CLARION, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team recorded a 97-94 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division victory in overtime at Clarion Wednesday.
 
Wednesday's win improves The Rock's record to 13-12 on the year overall and 11-8 inside the PSAC. Clarion meanwhile falls to 7-19 overall and 5-15 in league games. The victory also locks up a second consecutive season-sweep for SRU over the Golden Eagles.
 
Slippery Rock's victory, combined with other results around the conference on Wednesday, sends SRU into Saturday's home game against Indiana (Pa.) sitting comfortably in fourth place in the PSAC West standings with a two-game lead over both Seton Hill and Mercyhurst and just three contests left in the regular season.
 
The Rock have already clinched a PSAC Tournament bid, but are still jostling for very important seeding with the season winding down. The No. 3 and No. 4 teams in the PSAC West standings at the end of the year earn the right to host opening-round games of the conference tournament.
 
After leading by double-digits on four separate occasions throughout the night, a late Clarion charge resulted in The Rock trailing by five points at 77-72 with 1:50 to play. SRU quickly battled its way back into a 77-77 tie at the one-minute mark thanks to a pair of free throws by Luke Howes and a 3-pointer by Jomo Goings to set up a hectic finish of regulation.
 
Clarion briefly re-took the lead courtesy of a Connor Spratt jumper only for Ike Herster to answer with a go-ahead 3-pointer of his own which forced a Golden Eagle timeout with 29 seconds showing on the clock.
 
Not to be outdone, Gavin Cote then appeared to win the game for Clarion as he connected on his sixth 3-pointer of the game on the ensuing possession with just 5.8 seconds remaining.
 
However, the jubilation for the Golden Eagles players and fans was short-lived as Slippery Rock sprinted the length of the floor with Howes finishing the chaos via a game-tying layup that went through the hoop with a mere 0.2 seconds to go, sending the game into overtime knotted at 82-82.
 
The overtime period largely belonged to The Rock. After the two teams traded baskets, Lashon Lindsey hit a jumper and Herster made a pair of free throws to give SRU a lead it never relinquished.
 
While the Golden Eagles did have a chance to tie the game on its last possession, 3-point attempts by Cote and Spratt in the final seconds were both well off target as Slippery Rock hung on for the 97-94 win.
 
Lindsey led a spirited Rock effort against Clarion by producing one of the best games of his collegiate career.
 
The senior forward scored a career-high 27 point to go along with 13 rebounds and two steals for his ninth double-double of the year. Lindsey was a near automatic 12-of-16 from the field, including one 3-pointer as well as a 2-for-3 effort at the foul line.
 
Goings also turned in a career-high point total with 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting in addition to seven rebounds and two steals.
 
Howes' game-tying basket to force overtime culminated a 16-point, five-assist, four-rebound, one-steal performance. Much like Lindsey and Goings, Howes was also an efficient shooter Wednesday by making 6-of-9 field goal attempts and 4-of-5 free throws.
 
Herster and Bobby Clifford both finished in double figures as well at 15 and 11 points, respectively, with Herster also pulling in five rebounds and Clifford blocking one shot.
 
As a team, Slippery Rock shot 50.7 percent (35-for-69) overall, 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from distance and 82.6 percent (19-of-23) at the foul line. SRU made 22 of its final 36 shot attempts through the second half and overtime.
 
The Rock also committed just seven turnovers over 45 minutes, its second lowest amount of the season.
 
An upset-minded Clarion team ended the night shooting 50 percent (37-of-74) overall and 40 percent (12-for-30) from 3-point range, but made just 57.1 percent of its 14 free throws. Cam Kearney scored 23 points and Cote registered all 18 of his points off 3-point attempts to pace Clarion.
 
Four of Slippery Rock's last six games have each been three-point margins. Wednesday also marked The Rock's third overtime game of the season, two of which have been SRU wins. All told, 15 games for The Rock this season have been decided by eight points or less.
 
Slippery Rock now turns its attention to Saturday's home game against Indiana (Pa.) that is set for a 3 p.m. tip from Morrow Field House. The Crimson Hawks earned a 77-64 victory over The Rock earlier in the season at IUP.
 
Saturday will serve as The Rock's annual "White Out" game. All fans are encouraged to wear white. Official "White Out" shirts can be purchased HERE.




To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).