SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- In a tale of two halves, Slippery Rock outscored the East Stroudsburg University men's basketball team 44 to 33 in the second half to claim an 81-73 win in the PSAC opener on Saturday afternoon at Morrow Field House.

ESU falls to 0-3, 0-1 in conference action, while the Rock improves to 3-1, 1-0 in the PSAC.

After ESU led 40-37 in a close first half battle, SRU began the second half strong with a 13-3 run which ultimately resulted in a 37-15 scoring spree for the Rock. With SRU leading by 19 points at 74-55 with 6:29 left, ESU climbed back into the contest late with a furious 18-sprint run as ESU shot 4-of-5 from 3-point land down the stretch. Unfortunately for ESU, the Warriors ran out of time, cutting the deficit to just five with under a minute left, but SRU would earn the 81-73 win.

Notables

• Marc Rodriguez led the Warriors with 17 points, knocking down 5-of-7 attempts from 3-point land.
• Justin Paz recorded 16 points, while Lakeem McAliley added 14 points. ESU's three double figure scorers were efficient from long distance, combining to shoot 12-of-16 from beyond the arc. Paz also distributed six assists.
• Both Carlos Pepin (9 pts., 6 reb.) and Zach Sabol (6pts., 8 reb.) neared double-doubles.

How it Happened

• Both teams would trade points to begin the contest. With ESU and SRU tied at 17-17, the Warriors built a nine-point lead at 30-21 following a 13-6 run. With halftime creeping, the Rock would close the first half strong, with a 10-5 run, making four of their final six field goals to cut the deficit to just three at halftime. The Warriors shot 50 percent during the first 20 minutes, out-rebounding SRU 21-13. ESU led for 16:30 of the 20-minute first half.
• Slippery Rock would keep momentum after the halftime intermission, scoring 13 of the first 16 points of the second half. ESU looked to cut into the deficit with a Pepin hoop-and-harm, but SRU countered with another scoring run, with a 9-0 scoring run. The Rock lengthened its lead to a game-high 19 points before ESU began its desperate run late.
• Despite the furious 18-4 sprint late, the clock was ESU's enemy, as the Warriors ran out of time. McAliley and Rodriguez each knocked down a pair of treys during the comeback attempt.

Up Next: ESU plays its first game at Koehler Fieldhouse in 639 days on Dec. 2, when the Warriors host Seton Hill. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m. in the Poconos.