SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team continued its winning ways with a 74-73 victory over Lake Erie College Tuesday at Morrow Field House.
 
The non-conference triumph stretches The Rock's winning streak to five games while improving their overall record to 8-1. Lake Erie leaves Slippery Rock at 5-4 overall following a fourth consecutive loss.
 
Slippery Rock has now won at least eight of its first nine games for the 10th time in the program's 115-year history. Tuesday's win also improves SRU's record at Morrow Field House this season to a flawless 6-0.  
 
SRU's eight wins are the most of any team in the Atlantic Region, which consists of teams playing in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, the Mountain East Conference and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
 
The Rock and Storm played to a 16-16 tie over the first eight minutes of regulation before a 21-6 run gave SRU a 15-point, 37-32, lead at the 6:19 mark in the opening half only for Lake Erie to control the final minutes of the opening period with decisive run of their own to cut Slippery Rock's lead to just 43-42 heading into the halftime break.
 
Slippery Rock found itself trailing 65-60 midway through the second half before Dame Givner converted a 3-pointer and then drove for the game-tying layup on consecutive possessions to pull SRU even with Lake Erie. A turnover on the ensuing possession then led to a Sheick Samoura jumper that put The Rock up, 67-65, with 7:00 remaining in regulation.
 
While Lake Erie kept the game close through the remainder of the night it could never overtake The Rock despite a pair of chances to produce the go-ahead bucket.
 
Griffin Turay first missed a 3-point attempt with eight seconds showing on the clock which resulted in a team offensive rebound out of bounds for the Storm. However, the second chance of a game-winner was also thwarted as Elijah Hill sealed The Rock's victory with a block at the buzzer on a Turay layup attempt.
 
Givner and Hill led five Rock athletes in double figures. Givner gave SRU a 14-point, six-assist, two-steal, one-block night on 5-of-10 shooting from the field including one 3-pointer and three foul shots. Hill just missed out on a double-double, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds, two steals and the game-saving rejection.
 
Hill was a force inside, shooting 5-of-7 from the field and collecting six of his game-high rebounding total on the offensive glass.
 
Isaac James scored a team-best 15 points on an efficient 6-of-8 night from the field to go with seven rebounds, a game-high five steals and one block.
 
Samoura came off the bench to tally 13 points, six rebounds and one steal. In addition to being a perfect 5-for-5 at the foul line, Samoura also shot 4-of-6 from the field. Ike Herster rounded out the double-digit scorers at 10 points.
 
Brady Mayo did a little bit of everything for SRU in the form of seven points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. RJ Sledge compiled a pair of steals as well with Mack Staunch closing out the top contributors at two rebounds.  
 
Slippery Rock overcame a season-high tying 29 turnovers against Lake Erie's aggressive full court press by shooting 50 percent (25-of-50) from the field overall and a solid 72.4 percent (21-of-29) at the foul line.
 
SRU also held a +10 (40-30) rebounding margin in the win including 14 offensive rebounds which were turned into 14 second chance points.
 
In addition to running their way to a near season-high 25 points when they broke LEC's press, The Rock also forced 20 Lake Erie miscues, thanks in part to a season-high 13 steals, that gave way to 22 points off turnovers – the second highest such total for SRU this year.
 
Lake Erie shot 44.1 percent (30-of-68) overall, but just 5-of-25 (.200) from 3-point range. The Storm entered the game ranked 16th in the nation in made 3-pointers per game (10.9). Slippery Rock also kept Lake Erie well under its 92.0 points per game average, which ranked 17th in the nation prior to the game.
 
Turay led Lake Erie with 16 points. Caelum Ethridge chipped in 13 points off the bench as well.
 
Slippery Rock returns to PSAC crossover competition when it hosts Shepherd University 5 p.m. Dec. 16 at Morrow Field House. SRU is 1-0 inside the PSAC following a Dec. 6 victory at Mansfield.




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