SLIPPERY ROCK, PA --The Shaw men's basketball team kept Slippery Rock (PA) to just 4.8 percent from deep in a 1-for-21 shooting performance, but fell 81-74 to the The Rock on the road Friday.

The host were regulars at the charity stripe as they went 46-50 for the contest. 

The Bears (0-1) had three players score in double figures, led by Elijah Scranton, who had 15 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Darius Abraham added 13 points and three steals off the bench and Dreveon Scott helped out with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Led by Scott's five offensive rebounds, Shaw did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 17 boards that resulted in 18 second chance points.

Shaw forced 20 Slippery Rock (PA) turnovers. The Bears turned those takeaways into 20 points on the offensive end of the floor. Jaylen Bandy led the way individually with three steals.

How It Happened

After falling behind 17-11, Shaw went on an 11-0 run with 8:00 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Abraham, to take a 22-17 lead. The Bears then lost some of that lead, but still entered halftime with a 28-26 advantage. Shaw relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down six shots to account for 18 of its 28 points.

Slippery Rock (PA) proceeded to take a 53-46 lead before Shaw went on a 5-0 run to shrink the deficit to 53-51 with 7:57 to go in the contest. Slippery Rock (PA) responded and outscored the Bears the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 81-74. Shaw took care of business in the paint, recording 30 of its 46 points in the lane.

Game Notes

» The Bears held the The Rock to only 32.1 percent shooting from the field.
» Shaw played solid perimeter defense, holding Slippery Rock (PA) to 5 percent from beyond the arc on 21 attempts.
» The Shaw bench came alive by adding 25 points to its scoring output.
» The Shaw defense forced 20 turnovers.
» Shaw cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 17 offensive boards in the game.
» Elijah Scranton led the Bears with 15 points.
» Shaw got nine rebounds from both Dreveon Scott and Elijah Scranton.

Up Next 

Shaw will face a quick turnaround as they face Pitt-Johstown Saturday afternoon at 5:00 PM.