GREENSBURG, PA. - Nathan Davis had a double-double 18 points and 12 rebounds, but Slippery Rock was able to hold off Seton Hill in PSAC men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon inside the McKenna Center.
// SENIOR DAY
• Seniors Trevor Blondin, Brandon Alston, and Milenko Predic were honored before the game.
// NOTABLES
• Seton Hill slips to 2-7 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC.
• Five SHU players scored in double-figures - Nathan Davis (18), Trevor Blondin (13), Milenko Predic (12), and Malik McKinney (11).
• Slippery Rock defeated SHU by the exact same score at Slippery Rock on Jan 2nd in overtime.
// FIRST HALF
• Seton Hill held narrow leads - 9-8 (15:33) and 11-10 (14:46) - but Slippery Rock would surge ahead to a 16 point advantage on the back of a 21-4 run over just under five minutes that gave the Rock a 31-15 advantage. A three-ball from Trevor Blondin sparked life back into the Griffins. Malik McKinney's fast-break layup off a missed Rock shot cut the lead to 11, and Blondin came through again moments later with a layup that made it a single-digit ballgame, 31-22.
• After a Rock jumper pushed the lead out again, Seton Hill would go on a 12-0 run that gave them their first lead since the opening minutes of the contest, 34-33, with 4:34 remaining. The two teams would trade buckets, but it was a three from Jared Armstrong right before the horn that sent Rock into the locker rooms with a two-point lead, 38-36.
// SECOND HALF
• Slippery Rock would keep momentum in the second frame, pushing their lead out to nine (56-47) midway through the second. Blondin's three following by five straight points from Brandon Alston, and a three from Davis cut the deficit to just one, 59-58, with 7:20 to go.
• Down by five, 66-61, with 4:01 to go, Malik McKinney hit two free-throws and Nathan Davis scored a layup on the next possession to cut the lead to just one, 66-65, with 2:16 remaining. Armstrong's jumper on the other end pushed the lead to three. Trevor Blondin was fouled on the next possession and made the first of his two shots, but a showed hustle on the miss by grabbing his own rebounds. After a SHU timeout, Anthony Karabatsos was fouled and made 1-of-2 to make it a one point game, 68-67, with 46 seconds on the clock.
• Julius Palmer's jumper with 17 seconds made it 70-67 in favor of Slippery Rock, but Seton Hill could have the last say. After a timeout, a good look at a three by Blondin was long and Slippery Rock held on for the win.
// NEXT UP
• Seton Hill travels to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, Feb 13th for a 7:30 PM tip-off.
// FOLLOW US
Athletics.SetonHill.edu is your one-stop destination for all things SHU Athletics. The men's basketball team can be followed on Twitter (@SetonHillMBB) and Instagram (@SHUGriffins).
