AMHERST, N.Y. -  The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team opened its six-game road trip with an 86-62 non-conference loss Tuesday at Daemen University.
 
The result drops The Rock's record to 1-1 early on in 2023-24 while the host Wildcats improve to 5-3.
 
Slippery Rock could never quite find its collective stride Tuesday as it closed the game shooting just 37.5 percent (21-of-56) from the field overall and 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from 3-point territory while committing 20 turnovers and holding a -5 (36-31) rebounding margin.
 
Daemen meanwhile connected on 53.4 percent (31-of-58) of its field goal attempts and converted The Rock's high miscue rate into 34 points off turnovers. 46 of Daemen's 86 points came inside the paint.
 
Both teams shot well from the foul line with SRU going 15-of-19 (.789) and Daemen making 18-of-24 (.750) free throw attempts.
 
Slippery Rock had two players finish in double figures as Maceo Austin went for 14 points, three rebounds, one blocks and one steal while Sheick Samoura scored 13 points in addition to collecting three rebounds and making one steal as well.
 
Ike Herster chipped in eight points. Jomo Goings and Lashon Lindsey added five points apiece with Goings pulling in a team-high six rebounds and Lindsey, who was plagued by foul trouble much of the night, tallying five rebounds, one block and one steal.
 
Rounding out SRU's top contributors were Luke Howes, who had six points and one steal, and Bobby Clifford with three offensive rebounds.
 
Despite a slow start, Slippery Rock still found itself with a 15-12 lead over the Wildcats through the opening six minutes of regulation before Daemen answered by scoring 25 of the following 35 points over a nine-minute stretch in which SRU made just 4-of-13 field goal attempts as DU edged its way out to a 37-24 lead at the final media timeout.
 
SRU battled back with a solid final four minutes of the half by closing the period on an 8-4 run that was capped off by an Austin buzzer-beater which cut Daemen's lead down to nine points heading into the break.
 
However, the nine-point halftime margin turned out to be as close as The Rock would get. Daemen proceeded to methodically build its lead out to 22 points by shooting 75 percent (12-of-16) over the first 12 minutes of the second half on the way to an eventual 24-point victory.
 
Dylan Fasoyiro and Justin Hemphill combined to score 45 points while Fasoyiro pocketed six steals to lead Daemen in the win.
 
Slippery Rock will now travel to the 50th state for a pair of games 10 p.m. Sunday against Hawaii Pacific University and 10 p.m. Nov. 27 versus Chaminade University.





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