SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -  The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team opened its three-game homestand with a 96-65 loss to seventh-ranked Gannon University Saturday at Morrow Field House.
 
The Rock ends the week with a 13-8 overall record and a 6-7 mark inside the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference while the nationally ranked Golden Knights leave SRU at 19-2 overall and 12-1 in league games.
 
Slippery Rock placed three athletes in double figures Saturday led by Dame Givner, who scored a team-high 17 points to go with two steals. Now at 343 points this season, Givner passed Troy Mild (1980-81) and Jamar Scales (2005-06) to move into fourth place for the most points scored by a freshman in program history. He is three points away from taking third place from Herm Willis (1983-84).  
 
Isaac James collected his first double-double of the year following a 10-point, 12-rebounds, four-assist effort. Sheick Samoura chipped in 11 points while making one steal. Kerwin Prince nearly joined SRU's leading-scorer trio, finishing with nine points.
 
RJ Sledge provided SRU with eight points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal. Brady Mayo (6 points, 3 assists, 2 steals) and Braylon Littlejohn (4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists) rounded out Slippery Rock's top performers.
 
Collectively The Rock shot 42.9 percent (27-of-63) from the field overall despite making just 2-of-17 3-point attempts (.118). SRU also converted 9-of-12 free throw attempts (.750).
 
Gannon closed the win shooting 46.6 percent (34-of-73) from the field overall, 37 percent (10-of-27) from 3-point range and 62.1 percent (18-of-29) at the foul line. GU scored 28 points off 27 Rock turnovers. The Golden Knights, which held a +5 rebounding margin (43-38) turned 17 offensive rebounds into 17 second chance points.
 
Pace Prosser led Gannon with 25 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists.
 
The Rock and Golden Knights traded baskets early one, but a 22-5 Gannon run in the middle stages of the first half gave GU an 18-point lead it would never come close to relinquishing. Gannon took a 20-point edge into the halftime break and grew its advantage out to a game-high 31 points with a foul shot in the contest's waning moments en route to the 96-35 win.  
 
Slippery Rock begins the second leg of its PSAC West round-robin schedule when it hosts Pitt-Johnstown 3:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Morrow Field House. SRU earned a road victory over the Mountain Cats earlier in the year. Prior to the game, Slippery Rock will hold its portion of the PSAC's year-long 75th anniversary celebration.




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