SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -  The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team looks to earn its third consecutive road Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division win of the year when it heads to Seton Hill 3 p.m. Saturday.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Video and in-game statistics will be provided free of charge at the below links.
 
GAME 18 DETAILS
Opponent: Seton Hill University
Date: Saturday – 3 p.m.
Location: Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Venue: McKenna Center
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter/X (@Rock_Athletics)
 
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: SRU leads 19-9
Current Streak: SHU W1
At Seton Hill: Tied SHU leads 7-6
First Meeting: Dec. 8, 2007 (Seton Hill won 77-61)
Last Meeting: Feb. 1, 2025 (Seton Hill won 72-52)
Most Points, SRU: 82 - Jan. 14, 2015
Most Points, SHU: 87 - Dec. 19, 2015
Largest Victory, SRU: 35 (67-32), Jan. 28, 2017
Largest Victory, SHU: 20 (72-52), Feb. 1, 2025
SRU coach Ian Grady vs. Seton Hill: 9-4
SHU coach Ben Wilkins vs. SRU: 4-3
 
Slippery Rock has won three of its last four games against Seton Hill to improve its record in the all-time series to a healthy 19-9. The Rock and Griffins split the season series a year ago with each team taking a win on their respective home courts. SRU, which last earned a win at Seton Hill in 2022, will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak inside the McKeena Center.
 
ROCK STARS vs. SETON HILL
Ike Herster: 15.4 Points, 3.8 Rebounds (5 GP)
Maceo Austin: 12.3 Points, 6.8 Rebounds, 3.5 Assists, 2.0 Steals (4 GP)
Alex Griggs: 4.0 Points, 1.3 Steals (3 GP)
Sheick Samoura: 3.9 Points, 1.0 Blocks (5 GP)
 
RECORDS + LAST TIME OUT
• Slippery Rock suffered just its second loss at Morrow Field House this season in an 89-73 setback against Indiana University (Pa.). The loss moved The Rock's record to 13-4 overall and 6-3 in the PSAC.
 
• Seton Hill saw its losing streak reach three games - and its record drop to 12-5 overall and 6-3 in league contests - with an 88-59 loss at No. 13 Gannon University.

PSAC WEST SNAPSHOT
While every team in the PSAC West still has 11 or 12 conference games remaining on its schedule, the divisional standing hierarchy is slowly starting to take shape.  
 
• Gannon and California enter the weekend atop the PSAC West standings courtesy of matching 8-1 league records with IUP a half game off the pace in third place at 7-1.
 
• The Rock and Seton Hill are locked in a tie for fourth place in the division with 6-3 records, followed in the back half of the league standings by Edinboro (4-4), Pitt-Johnstown (4-5) and Clarion (4-5).
 
• The top six teams in the Western Division standings at the end of the regular season qualify for the PSAC Tournament. The top two teams in the standings earn first-round byes and a home game in the quarterfinal round while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds earn home games in the first round.
 
• Slippery Rock has qualified for the PSAC Tournament in eight of the last nine years.

SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
• Stats: Link
• Roster: Link
• Overall Record: 13-4
• PSAC Record: 6-3
• PSAC West Standings: t-4th
• Home Record: 8-2
• Away Record: 5-2
• Streak: L1
• Last 5 Games: 3-2
• Head Coach: Ian Grady | Eighth season (112-80)

IUP RECAP
Slippery Rock dropped an 89-73 decision to Indiana (Pa.) Wednesday at Morrow Field House.
 
Slippery Rock was led by Isaac James, who recorded 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one block. James was joined in double figures by Dame Givner and Ike Herster. Givner just missed out on a double-double with 15 points, eight assists, four rebounds and one steal. Herster added 13 points.
 
Collectively, Slippery Rock shot 47.1 percent (24-of-51) from the field overall, 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from 3-point range and 68.2 percent (15-of-22) at the foul line. The Rock's 10 made 3-pointers matched their season-high.
 
The Crimson Hawks, which held a +9 (37-28) overall rebounding margin, collected 19 offensive rebounds that were turned into 28 second chance points. IUP also scored 24 points off 14 Rock turnovers while committing just nine miscues of its own.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
A win at Seton Hill would mark The Rock's third consecutive road Western Division victory this season after opening their conference slate with wins at Clarion and Pitt-Johnstown. Dating back to the end of last season, Slippery Rock has won six consecutive PSAC West road games. SRU's last road loss to a PSAC West foe came at Seton Hill (72-52, Feb. 1, 2025).
 
Consecutive PSAC West Road Wins
Feb. 15, 2025: at Pitt-Johnstown (W, 84-64)
Feb. 22, 2025: at IUP (W, 78-71)
Feb. 26, 2025: at Edinboro (W, 83-81)
Jan. 7, 2026: at Clarion (W, 77-71)
Jan. 10, 2026: at Pitt-Johnstown (82-68)

HERSTER 5 POINTS FROM 1,000 AT SRU
Ike Herster heads to Seton Hill needing to score five points to become the 26th athlete in program history to score 1,000 points in a Rock uniform.
 
While Herster is nearing SRU 1,000-point milestone, he's already scored 1,379 points in the totality of his college career between his time at SRU and Gannon. His 995 points in a Rock uniform represents the sixth highest point total by a transfer to come to SRU in program history. Herster also ranks ninth in program history in career 3-pointers.
 
Herster also made 3 3-pointers against IUP and now ranks seventh in program history for career 3-pointers made (116). 
 
GIVNER 2ND AMONG D2'S BEST ROOKIE SCORERS
Dame Givner maintained his spot among the best rookie scorers as part of a 15-point, eight-assist, four-rebound, one-steal performance against IUP. Through 17 games, Givner has totaled 294 points on 17.3 points per game.
 
Givner ranks second in all of Division II in total points scored by a freshman while slotting seventh in rookie points per game. Also of note about the freshman scoring list, of the top-10 leaders in points per game Givner is one of just three athletes to be on a team with a record of at least five games above .500.
 
D2 Freshman Scoring (Total Points)
1. Lazerek Houston (Central Missouri): 374
2. Dame Givner (SRU): 294
3. Brogan Madson (Sioux Falls): 280
t4. Will Fowler (Converse): 267
t4. Ayden Goll (Wheeling): 267
 
D2 Freshman Points Per Game
Athlete (Team, Record): PPG
1. Will Fowler* (Converse, 6-7): 20.5
2. Lazerek Houston (Central Missouri, 14-5): 19.7
3. Ayden Goll* (Wheeling, 9-5): 19.1
4. Carter Bobbitt* (North Greenville, 8-7): 18.9
5. Danny Delgardo III (Fort Valley, 7-6): 17.7
6. Brogan Madson (Sioux Falls, 8-8): 17.5
7. Dame Givner (SRU, 13-4): 17.3
8. Rashawn Inglemon (Anderson, 15-0): 17.2
9. Rowan Carmichael (Edinboro, 8-7): 17.1
10. KeShaun Thomas (Drury, 8-8): 16.2
*Redshirt Freshman
 
Inside the program, Givner's 294 points already represent the sixth-highest point total scored by a freshman in Slippery Rock history. He trails Troy Mild (1980-81) for fifth place. Myron Brown holds The Rock's rookie scoring record with 516 points as a freshman in 1987-88.

ROCK ROTATION
• The only Rock athlete to have started all 17 games this season, freshman guard Dame Givner heads to Seton Hill averaging 17.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 45.9 percent overall, 40.5 from 3-point range and 79.5 percent at the foul line.
 
• In addition to his previously mentioned lofty rankings among freshmen scorers in the NCAA, Givner also enters the weekend ranked ninth overall in the PSAC in points per game, ninth in 3-point accuracy, 10th in free throw percentage, 17th in assists, 18th in field goal percentage and 19th in steals.
 
• The other half of The Rock's starting backcourt of over the last six games has been fellow freshman RJ Sledge. The reigning PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week, Sledge has matched Givner for the team lead in steals (25) in addition to providing SRU with 7.6 points, 2.9 assists and 2.2 rebounds a night.
 
• Sledge has compiled at least one steal in nine consecutive games, including 12 since he entered the starting lineup.
 
• The Rock's starting forward tandem of late has been Isaac James and Kerwin Prince.
 
• James, a 10.9 points per game scorer, who is also good for 6.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists a contest, has made 18 of his last 25 field goal attempts over the last three games and is now shooting 52 percent on the season overall.
 
• Prince serves as Slippery Rock's primary presence on the interior, shooting 58.8 percent for 8.5 points per game while hauling in 7.6 rebounds per game. Despite having only played 11 of 17 potential games, Prince is already tied with James for second on The Rock in offensive rebounds with 34.
 
• Ike Herster, Slippery Rock's second-leading scorer at 12.3 points per game, shoots 43.7 percent overall, 37.3 percent from 3-point range and 84.3 percent at the foul line. He has scored 10 or more points in 56 of his 72 career appearances at SRU (12 / 14 in 2025-26).
 
• Another of The Rock's talented freshmen guard trio, Brady Mayo has started 11 games as a rookie while serving as the first guard off the bench in his other six appearances. He scored 8.9 points per game and is the PSAC's No. 4 free throw shooter offensively, while also ranking third for The Rock in steals on the defensive end of the floor.
 
• The only athlete in the PSAC with more blocks than Sheick Samoura, who has 20 rejections on the year, is Seton Hill's Edir Ortiz. Samoura has scored 16 or more points in three of his last four games played, upping his season average to 7.6 ppg along with 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.
 
• Rounding out The Rock's talented stable of athletes is Maceo Austin (15.5 ppg, 3.5 spg, 3.0 apg, 77.8 FG%), Elijah Hill (10.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Braylon Littlejohn (4.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.3 apg) and Enire Bowens (1.3 rpg).

WIN THE GLASS, WIN THE GAME
Slippery Rock is 12-1 in 2025-26 when holding a positive rebounding margin, but just 1-3 when losing the battle of the boards. SRU is ranked fourth in the PSAC in both rebounding (39.6) and rebounding margin (+5.9) and fifth in offensive rebounding (13.8).
 
GET A LEAD, KEEP A LEAD
Slippery Rock is a perfect 13-0 in 2025-26 when holding a lead or being tied at halftime, but 0-4 when heading into the break trailing.
  
HOW THE ROCK COMPARES (PSAC TEAM RANKINGS)
• Scoring: 9th (81.8)
• Points Allowed Per Game: 7th (74.8)
• Scoring Margin: 8th (+7.0)
• Field Goal %: 7th (.480)
• Opponent Field Goal %: 3rd (.426)
• 3pt-Field Goal %: 5th (.354)
• Opponent 3pt-Field Goal %: 2nd (.273)
• 3pt Made Per Game: 11th (6.6)
• Free Throw %: 8th (.705)
• Free Throws Made Per Game: 4th (16.8)
• Rebounds Per Game: 4th (39.6)
• Rebounding Margin: 4th (+5.9)
• Turnovers Per Game: 16th (16.5)
• Opponent Turnovers Per Game: 7th (14.6)
• Turnover Margin: 12th (-1.9)
• Steals Per Game: 9th (8.2)
• Blocks Per Game: 16th (2.2)
 
ROCK AMONG PSAC'S BEST (INDIVIDUAL LEADERS)
Brady Mayo
• FT %: (4th / .852)
 
Sheick Samoura
• Total Blocks: (2nd / 20)
• Blocks Per Game: (3rd / 1.3)
 
Dame Givner
• Scoring: (9th / 17.3)
• 3PT %: (9th / .405)
• FT %: (10th / .795)
• FG %: (18th / .459)
• Assists: (17th / 3.2)
• 3PT Per Game: (17th / 1.8)
• Steals: (19th / 1.5)
• Assist-Turnover Ratio: (21st / 1.1)
 
Ike Herster
• FT %: (6th / .843)
 
Elijah Hill
• Offensive Rebounding: (8th / 2.7)
• Total Rebounding: (17th / 6.1)

Isaac James
• Total Rebounding: (12th / 6.5)
• Offensive Rebounding: (19th / 2.0)
 
RJ Sledge
• Steals: (19th / 1.5)
• Assists: (21st / 2.9)
 
RECORD WATCH
Made 3-Pointers (3-7)
3-Mark Metzka (100 Games, 1991-95): 182
4-William Johnson (73 Games, 2002-05): 139
5-Michael Evans Jr. (52 Games, 2008-10): 130
6-Jared Armstrong (50 Games, 2018-20): 124
7-Ike Herster (72 Games, 2023-Active): 116
 
Points By a Transfer at SRU (5-12)
4-Devin Taylor (LaRoche / 2010-13): 1,143
5-Troy Miller (Cleveland State / 1991-94): 1,139
6-Ike Herster (Gannon / 2023-Active): 995
7-Tabari Perry (Cecil / 2014-14): 956
8-Paul Gilbert (Alvernia / 1994-97): 888
9-Jabril Bailey (Campbell / 2009-11): 878
10-Louie Moore (Eastern Kentucky / 1997-00): 863
11-Doug Zimmerman (Penn State Behrend / 1970-72): 860
t12-Maceo Austin (Duquesne / 2023-Active): 807
t12-Rob Wilson (Ohio Valley Business College / 1989-91): 807
 
Points By a Freshman at SRU
1. Myron Brown (1987-88): 516
2. Ian Folmar (1996-97): 418
3. Herm Willis (1983-84): 345
4. Jamar Scales (2005-06): 334
5. Troy Mild (1980-81): 328
6. Dame Givner (2025-26): 294
 
Blocks (10-13)
t10-Devin Taylor (86 Games, 2010-13): 73
t10-Luiz Santos (58 Games, 2011-13): 73
12-James Richardson (52 Games, 1998-00): 69
t13-Sheick Samoura (69 Games, 2023-Active): 62
t13-Jamal Gatali (54 Games, 2014-16): 62
 
Steals (12-17)
12-Joe Vines (111 Games, 2005-11): 108
13-Louie Moore (77 Games, 1998-00, 01-03): 106
14-Dave Johnson (77 Games, 2001-04): 102
t15-Glenn Reepmeyer (104 Games, 2002-07): 98
t15-Lashon Lindsey (116 Games, 1994-97): 98
17-Maceo Austin (48 Games, 2023-Active): 96
 
NEXT FIVE GAMES
Jan. 24 (3 p.m.) vs. California (Pa.)
Jan. 28 (7:30 p.m.) at Edinboro
Jan. 31 (3 p.m.) vs. Gannon
Feb. 7 (3:30 p.m.) vs. Pitt-Johnstown
Feb. 11 (7:30 p.m.) vs. Clarion

 SETON HILL PRIMER
• Stats: Link
• Roster: Link
• Overall Record: 12-5
• PSAC Record: 6-3
• PSAC West Standings: t-4th
• Home Record: 6-1
• Away Record: 5-4
• Neutral Site Record: 1-0
• Streak: L3
• Last 5 Games: 2-3
• Head Coach: Ben Wilkins | Fourth season (60-45)

SCOUTING THE GRIFFINS
• The Griffins are led by the forward duo of Kedrick Curtis and Edir Ortiz who combine to provide Seton Hill with 33.1 points, 15.4 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 54.1 percent.
 
• A do-it-all forward, Curtis goes for 16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals a night. He ranks fourth in the PSAC in assists, seventh in rebounding, seventh in field goal percentage (.434) and 12th in scoring.
 
• Ortiz, a 16.3 points per game scorer who is also good for 7.4 rpg, leads the PSAC in both blocks (33) and blocks per game (1.9).
 
• Fellow SHU starters Rashaad Williams (13.1), Dimitrios Sklavenitis (12.5) and Camden Brewer (10.6) are all double-digit scorers as well. Williams ranks 11th in the PSAC in steals (1.8)
 
• Collectively, Seton Hill scores 85.0 points per game while allowing 76.1. The Griffins rank first in the PSAC in 3-point field goal percentage (.378) and third in overall field goal percentage (.494).
 
• The Griffins opened the year with 12 wins in its first 14 games prior to its three-game slide against California (87-78), Clarion (87-85, 2OT) and nationally ranked Gannon (88-59).
 
GRIFFIN LEADERS (Per Game)
SCORING: Kedrick Curtis (16.8), Edir Ortiz (16.3)
FG%: Ortiz (.550 / 105-191)
3PT%: Ortiz (.451 / 32-71)
ASSISTS: Curtis (4.4)
REBOUNDS: Curtis (8.0)
STEALS: Rashaad Williams (1.8)
BLOCKS: Ortiz (1.9)
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock returns to Morrow Field House to host California (Pa.) 3 p.m. Jan. 24. The Vulcans swept SRU in the season series a year ago.

 


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