Rock defeats PSU New Kensington, 102-66

Courtesy of Tyler McIntosh, Athletic Communication

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team earned a 102-66 non-conference victory over Penn State University New Kensington Saturday at Morrow Field House.
 
Slippery Rock picked up its eighth win over the last nine

games to improve its overall record to 10-7 in 2024 -25 while the visiting Nittany Lions leave Morrow Field House with a 4-6 overall record. SRU has now won five consecutive home games.   
 
All 11 Rock players that dressed for Saturday's game eventually played with 10 scoring points including Maceo Austin who led the way with a 23-point, 12-rebound, three-steal, three-assist double-double.
 
Ike Herster also filled the box score with 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Fellow starters Day Waters and Bobby Clifford finished in double figures as well at 15 and 13 points, respectfully, with Clifford also grabbing six rebounds and Waters collecting four steals.
 
Mack Staunch came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting that included one 3-pointer as well as a trio of foul shots to go with personal-bests of six rebounds and three steals.
 
Luke Howes passed out five assists, Sheick Samoura came away with three steals and Alex Griggs compiled five rebounds to round out SRU's top performers.
 
Slippery Rock set a single-game program record with 24 steals off its counterparts out of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, topping the previous record of 20 set against Lock Haven during the 2010-11 season.
 
SRU also set a season-high with 39 made field goals as part of a game in which it shot 47 percent (39-of-83) overall, 25 percent (8-of-32) from 3-point range and 64 percent (16-of-25) at the foul line.
 
Slippery Rock finished the victory with a +7 (47-40) rebounding margin thanks in no small part to 21 offensive rebounds which were converted into 22 second chance points. The Rock also forced Penn State New Kensington into 33 turnovers which resulted in 45 points.
 
Saturday's win was a wire-to-wire victory as Slippery Rock scored seven consecutive points over the opening four minutes to take a lead it would never relinquish. SRU grew its lead out to as many as 29 points in the opening 20 minutes before taking a 26-point advantage of 57-31 into halftime.
 
The Rock went on to lead by as many as 41 points late in the second half on the way to their second-largest victory of the year – Slippery Rock defeated Mansfield by 43 points on Dec 17, 2024.
 
PSNK closed the game shooting 46 percent (29-of-63) from the field overall, 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from distance and 20 percent (2-for-10) at the free throw line. Ta'Rasi Means (15), Aubrey Feaster II (12) and Mehki Murray (10) all finished in double figures in the loss.
 
Slippery Rock returns to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division play 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at Gannon University from the newly-renovated Highmark Events Center.