SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Behind a dominating second half performance, the Slippery Rock University men's basketball team earned an 86-66 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division road victory Saturday at Clarion.
 
Saturday's win snaps Slippery Rock's three-game losing streak and improves its record to 13-7 overall and 7-7 in the PSAC West while Clarion drops to 2-18 overall and 0-14 in conference competition.
 
Slippery Rock placed five players in double figures against the Golden Eagles led by Jomo Goings, who scored a career-high 19 points. Goings earned his personal-best point total by shooting 7-for-9 from the field overall, including a 2-for-4 mark from 3-point range, and a 3-for-4 showing at the foul line in addition to pulling down five rebounds and blocking one shot.
 
Khalid Gates and Lashon Lindsey each produced double-doubles with Gates going for 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks while Lindsey came off the bench to tally 12 points, 10 rebounds and one steal.
 
Amante Britt added 16 points as he continued his push towards 1,000 career points. Heading into Wednesday's game at Gannon, Britt finds himself 35 points away from becoming the 24th student-athlete in program history to score 1,000 points.
 
Bobby Clifford rounded out The Rock's double-digit scorers with 13 points courtesy of an efficient shooting performance in which he connected on 5-of-7 field goal attempts in addition to going a perfect 2-for-2 at the free throw line. Clifford also provided SRU with five rebounds and three assists.
 
Rounding out Slippery Rock's top performers was Jonathan McFall with nine points and Ahmad Galimore, who blocked two shots and dished out three assists.
 
The Rock and Golden Eagles exchanged the lead on seven occasions throughout the first half with Slippery Rock eventually coming away with a narrow 35-34 lead through 20 minutes.
 
While the first half was an evenly matched contest, the second half was the exact opposites as SRU put together one of its best 20-minute stretches of the season to pull away from Clarion and earn its eighth double-digit win of the year.
 
Leading 46-42 with 14:21 remaining in regulation, Slippery Rock scored 13 unanswered points over the next four minutes to stretch its lead out to a commanding 17-point margin. Gates and Goings combined to score 11 points during the spurt.
 
SRU went on to increase its lead to as many as 25 points before settling for the 20-point triumph. Slippery Rock scored 51 points in the second half, its highest point total against a Division II team this season.
 
The Rock made 68 percent of their field goal attempts in the second half while limiting Clarion to a 38.7 percent showing and holding a 20-10 rebounding edge against the Golden Eagles in the final 20 minutes.
 
Slippery Rock closed the game shooting 53.6 percent (30-of-56) from the field overall, 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from 3-point range and 76.9 percent (20-of-26) at the foul line while holding a +8 (38-30) rebounding margin.
 
SRU attacked the basket for much of the night which resulted in 40 points in the paint and went a long way in helping The Rock match a season-high in made free throws.
 
As a team, Clarion shot 41.5 percent (27-of-65) from the field overall, just 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from distance and 75 percent (6-of-8) at the foul line. Gerald Jarmon scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Golden Eagles.
 
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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