Box Score
Video Interview

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Junior guards Marlynda Harland and Sherita Stanley scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, Saturday afternoon in a losing effort as the Slippery Rock University women's basketball team dropped a 60-46 decision to visiting Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action.

Junior guard Shannon Lee grabbed a team-high six rebounds and handed out a game-high six assists for The Rock, who suffered their fourth straight loss overall and sixth straight against a PSAC-West rival dating back to the 2009-10 season.

The Rock (2-14 overall, 0-4 PSAC-W) seek to end that skid Wednesday, when they host division rival California (Pa.) in a 6 p.m. game.

Mercyhurst, which began the game in a three-way tie for second place in the PSAC-West standings, improved its season records to 11-8 overall, 3-1 in division action.

Amy Achesinski led the Lakers with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Dana Banda chipped in 14 points and five assists.

The Rock led virtually the entire first half of action, the only exception being the final six seconds after Mercyhurst scored the final four points to take a 23-22 edge into the intermission.

SRU held a 10-point (17-7) advantage at the midway mark of the first half but was outscored by a 16-5 margin in the final 10 minutes. The Rock was held scoreless for the final four minutes of the stanza.

The Rock shot 40% (8-20) from the field in the opening 20 minutes, a mark pulled down by an 0-for-5 showing from 3-point range, and made six of eight free throws.

Mercyhurst, meanwhile, shot 41% (9-22) from the field, hit 17% (1-6) of its 3-point attempts and connected on 44% (4-9) of its free throws.

The Lakers held a 14-9 rebounding advantage in the first half, but were on the high side of an 11-9 turnover comparison. The Rock scored 15 points off Mercyhurst miscues, while the Lakers converted SRU errors into eight points.

Achesinski scored eight first-half points to lead Mercyhurst. Sophomore forward Emilee Vitez had a team-high six points for The Rock and Harland added five.

Mercyhurst, which never trailed in the final 20 minutes of action, began the second half in the same manner it closed the opening 20 minutes. The Lakers rode a 19-8 run in the first nine minutes to a 42-30 lead with 11 minutes left to play.

The Rock never trimmed the margin to less than seven points the rest of the game. The largest Lakers lead was a 18-point (55-37) advantage with 4:30 left.

SRU finished the game with a 39% (17-44) efficiency on its field goal attempts, a 13% (1-8) reading from 3-point range and a 61% (11-18) effort from the foul line.

Mercyhurst made 56% (14-25) from the field in the second half to finish the game with a 49% (23-47) efficiency. The Lakers hit a respectable 43% (6-14) of its long-range shots and sank 62% (8-13) of its free throws.

The guests recorded a 31-22 advantage on the boards and finished with two more turnovers (19-17). The Lakers outscored The Rock by a 30-20 margin “in the paint” and 14-7 “off the bench” but were outscored by a 20-14 margin on points off a turnover.

Notes:

Saturday's game was the third straight and sixth time in 16 games this winter in which The Rock failed to score 50 points … Wednesday's game vs. California will be part of a “White Out Night” event co-sponsored by the SGA Bookstore and the SRU Public Relations office. All fans are urged to wear white to the game. Special “White Out Night” T-shirts are on sale at the Bookstore for $5 … The annual Pink Zone game will be played Feb. 12 against Indiana (Pa.). All proceeds from that night will go to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund … The women's basketball program will be part of the annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day activities Feb. 26 vs. Edinboro. Girls between the ages of 5-12 will be admitted for a pregame sports camp prior to the women's game, which is scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m.