Box Score
Millersville, Pa. - The Millersville men's basketball team rallied to within one point late in the second half, and despite 18 second-half points from
Jason Blake, visiting Slippery Rock rode the hot-hand of Maron Brown to a 73-61 win in Pucillo Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
It was Slippery Rock's (11-1) first victory over the Marauders in 16 tries, and it marked the first time that The Rock was able to defeat a
Fred Thompson coached team. Millersville fell to 5-7 overall with the loss and suffered their sixth-straight setback after a 5-1 start.
The Marauders, which have averaged 55.3 points per game over the six-game skid, did themselves no favors in the first half, falling behind early by shooting 10-of-33 from the field and totaling 27 points. Slippery Rock meanwhile, raced out of the gates, hitting six of its first seven shots and finishing the half with 40 points on 47.1 percent shooting.
The Rock continued to build its lead early in the second, pushing it to as many as 15. Millersville didn't go away, though. A layup by Blake at the 11:49 mark cut the deficit to 49-39 and sparked a 13-2 Millersville run. Blake, who scored eight of the team's 13 points during the five minute stretch, pulled Millersville to within one at the 7:26 mark with another drive and score.
Slippery Rock head coach Kevin Reynolds used a timeout to slow the Marauders, and it worked to perfection. Slippery Rock scored the next eight points and continued to pull away using nine points from Maron Brown and five from Mike Evans Jr. as The Rock built the lead back to 12. Despite six more points from Blake over the following two minutes, the Marauders could get no closer than five.
Blake, who had scored 12 points total in his last three games, scored all 18 points of his points in the second half.
Mike Seibert totaled 12 points, giving him double figures in three straight games.
But Blakes performance was trumped by Brown's. The forward poured in 24 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and tallied two steals and a block in just 23 minutes of action. Jabril Bailey added 12 points and 12 boards for The Rock. Evans totaled 20 points.
