SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team continued its winning ways with an 82-71 victory Wednesday over Wheeling University at Morrow Field House.
 
The Rock's latest non-conference win improves their record to 3-0 overall on the year while the visiting Cardinals drop to 1-2. Slippery Rock is now 3-0 to begin a season for just the second time over the last 15 years.
 
Leading SRU against Wheeling was freshman guard Dame Givner, who went for 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Givner shot 9-of-15 from the field overall, including a pair of 3-pointers, to go with a 4-for-6 outing at the foul line.
 
Fellow starters Ike Herster and Isaac James both nearly picked up double-doubles as Herster compiled 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists, while James posted 11 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one block.
 
RJ Sledge came off the bench to serve as SRU's fourth-leading scorer with nine points in addition to a team-high three steals. Brady Mayo and Sheick Samoura chipped in seven points apiece with Samoura also blocking two shots. Samoura has now registered multi-block contests in two of SRU's first three games.
 
Rounding out The Rock's top contributors were Elijah Hill (6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal) and Mack Staunch (4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal).
 
Hill connected on 3-pointer just over a minute into regulation to give Slippery Rock a 3-0 edge it would never relinquish as SRU held a lead for the near entirety - 38:51 – of the night. The Rock's advantage held steady between seven and 12 points for the majority of the first half leading to a nine-point, 36-27, lead after 20 minutes of play.
 
SRU grew its lead to as many as 22 points late in the second half on the way to an eventual 11-point decision.
 
The Rock shot an efficient 50 percent from the field overall, marking the second time this season in which SRU has made at least half of its field goal attempts. Slippery also connected on 37.5 percent (6-for-16) of its 3-point attempts while also closing the win 20-for-30 (.667) at the foul line.
 
As they have done every game this year, The Rock once again controlled the glass in the form of a +15 (47-32) rebounding margin.
 
Wheeling could not capitalize on 29 Slippery Rock turnovers as the Cardinals committed 19 miscues of their own while shooting just 35.6 percent (26-of-73) from the field overall and 23.3 percent (7-of-30) from distance. WU did convert 80 percent (12-for-15) of its free throws.
 
Tee Harris and Ayden Goll scored 19 points each to pace Wheeling.
 
With its three-game season-opening homestand now completed, Slippery Rock leaves the comforts of Morrow Field House for the first time in 2025-26 when it hits the road to play at fifth-ranked Fairmont State University 3 p.m. Saturday.





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