Edinboro, Pa. – The Edinboro men's basketball team put on a strong second half, but came out on the wrong end of an 81-74 decision to visiting Slippery Rock Monday night in PSAC West action inside McComb Fieldhouse.
 
Ike Herster pushed the Slippery Rock lead to 49-32 with a pair of free throws at the 15:48 mark of the second half. Edinboro answered with a 10-3 run capped by a Bernie Blunt 3-pointer to cut the advantage to 52-42 with 12:54 to play.
 
The Rock lead pushed back to 64-52 after a Maceo Austin jumper with 6:54 on the clock. The Scots ratcheted up the pressure over the next four minutes and used that defensive pressure to go on a 15-6 run keyed by a pair of Easton Fulmer triples the latest at the 2:59 mark. Maceo scored on a jump shot and Blunt hit two free throws to keep the lead at 3, 72-69.  The Scots thought they had a turnover off a trap on the ensuing inbounds, but Maceo got free for a dunk. The Rock used solid free throw shooting down the stretch to hold off the Edinboro charge.
 
In the first half, Slippery Rock jumped out to a 14-4 lead at the 14:04 mark. The Scots answered back with eight straight points to cut the lead to 14-12 with 10:50 left in the first.
 
Four-straight from the Rock extended the lead to 18-12, but again the Scots answered back a 7-2 spurt capped by a Fulmer trey at the 8:09 mark to cut the deficit to 20-19. Edinboro went cold from the field over the final eight minutes as the Rock closed the half on an 18-4 run to push the halftime lead to 28-23.
 
Blunt led the Scots with 21 points while adding five rebounds and three assists. Madior Seye tallied 12 points as did Fulmer. Will Taylor notched 10 points and seven rebounds. Jack Gallagher added six points, six boards and eight assists.
 
Austin paced the Rock with 23 points and eight rebounds. Herster tallied 18 points and Bobby Clifford chipped in 15.
 
The Scots are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to California, Pa. for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff against the Vulcans.