SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team erased a 10-point second half deficit to down Shepherd University, 76-72, Tuesday at Morrow Field House.

With the win, Slippery Rock improves to 4-4 overall on the season and 2-0 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, while Shepherd drops to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in the PSAC.

With the result, Slippery Rock is 2-0 to start conference play for the first time since the 2021-22 season. In that campaign, SRU beat East Stroudsburg University, 73-60, and Mansfield University, 65-56, to kickoff PSAC action.

Alyssa Gillin led all scorers with 22 points. Gillin also blocked four shots, grabbed five rebounds and earned one assist.

Iyanna Wade was three boards shy of a triple-double with 14 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. This was the first double-double of Wade's career.

Sophia Hook (12) and Karianna Woods (11) rounded out SRU double-digit scorers.

Hannah Pugliese provided a crucial spark off the bench with eight points, three rebounds and one steal, all in the second half.

Kayley Joseph-Bernard led The Rock on the glass with 10 rebounds. The senior also scored six points, collected two steals, blocked two shots, and sunk two free throws to close out the game down the stretch.

Mairan Haggerty rounded out The Rock's scorers with three points.

Slippery Rock and Shepherd traded baskets to begin the game, until the 5:51 mark of the first quarter, where the Rams took a 9-7 lead. Shepherd held its advantage until the 4:44 mark of the fourth quarter, when SRU took a, 67-66, lead after Hook drained a pair from the free throw line.

The Rams' Kara Wehner then made a pair of free throws from the line, before Wade split a pair from the stripe, tying the ballgame at 68-68 with 3:29 in the fourth quarter. The two teams then traded the lead two times until Woods was fouled off the ball and sent to the line, where she made both foul shots, giving SRU a 74-72 lead.

After a stop on the defensive end, Joseph-Bernard was fouled. The senior forward drained both free throws, sealing SRU's 76-72 victory.

The Rock made 11 of its 13 free throw attempts in the final frame.

Slippery Rock ended the game shooting 43.1 percent (25-of-58) from the field overall, 58.8 percent (10-for-17) from the 3-point line and 80 percent (16-of-20) from the charity stripe.

The Rock set season highs in 3-pointers made, 3-point percentage and free throws made.

Shepherd finished the tilt shooting 43.9 percent (29-of-66) from the floor overall, 33.3 percent (6-for-18) from beyond the arc and 80 percent (8-of-10) from the foul line.

Slippery Rock travels for a two-game set with a pair of 1 p.m. starts Dec. 20 and Dec. 21 at Shippensburg University and Lock Haven University.



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