CLARION, Pa. – The Clarion women's basketball team held on in a wild contest on Saturday afternoon, beating Slippery Rock 92-78 in a foul-filled affair at the Student Recreation Center.  The Golden Eagles improve to 9-15 overall, 3-15 in PSAC play.
 
In a departure from most of Clarion's game this year, the teams combined for 51 personal fouls and 73 free throws, with the Golden Eagles' performance at the foul line a main driver of their success.  Clarion went 32-of-40 on free throws, while Slippery Rock went just 21-of-33.  That more than negated The Rock's superior day from three-point range, and the Golden Eagles shot a solid 45.2 percent from the field as they held off numerous charges by the Rock.

The 92 points scored by Clarion marks the most the Golden Eagles have scored against a Division II opponent since a 95-80 win - also against Slippery Rock - on Nov. 20, 2013.
 
Yndiah Bobo scored a team-high 19 points and also added five rebounds, four steals and three assists, while Taylor Moltz came off the bench for 18 points – including an 11-of-13 day at the free throw line – and four assists.    Fouls played a part in both teams' late-game strategies as five combined starters – two for Clarion and three for Slippery Rock – fouled out in the fourth quarter. 
 
The only time the Golden Eagles ceded the lead to the Rock for any significant portion of time came late in the first quarter as Brooke Hinderliter put Slippery Rock up 15-10 with 2:01 to play in the period.  Jordan Bekelja cut that lead to two points by the end of the quarter, making a three-pointer to slice the lead to 17-15 by the break.  Moltz put Clarion ahead with an and-one just two minutes into the second quarter, scoring through Madison Johnson's contact and sinking the free throw to make it 23-21.  Kadijah Dickson stretched the lead to six points with a tip-in, and free throws down the stretch gave the Golden Eagles a 43-36 lead at halftime.
 
Bekelja put Clarion up 49-39 with 7:22 to go in the third quarter, their largest lead of the period, but the Rock pulled as close as three points in that frame.  Dickson scored to make it 60-53 late in the quarter, but Kasch Harris responded with a late three-pointer to slice the lead to four points.  Morgan Henderson pulled the Rock to within two points early in the fourth quarter, but Clarion pulled away and extended the lead into double-digits.