SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team will begin its final two-game road trip of the season by tipping off against the Vulcans of California (Pa.) 1 p.m. Saturday.
 
Slippery Rock will enter with a 2-16 record overall and a 2-13 run through the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Vulcans enter with a 15-7 mark on the season, having gone 10-6 in PSAC play.
 
WATCH LIVE
Fans can watch Saturday's game live and on-demand for free via the links below provided by California (Pa.) Sports Information.

GAME 19 OF 25
Opponent: California (Pa.)
Date: Saturday – 1 p.m.
Location: California, Pennsylvania  
Venue: Convocation Center
Live Video: PSAC Sports Digital Network
Live Stats: California (Pa.) Sports Information
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: California leads, 65-40-1
Last Played: Jan. 13, 2024 (SRU lost, 74-53)

SERIES HISTORY vs. CALIFORNIA
Saturday will mark the 107^th all-time meeting between The Rock and the Vulcans, a series that originated in 1921. California enters on a seven-game winning streak against Slippery Rock, with SRU last picking up a win Feb. 2, 2019 at Morrow Field House when the Vulcans were ranked 10th in Division II.
 
SRU faces a 22-game winless drought when playing the Vulcans on the road. Slippery Rock's most recent away win at Cal came Feb. 6, 2002 in a 70-60 victory. Overall in the series, The Rock are 40-65-1 versus the Vulcans.

LAST MEETING WITH THE VULCANS
Slippery Rock fell to California, 74-53, Jan. 13 at Morrow Field House. After going down 45-12 at halftime, SRU outscored the Vulcans in the second half, 41-29.
 
Regan Atkins led The Rock with a then-career-high 20 points while Endya Robinson put together Slippery Rock's first double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Emily Venick helped SRU with three steals and a personal-best six assists.
 
Slippery Rock shot 19-of-47 (.404) from the floor thanks in large part to going 14-of-24 (.583) in the second half.
 

TEAM COMPARISON
THE ROCK	STAT	VULCANS
51.6 (18th)	Points per Game	65.8 (7th)
69.3 (14th)	Opp. Points per Game	61.8 (8th)
.352 (16th)	Field Goal Pct.	.396 (10th)
.460 (18th)	Opp. Field Goal Pct.	.402 (12th)
.232 (17th)	3-Point Pct.	.285 (11th)
.311 (13th)	Opp. 3-Point Pct.	.292 (9th)
4.5 (13th)	3-Pointers Made per Game	4.3 (14th)
.690 (14th)	Free Throw Pct.	.667 (17th)
29.3 (18th)	Rebounds per Game	39.6 (5th)
38.9 (15th)	Opp. Rebounds per Game	35.7 (7th)
-9.7 (18th)	Rebounding Margin	+3.9 (6th)
10.3 (16th)	Assists	12.0 (11th)
-1.9 (12th)	Turnover Margin	+2.3 (5th)
7.2 (12th)	Steals	9.6 (3rd)
1.1 (18th)	Blocks	3.6 (7th)
Per game averages (Rank in PSAC)

 
THE ROCK BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Record: 2-16
PSAC Record: 2-13
PSAC West Standings: 8^th
Home Record: 2-8
Away Record: 0-8
Streak: L4
Last Five Games: 1-4
Head Coach: Ryenn Micaletti | First season at SRU (2-16)
Roster: Link
Stats: Link

LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock lost its halftime lead over Seton Hill University Feb. 3 when the Griffins shot 50 percent in the final 20 minutes to pull away with a 72-52 win at Morrow Field House. SRU held a 28-27 advantage at intermission and went up by four early in the third quarter before Seton Hill tore off a 19-0 run that spanned 5:40.
 
Atkins matched her career-high output of 23 points, shooting 50 percent (8-of-16) from the floor while adding six rebounds, three assists and a block. Deryn Moye tallied 11 points in the effort and earned three of SRU's six steals on the afternoon.
 
Slippery Rock's loss, combined with California's win over Seton Hill Feb. 7, mathematically eliminated The Rock from PSAC Tournament contention.
 
LEADING THE ROCK
After averaging 19.5 points in her last two games, Atkins leads the team in scoring with an improved season-average of 15.7 points per game. Kristina Donza has put up 9.9 points per game, as her and Atkins have combined for 461 of SRU's total 929 points on the season (49.6 percent).
 
Robinson has maintained 5.4 rebounds per game this season, while Atkins has contributed five boards per game. 1.8 of Atkins' rebounds per game have come in the offensive end, leading the team in that category.
 
Atkins has also led the way in assists, totaling 26 on the season. The true freshman's nine blocks is also tops for the team.
 
With 22 steals, Kaylin Venick ranks first on the team just in front of Robinson's 21. Robinson and Venick have combined for a third (43-of-129) of SRU's steals on the season.
 
ATKINS RANKS SECOND NATIONALLY
Atkins continues to lead all freshmen in the PSAC with 15.7 points per game. The New Castle, Pennsylvania native is up to ninth overall in the PSAC and now ranks sixth overall in the PSAC West.
 
Points per game among all PSAC freshmen:
1. Regan Atkins, Slippery Rock (15.7)
2. Autumn Taylor, Clarion (10.1)
3. Katie Sheeler, Mansfield University (9.8)
4. Kara Wehner, Shepherd University (9.3)
5. Bella Chimienti, Shippensburg University (9.0) 

Atkins has also moved up to second nationally throughout all freshmen in Division II in scoring, the highest she has ranked all season. 
 
Points per game among all Division II freshmen:
1. Zuriyah Davis, University of West Georgia (17.4)
2. Regan Atkins, Slippery Rock (15.7)
3. Jahnel Lewis, Caldwell University (15.6)
4. Mason Rowland, Colorado Mesa University (15.3)
5. Bridie McCann, Chestnut Hill College (14.5) 

Shooting 48.6 percent from the floor, Atkins remains in the top five nationally in field goal percentage, as well. Regardless of class, she ranks seventh in the conference and third in the PSAC West.
 
Field goal percentage among all Division II freshmen:
1. Atreonia Garner, Clark Atlanta University (55.4%)
2. Ryan Franklin, Missouri Southern State University (53.9%)
3. Ane Valle, Felician University (51.6%)
4. Ni'Kiah Chesterfield, Tusculum University (51.5%)
5. Regan Atkins, Slippery Rock (48.6%) 

TOP ACTIVE SRU CAREER STATS vs. CALIFORNIA
Regan Atkins: 20 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 7-of-12 FG (1 GP)
Endya Robinson: 11 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal (1 GP)
Kaylin Venick: 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 5-of-6 FT (5 GP)
Anye Washington: 8 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist (1 GP)
Kelley McKnight: 6 points, 7 rebounds (4 GP)
 
CASHING IN ON THE TURNOVERS
Slippery Rock ranks eighth in the PSAC in committing turnovers at just 16.9 per game. On the other side of the court, The Rock took advantage of forcing turnovers against Seton Hill by coming away with a 16-15 advantage in points off turnovers. SRU turned 14 Seton Hill turnovers into 16 points.
 
This game marked the sixth time this year that Slippery Rock scored greater than or equal to the number of points off turnover than its opponent. From Dec. 14-19, SRU went on a three-game streak of outscoring its opponents in points off turnovers, combining for a 60-40 margin over Salem University, Shepherd and Shippensburg. 
 
Against California, Slippery Rock scored 35.9 percent of its points off turnovers, converting 15 Vulcans turnovers into 19 of its 53 points. 
 
DERYN FROM DISTANCE
Moye enters Saturday on a stretch of making 2.3 3-point shots per game in her last three outings. In those three games, the Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania native has gone 7-of-11 (.636) from 3-point range.
 
On the season, Moye has made at least one 3-point field goal in 75 percent of the games that she has attempted one (12-of-16). In five of those games, Moye did not miss a 3-pointer. Overall, the sophomore has shot 19-of-40 (.475) from 3-point range, the best on the team.
 
ROCK STARS OF RECENT
• After playing a career-high 19 minutes, Duda Raimundo earned a season-high three assists against Seton Hill. The native of Ribeirao Preto, Brazil previously had two assists at Indiana University (Pa.). She also had one steal in both of those games.
 
• Slippery Rock has seen a player make eight field goals in a game on four different occasions this season. All four performances have come from Atkins following an 8-of-16 showing against the Griffins.
 
• Hallie Raabe went 2-for-2 at the free throw line against SHU. Raabe has now shot a perfect 4-of-4 at the charity stripe this season, also going 2-for-2 against Ursuline College.
 
• In addition to matching her career-high 23 points against Seton Hill, Atkins contributed three assists in a single game for the third time. 
 
• Moye's 3-point shooting against Seton Hill proved to be SRU's best of the season, going 3-of-5 (.600). Donza had held that record for the majority of the season after shooting 4-of-7 (.571) against Shippensburg in a 49-32 win.
 
• Moye also tied career-highs with four assists and three steals versus Seton Hill.
 
• Adding five points and six rebounds for SRU, Kaylin Venick scored her 200^th career point against the Griffins.
 
DEDICATED TO THE COURT
Atkins has played the full 40 minutes in eight of Slippery Rock's 18 games this season, including a 45-minute stint through overtime at Lock Haven University Dec. 30. Atkins averages 36.5 minutes per game, which is second in the PSAC and 21^st in Division II.
 
Robinson has played four games in full this season while Moye has spent the entirety of the two of her last three games on the court. 
 
APPROACHING 100
Robinson enters Saturday needing six points and two rebounds to hit 100 in both statistics. Hailing from Chicago, Robinson is playing in her first season at Slippery Rock after transferring from John A. Logan College.
 
Likewise, Moye is seven points away from her 100^th career point. 30 of her 93 points have all come in her last three games, including a career-high 12 points at Edinboro Jan. 29.
 
RECORD WATCH
• Atkins enters Saturday's contest having scored 283 points in her rookie campaign. She is just 11 points away from jumping from ninth to fifth all-time scoring by an SRU freshman. Brooke Hinderliter currently holds that fifth-place rank with 294 point scored in the 2016-17 season.
 
• Atkins requires an average of 24.6 minutes per game for the rest of the season to become Slippery Rock's all-time leader in minutes played by a freshman. Atkins currently sits at 657 minutes while Becky Siembak played 829 minutes in the 1999-00 season.
 
• Atkins will finish the season ranked third all-time among SRU freshmen if she averages 11.3 points per game through the final seven games on the year.
 
• At 48.6 percent from the floor, Atkins is currently tied for second all-time with Kory Fielitz in field goal percentage by an SRU freshman. Siembak shot 59.9 percent in the 1999-00 season.
 
• Atkins is two blocks and two 3-pointers away from breaking into the top 10 all-time among SRU freshmen in both categories.
 
THE VULCANS BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Record: 15-7
PSAC Record: 10-6
PSAC West Standings: T-4^th
Home Record: 9-3
Away Record: 6-4
Streak: W1
Last Five Games: 2-3
Head Coach: Jess Strom | 12^th season at California (273-85, .763)
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
 
CALIFORNIA SCOUTING REPORT
After improving to 11-4 following its Jan. 13 win over Slippery Rock, California won three straight games in overtime before dropping three consecutive losses. The Vulcans found some stability by defeating Seton Hill on the road earlier this week, 78-69. 
 
The Vulcans will also be looking to sweep their second straight opponent of the year after defeating the Griffins twice this season.
 
Cal's offense has been accelerated by Dejah Terrell, a 6'1" redshirt senior from Reading, Pennsylvania. Terrell has put up 15.2 points in addition to her 8.6 rebounds per game, good enough to rank second in the PSAC. Terrell leads the PSAC and is 18^th in Division II with nine double-doubles. Her 37 total blocks on the year also rank her 30^th nationally. Terrell led the Vulcans against Slippery Rock earlier this year by putting up 30 points, eight rebounds, six blocks and two steals in the 29 minutes that she played. 
 
Junior Allycia Harris of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania is not too far behind, as the forward has averaged 9.4 points and eight rebounds per game.
 
Nina Shaw has proved to be a youthful spark for Cal, ranking sixth in the PSAC among all freshmen with 7.9 points per game. Shaw leads the team with 4.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game, ranking third in the conference in both categories.
 
As a team, California ranks fifth in the PSAC with 39.6 rebounds per game and leads the conference with 15.2 offensive boards per game. The Vulcans additionally lead the conference in takeaways, forcing 20.7 turnovers per game.
 
With six games remaining on their schedule, the Vulcans find themselves in a tie for fourth in the PSAC West with Edinboro at 10-6. Cal is just one game back of Mercyhurst University in third and 1.5 games back from IUP in second. 

LOOKING AHEAD
Slippery Rock will remain on the road for a test with nationally ranked Gannon University 5:30 p.m. Feb. 14. The Golden Knights polled in at No. 2 in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll.




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