Rebounding: Khalid Gates – 12th (2.3)
• Scoring: Khalid Gates – 13th (15.5)
 
BRITT AND LINDSEY AMONG ROCK'S ALL-TIME BEST
The veteran duo of Britt and Lindsey currently find themselves ranked among the all-time Rock greats in several career statistical categories.
 
SRU Career Blocks (No. 9-13)
8: Mike Hardy (1975-79): 76
t9: Devin Taylor (2010-13): 73
t9: Luiz Santos (2011-13): 73
11: Lashon Lindsey (2019-SA): 72
12: James Richardson (1998-00): 69
 
SRU Career Assists (No. 3-7)
3: Shannon Pullium (1984-89): 399
4: Amante Britt (2018-SA): 313
5: Kyle Camper(2008-09): 305
6: Mark Metzka (1991-95): 301
7: Myron Brown (1987-91): 299
 
SRU Career Steals (No. 5-9)
5: Randy McKavish (1996-00): 147
6: Jamar Scales (2005-09): 138
7: Amante Britt (2018-SA): 134
8: Troy Mild (1980-84): 129
9: Micah Till (2017-20): 127
 
SRU Career Minutes Played
1: Myron Brown (1987-91): 3,885
2: C. Russell (1987-91): 3,334
3: Glenn Reepmeyer (2002-07): 2,983
4: Amante Britt (2018-SA): 2,880
5: Eroll Robinson (2005-09): 2,866
 
SRU Career 3-Pointers Made (No. 8-12)
6: Jared Armstrong (2018-20): 124
7: Dan Heiman (1991-94): 115
8: Maurice Douglas (2008-10): 114
9: Amante Britt (2018-SA): 103
10: C. Russell (1987-91): 101
 
CLARION PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 2-17
PSAC Record: 0-13
PSAC West Standings: 9th
Home Record: 2-10
Away Record: 0-7
Streak: L15
Last 5 Games: 0-5
Head Coach: Damian Pitts | Fourth season (20-65)
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Clarion is led by the explosive guard duo of Gerald Jarmon and Mekhi Reynolds who combine to average 29.8 points per game. Freshman guard Cam Kearney is the Golden Eagles' third-leading scorer with 13.5 ppg.
 
Seven-footer Madior Seye and forward Frey Nguimbi are Clarion's top rebounders with per game averages at 5.2 and 6.1, respectively. Seye has also blocked a team-high 16 shots.
 
As a team, Clarion ranks last in the PSAC in scoring at 63.9 ppg while allowing 76.8 ppg, the fifth-highest average in the league. The Golden Eagles rank towards the top of the PSAC in 3-point attempts per game with 23.1.   
 
A win over The Rock would give Clarion its first win over a Division II team this season and snap the nation's third-longest losing streak.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock remains on the road when it travels to Gannon University 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1. SRU defeated the Golden Knights, 83-69, at home in the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
 
  




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