2008 Woodie Awards
Men's hoops falls twice in PSAC West
By Greg Reedy
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 2/4/05 Section: Sports
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SRU is 2-4 in the PSAC West and 4-17 overall. Currently, the Rock is tied for fifth in the PSAC West. The top four teams make the PSAC playoffs.
On Wednesday, the Rock lost at home against IUP, 79-64. Bill Johnson led the Rock with 21 points, while for IUP, Ayyub Ali had 25 points to lead the Indians. SRU had the lead for almost the first five minutes until a three-pointer by Ali gave the Indians a 7-6 lead. The teams stayed close throughout much of the first half, SRU only able to build as high as a five-point margin over IUP, that being at 21-16 with 9:06 remaining. SRU continued to stay ahead or tied throughout until the 2:07 mark of the first half, when Eddie Peterson hit a three-pointer to put the Indians up 34-33. The teams traded baskets in the final minute of the half and IUP had a 36-35 lead entering halftime.
"It was a very physical game, we were working hard in the first half, but in the second half we started to turn back for jumpers," coach John Marhefka said.
In the second half, both teams continued to battle close and Glenn Reepmeyer, a jumper, tied the game at 42 with 16:21 to go in the second half. That would be as close as SRU would get. IUP scored the next seven points afterwards to take a 49-42 lead with 14:25 to go. SRU did cut the lead to 51-48 with 12:49 to go, but a 9-0 run put IUP ahead by double-digits, 60-48 with 9:20 remaining. IUP led by double-digits for the rest of the way, at one point leading by 17, 71-54 with 5:21 to go, and was able to close out the Rock by 15, 79-64.
Marhefka said he was unhappy with the performance.
"I think that was the first time this season I saw these guys quit in a game," Marhefka said. "It was just the look on their faces."
Marhefka said that after the loss he wants to regroup his players for the rest of the season.
"We're going to go back to the drawing board, we're going to show them what they did wrong," Marhefka said. "It's still early enough in the season to turn it around."
