SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. --- The Golden Eagles got into a defensive slugfest on Wednesday evening, but Clarion was unable to get the better of the home team in falling by a 54-50 score to Slippery Rock at Morrow Field House.
 
Neither team shot better than 37 percent from the field for the entire game, so the difference in the contest came down to defense and rebounding. The Rock held the advantage on the glass by outrebounding Clarion 43-29, including 19 offensive rebounds that turned into 20 second chance points. Conversely the Golden Eagles forced 19 Slippery Rock turnovers, which kept them within striking distance throughout the game.
 
Steve Kelly had his second 20+ point performance of the season, scoring a game-high 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting. The junior guard is averaging 14.1 points per game over his last seven contests. Cam Kearney recorded 10 points, while Gerald Jarmon posted eight off the bench.
 
Clarion got the early jump on The Rock, outscoring them 9-2 in the first 3:31 of action. Kelly and Justice Easter did the lion's share of the damage, with Kelly hitting a three-pointer off a pass from Easter to make it 9-2. Jaylen Shippen kept it a three-possession game at the 7:45 mark of the first half, hitting a transition three-pointer after Jayson Harris stole the ball from Amante Britt. Harris kicked it ahead to Jarmon, who fed Shippen for the trey that made it 18-11.
 
Slippery Rock fought back and tied it at 18 with under six minutes to go in the first half. They took the lead with just over a minute to go, making it 24-22 on a layup by Britt, and Lashon Lindsey made it 27-22 at the halftime break. The Rock's lead reached 12 points roughly six minutes into the second half, after a three-pointer by Jonathan McFall made it 38-26 in favor of the home team.
 
Kelly helped chip away at that lead, scoring with 5:25 remaining in regulation to get the lead into the single digits. He added another bucket with 3:15 left to make it 48-42, and his steal off a bad pass from Khalid Gates eventually led to a banked-in jumper by Jarmon that cut it to 52-49. The Golden Eagles ran short on time, though, and the Rock were able to put it away with a pair of free throws from McFall.  
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