EDINBORO, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team earned a 68-66 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division road victory Saturday at Edinboro.
The win improves The Rock's record to 15-10 overall and 9-10 inside the PSAC. Saturday's result ensures SRU of a fifth consecutive winning season in addition to clinching a sixth straight PSAC Tournament berth regardless of what happens over the final three games of the regular season.
Edinboro exits the weekend at 5-18 overall and 3-15 in the PSAC.
After leading by two points at halftime, SRU found itself trailing by as many as eight points midway through the second half. But with the score 53-45 and 9:35 showing on the clock, The Rock proceeded to go on a 17-9 run over the next seven minutes to pull even with the Fighting Scots at 62-62.
Lashon Lindsey scored six points during the spurt including the game-tying 3-pointer.
The Fighting Scots answered the run as Naim Miller and Dominique Keyes converted two foul shots apiece in each of Edinboro's next two possessions with a successful jumper by Lindsey sandwiched between, giving Edinboro a 66-64 lead with 72 seconds left in regulation. However, Keyes' second free throw turned out to be the final points of the game for Edinboro.
Slippery Rock opened its decisive late-game push with one
Amante Britt free throw which trimmed SRU's deficit to one point. On the ensuing Edinboro possession, Britt tracked down a defensive rebound and drove the length of the court before finding
Jomo Goings under the basket for the go-ahead layup with 21 seconds to play.
Coming out of an Edinboro timeout, Slippery Rock forced a missed jumper which was corralled by
Dylan Ahearn, who was immediately fouled with just four seconds remaining. Ahearn made one of his two foul shots and a desperation full-court attempt by Bryce Spriggs at the buzzer was no good as SRU escaped with the two-point victory.
Lindsey scored a game-high 17 points to go along with seven rebounds, two blocks and three steals. Lindsey went 3-for-6 from 3-point range as part of an overall 7-of-11 shooting performance.
Goings and
Ahmad Galimore added 10 points apiece with Goings also making three steals and Galimore dishing out three assists.
Britt scored eight points, handed out four assists and did not commit a turnover in a game in which The Rock's senior point guard tied the school record for starts in a career (111).
Khalid Gates was plagued by foul trouble for much of the game on the way to an eight-point, four-rebound, two-steal showing over 21 minutes. Ahearn and
Jonathan McFall rounded out SRU's top performers Saturday as the duo came off the bench to combine for 11 points.
In a game in which every possession mattered, Slippery Rock earned the victory thanks in no small part to winning the turnover battle.
Offensively, SRU committed a season-low seven turnovers while forcing the Fighting Scots into 18 miscues. The Rock closed the game shooting 40 percent (26-of-65) from the field overall, 34.8 percent (8-of-23) from 3-point range and 57.1 percent (8-of-14) at the foul line.
Edinboro, which held a +14 (45-31) rebounding advantage over SRU, shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) overall, 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point range and 60 percent (9-of-15) at the foul line. Keyes had a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double to pace the Fighting Scots.
Slippery Rock plays its final road game of the regular season at No. 1 Indiana University (Pa.) 3 p.m. Feb. 18.
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