SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team earned a 114-76 season-opening victory over West Virginia Wesleyan College Friday at Morrow Field House on day one of the Atlantic Region Challenge.
 
Friday's win is The Rock's fourth consecutive season-opening victory. The 114 points marked the third-highest scoring output by an SRU team in a season-opener, while the 38-point margin of victory served as the eighth largest win by The Rock in a season-opener all-time.
 
The triumph also served as the 100th victory in the career of head coach Ian Grady, who became just the fifth coach in the program's 110-year history to reach the milestone. Across the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, only five other active coaches have reached 100 career wins faster than Grady.
 
Slippery Rock led Friday's game for 37:24 of the possible 40 minutes. While West Virginia Wesleyan played SRU close in the opening five minutes, The Rock used an impressive 26-2 run over the following eight minutes to open a sizable 26-point, 37-11, advantage it would never come close to relinquishing en route to the victory.
 
SRU led by as many as 44 points in the second half on the way to team's highest point total since scoring 115 against Ohio Eastern during the 2018-19 season. The last time SRU scored more than 114 points against a fellow Division II opponent came in an NCAA Tournament loss against West Liberty University in 2010-11.
 
Friday's win was a true all-around team effort as 11 different players scored, with six finishing in double figures.
 
Playing in his first official collegiate game, redshirt freshman Elijah Hill led all players with a game-high 20 points along with eight rebounds in the near double-double performance. Five of Hill's rebounds came on the offensive glass while he earned his first 20-point game on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 effort at the foul line.
 
Ike Herster came off the bench to add 17 points, while Maceo Austin delivered a 15-point, five-steal, four-assist outing. Austin's five steals moved him past Dave Freeman (1998-03) and Mark Metzka (1991-95) and into 17th place on The Rock's career steals list with 94.
 
Isaac James, a transfer from Salem University who was playing in his first game in a Rock uniform, flirted with a triple-double with 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
 
True freshmen, and former high school teammates, Dame Givner and RJ Sledge both had great games in their collegiate debuts. Givner went for 12 points, three assists and one steal with Sledge chipping in 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
 
Also making their collegiate debuts for The Rock Friday were true freshmen Brady Mayo (eight points, one steal) and redshirt freshman Braylon Littlejohn (6 points, 2 assists, 1 block).
 
Rounding out SRU's top performers in the victory was Mack Staunch (8 points, 5 rebounds), Sheick Samoura (5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Enire Bowens (4 rebounds, 1 steal).  
 
Collectively, Slippery Rock shot a blistering 59.5 percent (44-of-74) from the field overall. SRU also converted 20-of-31 free throws (.645) and 6-of-19 3-point attempts (.316). SRU was credited with assists on 21 of its 44 made field goals.  
 
The Rock closed out the win with a +17 (48-31) rebounding margin and a +5 turnover margin (13-18). Slippery Rock scored 27 points off West Virginia Wesleyan miscues all the while turning 20 offensive rebounds into 23 second chance points. Slippery Rock also tallied 27 fastbreak points.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan ended the night shooting 40.3 percent (29-of-72) from the field overall, 26.1 percent (6-of-23) from distance and 75 percent (12-of-16) at the foul line. Isaiah Baker had 13 points and five rebounds to lead the Bobcats.
 
Slippery Rock closes out the Atlantic Region Challenge 5 p.m. Saturday against Davis & Elkins at Morrow Field House. D&E defeated Lock Haven, 95-72, Friday to open the Challenge.  





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).