The Rocket

Issue date: 11/13/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Amanda Navazio Junior forward Jabril Bailey drives to the hoop last Friday against Penn State, Bailey scored four points, had four rebounds, and two blocks.

After losing by only 11 points to the University of Pittsburgh, the Rock gave up the first 19 points of the game to Pennsylvania State University last Friday during an exhibition, on its way to an 82-51 loss.

SRU shot 21.9 (16 of 73) percent from the field.

Senior guard Michael Evans Jr. said the game was just an off day for the Rock.

"We couldn't find the hoop," he said. "We had to find other ways to score and couldn't. It was a lose-lose situation."

Senior guard Cecil Brown scored the first basket for the Rock at the 14:44 mark in the first half, and junior forward Maron Brown followed up with the first SRU three-pointer of the game.

Head coach Kevin Reynolds said Penn State is a good basketball team, and it was just a game that the ball wouldn't go through the hoop.

"They're in the best basketball conference in the country," Reynolds said. "We needed a near perfect game just to stay in the game."

SRU continued to struggle throughout the first half, the closest margin being 19 points with the score 30-11 Penn State.

Evans said the Rock started the game too slow against too good of a team.

"We came out really slow," Evans said. "It's tough to come back from being down 19 to nothing against the reigning NIT champions."

The Rock tried to play catch-up at the end of the first half, but only had half as many points as the Nittany Lions going into the locker room at halftime, 46-23.

SRU shot 20 percent from the field and 15 percent from behind the arc in the first half. Evans was the leading scorer in the first half for the Rock with eight points, and junior guard Talor Battle recorded 12 points for Penn State.

Junior forward Jade Burka said the Green and White had a great warm-up, even though it didn't show.

"We just weren't ready to play," Burka said. "We have never shot like that and we'll never shoot like that again."

The Rock came out strong in the second half, making its first two three-point attempts. SRU was 7 for 19 in the second half from the three-point range, three of which came off the hands of Evans.

The Rock brought the score within 17 points with 10:08 left in the game, but couldn't keep the momentum going as Penn State went on a 17-0 run. After being doubled up in the first half, the Rock was outscored by only 8 points in the second half.

Penn State ended the game with two free throws, finalizing the score of the SRU's final exhibition game at 82-51.

SRU opens its regular season at home Sunday at 3 p.m. against Ohio University Eastern.

Evans said the Rock has high expectations for itself this season.

"We expect to win," he said. "We are gelling as a unit. We're only going to keep getting better and better."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools