INDIANA, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team chopped a 15-point halftime deficit in half early in the fourth quarter but wound up falling to Indiana University (Pa.), 59-45, Saturday on the road.
 
The result moves Slippery Rock to 7-18 overall and 4-15 within the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Crimson Hawks earned their fourth win in five games to improve to 19-5 on the year and 14-4 in PSAC territory.
 
Alyssa Gillin led The Rock with 10 points, nine rebounds and a block, one board shy of a double-double. Mairan Haggerty posted a well-rounded effort with eight points, five rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block. Rebecca Goetz recorded seven points and eight rebounds, while Sophia Hook totaled seven points and three rebounds.
 
Brooklyn Jones (5 points, 2 rebounds), Anye Washington (4 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds), Kayley Joseph-Bernard (2 points, 3 rebounds) and Hannah Pugliese (2 points, 1 rebound, 1 block) all added points for The Rock. Additionally, Deryn Moye logged one of The Rock's nine steals.
 
Slippery Rock showed from the start that it was going to play tough defensively throughout the afternoon, taking a 6-4 lead midway through the first quarter. IUP ended the opening period on a 9-0 run, holding The Rock without a bucket through the final 5:37. Despite trailing 13-6, The Rock outrebounded IUP through the first quarter, 12-10.
 
A layup from Joseph-Bernard 4:08 into the second quarter snapped SRU's field goal drought and cut IUP's lead to 17-10. Indiana extended its lead with another big run to close out the quarter, this time with a 10-0 stint through the final 3:27 that created a 27-12 halftime score.
 
The Rock scored the first five points of the second half courtesy of Haggerty and Gillin, to chip IUP's lead down to 10. The Crimson Hawks flew back out to a 15-point lead at the 2:47 mark, but it was Slippery Rock's turn to go on a late-quarter run. Gillin and Haggerty combined for eight unanswered points, as SRU entered the fourth down 39-30.
 
Pugliese knocked down a shot 10 seconds into the final quarter, shrinking Indiana's lead down to just seven points. IUP was able to pace The Rock from there but only led by nine following a Goetz layup with 1:24 to play. Slippery Rock was unable to score after any of IUP's six made foul shots after that, which padded Indiana's 14-point victory.
 
Slippery Rock shot 28.8 percent from the floor (19-of-66) and 19 percent from the 3-point arc (4-of-21). SRU rarely made it to the free throw line in the contest but converted 3-of-4 at the stripe. The Rock were outrebounded 49-41 and lost the turnover battle, 16-14.
 
IUP was guided by Nyshae' Weaver, who double-doubled on 12 points and 13 rebounds. The Crimson Hawks shot 34.5 percent overall (20-of-58) and 33.3 percent from the perimeter (4-of-12). One of IUP's largest difference-makers was a 15-of-23 showing at the foul line (.652).
 
Slippery Rock's 2024-25 campaign will feature one last game, a 5:30 p.m. tipoff at Edinboro Feb. 26.





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