SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team will begin its quest for a league championship when it travels to Pitt-Johnstown 7 p.m. Monday for a first round game in the 2022-23 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
TICKET INFO
• Adults: $10
• Students K-12: $5
• SRU Students: FREE with SRU ID
• Pre-K: FREE
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Video and in-game statistics for Monday's game will be provided by the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Information office at the below links.
 
PSAC TOURNAMENT OPENING ROUND DETAILS
Opponent: Pitt-Johnstown
Date: Feb. 27 – 7 p.m.
Location: The Sports Center – Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
PSAC Tournament Central: Link
All-Time Series: UPJ leads 40-22
Last Played: Feb. 25, 2023 (SRU won 71-70)
 
RECORDS/LAST TIME OUT
• Records: Slippery Rock heads to UPJ as the sixth seed out of the Western Division after recording a 17-11 overall record during the regular season including an 11-11 league mark. The host Mountain Cats earned the third seed in the division after going 19-9 overall and 15-7 in PSAC games.
 
• Last Time Out: SRU closed the season with an impressive 71-70 victory over Pitt-Johnstown Saturday at Morrow Field House.
 
PSAC TOURNAMENT SETUP
The top six teams in the PSAC West s and PSAC East standings at the end of the year earn berths into the PSAC Tournament. The top two seeds in each division receive first round byes with the rest of the first-round schedule featuring the third seeds hosting the sixth seeds and the fourth seeds hosting the fifth seeds from their own divisions.
 
In the PSAC West, Indiana (Pa.) and Mercyhurst are seeded first and second followed by No. 3 Pitt-Johnstown, No. 4 California (Pa.), No. 5 Seton Hill and No. 6 Slippery Rock.
 
The winner of Monday's game between Slippery Rock and Pitt-Johnstown will play at Mercyhurst Wednesday. 

HOW THEY GOT HERE
Slippery Rock earned its postseason bid following a strong finish to the regular season that saw The Rock win three of their final four games to end the year with the only loss over the stretch being a road defeat at fourth-ranked IUP.
 
After going 18-6 to open the season, the Mountain Cats hit a slight slide with three losses in their final four games of the regular season.
 
ROCK PSAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Slippery Rock will be making its 12th postseason appearance in the last 14 years and its 25th appearance in the PSAC Tournament all-time.
 
The Rock men's basketball program has compiled an overall record of 20-24 in PSAC Tournament games. SRU has played in eight PSAC Tournament championship games with the program's lone title coming in 1962-63.
 
SRU will be looking to break a recent trend of three consecutive one-and-done appearances in the conference tournament. Slippery Rock's last PSAC Tournament victory came against Mercyhurst (61-58) in 2017-18.
 
The only previous time that Slippery Rock and Pitt-Johnstown met in the PSAC Tournament came in 2019-20. The Mountain Cats earned an 85-78 win at home over The Rock thanks to a 19-point, eight-rebound, three-block showing from John Paul Kromka. Donovan Walker came off the bench to score a game-high 27 points for SRU in the loss.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
While Pitt-Johnstown holds a 40-22 record against Slippery Rock all-time, the series has been drastically closer lately with the Mountain Cats being 6-4 versus SRU in the last 10 games. In particular, the previous seven games of the series have been decided by razor thin margins as those contests have been decided by an average of just 3.6 points.
 
Overall: Pitt-Johnstown leads 40-22
Current Streak: SRU W1
At Pitt-Johnstown: SRU leads UPJ leads 28-3
First Meeting: Dec. 7, 1972 (SRU won 90-67)
Last Meeting: Feb. 25, 2023 (SRU won 71-70)
Most Points, SRU: 122 - Dec. 5, 1990
Most Points, UPJ: 132 – Feb. 27, 1995
Largest Victory, SRU: 61 (122-61), Dec. 5, 1990
Largest Victory, UPJ: 39 (101-62), Feb 7, 1998
 
SEASON SERIES BETWEEN THE ROCK AND MOUNTAIN CATS 
GAME 1 BOX SCORE  |  GAME 2 BOX SCORE
Slippery Rock and Pitt-Johnstown split the season series with each team winning on their home floor. Pitt-Johnstown beat The Rock, 72-68, in Johnstown on Jan. 21 with Slippery Rock getting a measure of redemption courtesy of a 71-70 victory at Morrow Field House 24 hours ago.
 
SRU-UPJ SEASON SERIES TEAM STATS
PPG: 69.5 – 71.0
FG%: 43.9 – 48.1
3PT%: 32.6 (14-43) – 35.5 (11-31)
FT%: 77.3 (17-22) – 85.3 (29-34)
Rebounding: 31.5 – 32.0
Turnovers: 9.5 – 13.5
Steals: 7.5 – 5.5
Blocks: 5.0 – 1.5
 
ROCK ROTATION vs. UPJ in 2023
• Jonathan McFall: 14.5 Points, 1.5 Rebounds, 26.4 Minutes
• Khalid Gates: 11.5 Points, 7.5 Rebounds, 2.0 Blocks, 24.7 Minutes
• Amante Britt: 11.5 Points, 5.0 Assists, 2.5 Steals, 34.8 Minutes
• Lashon Lindsey: 10.0 Points, 6.0 Rebounds, 1.5 Steals, 33.6 Minutes
• Bobby Clifford: 10.0 Points, 5.0 Rebounds, 26.0 Minutes
• Jomo Goings: 7.0 Points, 1.0 Steals, 20.2 Minutes
• Nik Cazacu: 2.0 Points, 4.5 Rebounds, 7.3 Minutes
• Ahmad Galimore: 2.0 Points, 1.0 Rebounds, 14.5 Minutes
 
UPJ ROTATION vs. SRU IN 2023
• John Paul Kromka: 26.5 Points, 8.5 Rebounds, 1.5 Steals, 37.0 Minutes
• Andrew Shull: 10.0 Points, 4.5 Rebounds, 3.5 Assists, 1.5 Steals, 37.9 Minutes
• Drew Magestro: 9.0 Points, 4.5 Rebounds, 1.0 Steals, 23.6 Minutes
• Joe Batt: 7.5 Points, 5.5 Rebounds, 33.4 Minutes
• Ryan Smith: 7.0 Points, 3.0 Rebounds, 21.8 Minutes
• Jared Jakubick: 6.5 Points, 3.0 Rebounds, 32.0 Minutes
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Regular Season Stats: Link
Roster: Link
Overall Record: 17-11
PSAC Record: 11-11
PSAC West Seed: 6th
Home Record: 12-4
Away Record: 5-7
Streak: W2
Last 5 Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Ian Grady | Fifth season (68-47)
 
DÉJÀ VU
Since the advent of the PSAC Tournament in 1951, Slippery Rock's opening round opponent has been who it closed the regular season with just two other times.
 
SRU defeated Lock Haven in the final game of the 1988-89 season before losing to the Bald Eagles in the PSAC Tournament. In 2008-09, The Rock earned a one-point victory over IUP to close the regular season followed three days later by a 17-point tournament victory against the Crimson Hawks.
 
HOME IS WHERE YOU MAKE IT
If Slippery Rock is to make a run at a PSAC championship it will have to do so away from the friendly confines of Morrow Field House where it went 12-4 this season. SRU is only 5-7 on the road overall in 2022-23, but has gone 3-2 outside of Butler County of late after starting the season by losing five of its first seven away games.
 
GOING INTO THE PLAYOFFS WITH MOMENTUM
Slippery Rock enters the postseason with great momentum after earning a dramatic one-point, 71-70, victory over Pitt-Johnstown Saturday. The win was capped off by Amante Britt hitting a 3-pointer with only three seconds left in regulation to seal the win.
 
The victory over UPJ was a total team effort that included six Rock players scoring nine or more points in Britt (11), Khlaid Gates (13), Lashon Lindsey (12), Jomo Goings (10), Bobby Clifford (10) and Jonathan McFall (9). SRU also received significant contributions from Nik Cazacu (8 rebounds, 4 points, 1 steal).
 
NO EASY BUCKETS
Slippery Rock leads the PSAC in blocks per game at 4.18. National team statistics will not be released by the NCAA until Monday, but SRU entered Saturday's regular season finale ranked 23rd in the nation in blocks.
 
SRU's block efforts are paced by Lindsey (29), Gates (27), McFall (20), Goings (11) and Ahmad Galimore (17). Slippery Rock averaged 5.0 blocks per game against Pitt-Johnstown this year.
 
THE ROCK ROTATION
• Slippery Rock has three athletes who closed the regular season averaging double figure points per game in Gates (14.0), Britt (13.4) and McFall (11.5).
 
• Gates also paces SRU in shooting (.497) and rebounding (7.3 overall / 2.3 offensive). A starter in all 28 games, Gates has been held under 10 points just five times this season. He also leads SRU in double-doubles with six.
 
• A veteran of 114 collegiate starts and a 1,000-point scorer, Britt distributes 2.4 assists per game in addition to his scoring duties, which includes making a team-high 42 3-pointers, all the while coming away with 1.5 steals a night defensively.
 
• Goings has been a key cog in The Rock's offensive success in the later stages of the season as he has finished in double figures in eight of the last nine games.
 
• Lindsey has turned a corner this season going from a role player to one of The Rock's top performers on a near nightly basis. A do-it-all forward, Lindsey provides SRU with per game averages of 9.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.03 blocks. He is also tied with Goings for second on the team in made 3-pointers at 28.
 
• Clifford played his best offensive game in a month during The Rock's win against Pitt-Johnstown. He not only made his only 3-point attempt of the game, but also routinely drove to the rim with success. Overall this year, Clifford scores 5.5 ppg and is good for 3.6 rpg as well.
 
• Galimore is one of the seven Rock athletes to play at least 21 minutes per game (22.7) this season. In his first year at SRU, the Colby College transfer has produced 4.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game over 28 contests.
 
• Cazacu has pulled down 14 total rebounds over The Rock's previous two games while freshman Alex Griggs has appeared in all 28 games as a rookie to tally 21 steals.
 
GET A LEAD, KEEP A LEAD
While SRU has been at its best in the second half this season, a lead after 20 minutes has proven vital to The Rock's fortunes as they are 13-1 when leading at halftime, but only 4-10 when trailing at the break.
 
HOW THE ROCK STACKS UP (PSAC Team rankings)
• Blocks: 1st (4.18)
• Offensive Rebounding: 4th (12.0)
• Steals: 5th (8.07)
• Rebounding Margin: 6th (+2.2)
• Opponent Scoring: 7th (71.2)
• Total Rebounding: 7th (37.2)
• Opponent Turnovers: 7th (14.3)
• Turnover Margin: 7th (+1.18)
• Turnovers: 8th (13.1)
• Opponent 3PT %: 7th (.334)
• Scoring: 10th (72.1)
• Free Throw %: 9th (.732)
 
ROCK AMONG THE PSAC'S BEST
• Steals Per Game: Lashon Lindsey – 6th (1.6)
• Field Goal %: Khalid Gates – 7th (.497)
• Blocks Per Game: Lashon Lindsey – t9th (1.0)
• Blocks Per Game: Khalid Gates – t9th (1.0)
• Defensive Rebounding: Lashon Lindsey – 10th (5.4)
• Rebounding: Khalid Gates – 10th (7.3)
• Offensive Rebounding: Khalid Gates – 11th (2.4)
• Steals Per Game: Amante Britt – 12th (1.5)
 
30/30 CLUB
With at least one game left in the season, Lindsey has the chance to join an exclusive club at The Rock. To date there have been only one SRU athlete to record at least 30 blocks and 30 made 3-pointers in a season - Micah Till had 45 blocks and 32 3's in 2017-18. Lindsey enters the UPJ game with 28 3-pointers and 29 blocks.
 
POINTS BY TRANSFERS IN FIRST YEAR AT SRU (8-13)
t8: Troy Miller (Cleveland State / 1991-92): 415
t8: Doug Zimmerman (Penn State Behrend / 1970-71): 415
t8: Tyler Frederick (La Roche / 2021-22): 415
11: Darious Clark (Illinois State / 2012-13): 397
12: Jabril Bailey (Campbell / 2009-10): 395
13: Khalid Gates (Cecil / 2022-23): 393
 
PITT-JOHNSTOWN PRIMER
Regular Season Stats: Link
Roster: Link
Overall Record: 19-9
PSAC Record: 15-7
PSAC West Seed: 3rd
Home Record: 12-2
Away Record: 7-7
Streak: L2
Last 5 Games: 2-3
Head Coach: Bob Rukavina | 33rd season (547-371)
 
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN CATS
Over the 28-game regular season, Pitt-Johnstown ranked sixth in the PSAC in points allowed at 70.6 oppg while finishing eighth in scoring with 75.6 ppg. The staple of Pitt-Johnstown's success in 2022-23 is an efficient offense in which UPJ led the conference in both overall field goal percentage (.509) and 3-point field goal percentage (.426) while committing just 12.8 turnovers a contest.
 
While the Mountain Cats were right around their season average in overall shooting in the two games against The Rock this season (.481), they were well below their normal 3-point accuracy, going 11-of-31 (.355) from long range.
 
A candidate for PSAC West Athlete of the Year honors, Kromka is Pitt-Johnstown's unquestioned leader. He enters Monday's game averaging 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 68 percent from the field.
 
Fellow starters Jared Jakubick (11.2), Andrew Shull (11.0) and Ryan Smith (10.1) all score over 10 points per game with Shull serving as the team's primary distributor with 3.1 apg.
 
Veteran head coach Bob Rukavina relies heavily on his starters, only two UPJ reserves play more than 10 minutes per game (Drew Magestro-20.9 / Andy Zuchelli-12.1).
 
Kromka was the driving force for UPJ in its one-point loss at Slippery Rock. The senior went for 30 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals at Morrow Field House. Magestro was the only other Mountain Cat to finish in double figures at 11 points.
 
UP NEXT
If victorious against the Mountain Cats, Slippery Rock will travel to play at Mercyhurst University Wednesday in the PSAC Tournament quarterfinals.
 




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