SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Strong defensive play propelled the 17th-ranked Edinboro women's basketball team to a 74-52 win over Slippery Rock on Saturday afternoon at Morrow Field House. The Fighting Scots improved to 15-2 overall and 11-2 in the PSAC West, while The Rock saw their three-game winning streak end, as they fell to 10-8 on the season and 8-5 in conference play.
Edinboro is ranked 17th in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and are among teams "also receiving votes" in the D2SIDA Division II national rankings.
The Fighting Scots were without head coach
Stan Swank, whose father passed away on Thursday. Assistant coach
Callie Wheeler coached the team on Saturday.
Both teams struggled from the floor in the opening quarter. Over the first six minutes of the contest, both teams shot 3-of-11 from the floor. However, The Rock were able to capitalize on rebounds and free throws in the period. They out rebounded Edinboro 15-10, and attempted nine more free throws, shooting 10-of-11 from the charity stripe.
Edinboro entered the second stanza trailing 18-16, but quickly took the lead for good.
Michelle Jahn and
Allison Thompson ignited the Fighting Scots on an 11-5 run spanning 5:37. Jahn scored the first five points of the quarter on a 3-pointer, followed by a layup. Her 3-pointer gave the Fighting Scots the lead for good at 19-18 with 35 seconds gone by in the period. Thompson made two layups and shot 2-for-2 on her free throws. The Scots led 38-32 at halftime.
Slippery Rock was able to use free throws to their advantage in the opening half, shooting 19-of-23 from the charity stripe. Edinboro went 2-for-2 on free throws and committed 15 fouls, four more than The Rock.
Ciara Rosten and
Allison Thompson each scored eight points for Edinboro. Rosten, who also blocked three shots in the first half, scored all of her points in the opening quarter, while Thompson scored her eight points in the second quarter. For Slippery Rock, Brooke Hinderliter led SRU with 13 points and shot 9-for-9 at the charity stripe.
In the second half, The Rock came to within six points at 44-38, as Skyla O'Connor split a pair of free throws with three minutes gone by in the third quarter. However, the Fighting Scots ended the stanza outscoring Slippery Rock, 8-3, for a 54-41 lead.
Edinboro held The Rock to four points over the final 8:19 of the contest. The Fighting Scots led by as much as 22 points on two occasions in the quarter.
Edinboro ended the contest shooting 43.1 percent (28-of-65) from the floor, including 6-of-18 on 3-pointers and went 12-of-18 on its free throws. Slippery Rock made 26.3 percent (15-of-57) of its shots, went 2-of-12 from beyond the arc and shot 20-for-25 from the foul line. SRU was held to 20 points over the final two quarters and made 2-of-4 free throws.
Jahn led the Fighting Scots in scoring with a game-high 20 points. The 5'8" junior guard shot 8-of-16 from the field and connected on 4-of-9 baskets from long range. Rosten notched her eighth double-double of the season with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, to go with 10 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks.
Jontay Walton was the final Fighting Scot in double digits with 10 points. The 5'5" redshirt junior also led all players with four assists and four steals.
Hinderliter led The Rock with 18 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. LeeAnn Gibson also scored in double digits with 10 points.
Edinboro outscored Slippery Rock 26-22 in points in the paint, with 18 points coming off 21 Slippery Rock turnovers. The Fighting Scots also led 12-0 in fast break points and had a 20-13 advantage in bench points.
The Fighting Scots continue their roadtrip on Wednesday at Mercyhurst. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
