SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team earned a dominant 89-72 wire-to-wire victory over No. 13 California (Pa.) Saturday at Morrow Field House.
 
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division victory improves The Rock's record to 6-8 overall and 4-4 inside the PSAC while the nationally ranked Vulcans drop to 13-2 overall and 7-2 in league games. Slippery Rock is now a perfect 6-0 when playing at Morrow Field House in 2023-24.
 
All told, The Rock held a double-digit lead for 31:08 of a possible 40 minutes.
 
Saturday's win, The Rock's fifth in their last seven games, marks SRU's first victory over a nationally ranked team since Jan. 12, 2019 when Slippery Rock bested No. 3 Indiana University (Pa.), 74-69.
 
Ike Herster led what was true all-around team victory for The Rock as the redshirt sophomore guard exploded for a career-high 36 points. In addition to going 10-for-13 from the foul line, Herster converted 12-of-19 field goal attempts including a pair of 3-pointers.
 
Herster's 36 points is the 10th-highest point total for SRU in Morrow Field House history.            
 
Jomo Goings and Lashon Lindsey provided Slippery Rock with arguably their best games of the season as the veteran duo each posted double-doubles. Goings tallied 18 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals while Lindsey logged 14 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks and one steal.
 
Maceo Austin was The Rock's third athlete to finish in double figures following a 13-point, six-rebound, four-assist, two-block, one-steal effort.
 
Rounding out Slippery Rock's top performers were Sheick Samoura, Nik Cazacu and Bobby Clifford. Samoura had six points while Clifford and Cazacu gave The Rock invaluable minutes off the bench on a night that SRU was plagued by foul trouble.
 
As a team, Slippery Rock shot 49.2 percent (32-of-65) from the field overall and 77.8 percent (21-of-27) at the foul line.
 
Defensively, The Rock withstood 43 Vulcan free throw attempts, 35 of which were successful, by holding California, which entered the game leading the nation in field goal percentage, to a scant 16-for-60 (.267) shooting performance from the field overall and a 5-for-27 (.185) showing from 3-point territory.
 
KJ McClurg, the PSAC's leading scorer, left Morrow Field House with 34 points after making 6-of-15 field goal attempts, three of which were from 3-point range, as well as a 19-for-22 performance at the foul line.
 
SRU closed the game with a +8 (46-38) rebounding margin. Included in The Rock's rebounding total were 14 offensive boards that were converted into 19 second chance points.
 
The Rock jumped out to a 21-9 lead through the opening 10 minutes to establish an early double-digit advantage that SRU maintained the rest of the game. Slippery Rock would lead by as many as 16 points in the first half before eventually taking a 36-23 lead into the halftime break.
 
While California appeared poised to go on runs at several points in the second half to make it a game, the Vulcans never truly threatened The Rock's sizable lead thanks in no small part to Herster, who constantly answered Cal surges by coming through with key baskets as part of a 24-point second-half output en route to SRU's 17-point victory.
 
Slippery Rock caps off its three-game homestand with another game against a nationally ranked team out of the PSAC West when 20th-ranked Gannon University comes to Morrow Field House for a 7:30 p.m. opening tip on Jan. 17.




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