CALIFORNIA, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team had its three-game winning streak snapped in an 80-69 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division loss Saturday at No. 16 California (Pa.).
 
The loss, which was just the third defeat for SRU in its last 10 games, moves Slippery Rock's record to 11-11 overall and 9-7 inside the PSAC West while the nationally ranked Vulcans improve to 20-3 overall and 14-4 in league competition.
 
With six games to play in the regular season, Slippery Rock currently occupies fourth place in the PSAC West standings, one game ahead of fifth-place Mercyhurst (8-8) and 1.5 in front of sixth-place Seton Hill (8-9).
 
The top six teams in both the Western Division and Eastern Division standings at the end of the regular season qualify for the PSAC Tournament with the top two seeds in each division receiving first-round byes and the No. 3 and No. 4 squads earning the right to host opening-round games.
 
Maceo Austin led Slippery Rock on the day after turning in a 25-point, eight-rebound, two-steal, two-assist performance. Ike Herster, who was limited by foul trouble all game, was SRU's second double-digit scorer at 12 points prior to fouling out.
 
Jomo Goings chipped in nine points, seven rebounds and three assists while the reserve duo of Sheick Samoura and Bobby Clifford recorded seven points apiece with Samoura also blocking a game-high three shots.
 
Rounding out The Rock's top performers was Luke Howes (six points, five rebounds, one steal) and Lashon Lindsey (six rebounds, two points, one block).
 
After committing no more than 14 turnovers in any of its last six games, Slippery Rock finished Saturday's contest with a season-high 24 miscues. SRU, which entered Saturday leading the PSAC in rebounding, did hold a +11 (47-36) rebound margin over the Vulcans.
 
The Rock closed the game shooting 39.7 percent (23-of-58) from the field overall, 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from 3-point range and 78.3 percent (18-of-23) at the foul line.
 
Slippery Rock and California traded baskets for much of the opening eight minutes with the Vulcans eking their way out to an early 16-15 lead before proceeding to score 10 of the game's next 12 points and stretching its advantage out to nine points with seven minutes to play in the first half.
 
Slippery Rock closed the first half on a 13-4 run of its own to cut the Vulcans' lead down to three points at 33-30 heading into halftime. Despite 15 first-half turnovers, SRU made it a one-possession game at the break by holding Cal to a 33.3 field goal percentage.
 
However, any hopes of earning its first road win over a ranked team since 2013 were dashed in the first eight minutes of the second half. California opened the half on a 25-12 run which pushed its lead out to a 16-point, 58-42, margin SRU could never truly answer back from en route to Cal's 11-point victory.
 
The Vulcans made nine of their first 14 shot attempts of the second half with KJ McClurg, the PSAC's leading scorer, accounting for 16 points during the decisive spurt. McClurg finished the day with a game-high 36 points.
 
As a team, California shot 42.6 percent (29-of-68) from the field overall, 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from 3-point territory and 65.2 percent (15-of-23) at the foul line.
 
Slippery Rock will now make the trip to Erie, Pennsylvania to play No. 8 Gannon University 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Hagerty Family Events Center on the campus of Cathedral Prep High School.





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