The Slippery Rock University men’s basketball team closed its 2025–26 season Monday night with a 78–70 loss at Seton Hill University in the opening round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament.
Seton Hill started strong from the opening tip with two three-pointers within the first two minutes. The Griffins continued to build off that momentum during the first half with a strong offensive showing.
The Rock tried to come back from SHU’s early jump, cutting the deficit to just one behind two free throws, a three-pointer and a layup, but their efforts fell short in the first half.
An eight-point run for the Griffins with 13:28 remaining before the break solidified their lead.
Slippery Rock went into the locker room 43-32.
The second half opened with teams trading baskets. Seton Hill still had the lead, but Slippery Rock applied pressure.
The Rock was fighting hard to close the gap, never letting the Griffins get more than two shots up during beginning of the final half.
Strong offensive showings from Elijah Hill helped the White and Green gain momentum.
With 10:21 left in regulation, a layup from Mack Staunch tied the scoreboard at 57. Isaac James put up a three-pointer, which gave The Rock their first lead of the night.
Seton Hill quickly retaliated with a three-pointer of their own to tie the score back up.
The team traded baskets from there. Seton Hill’s Dean Simos connected a three-pointer to put the Griffins ahead 65–62 with 7:03 remaining. That basket proved to be Seton Hill’s final field goal of the night, as Slippery Rock’s defense held the Griffins to an 0-for-8 finish from the floor.
Despite the defensive stand, SRU was unable to capitalize offensively down the stretch, converting just two of its final eight field goal attempts. Seton Hill secured the win at the free-throw line, making 13 of 16 attempts in the final 5:10.
The White and Green saw their postseason play close when the game ended 78-70.
Slippery Rock shot 44.8 percent from the field, 25 percent from three-point range and 80 percent at the foul line. The Rock dominated the glass with a 40–29 rebounding advantage, including 11 offensive boards that led to 14 second-chance points.
Seton Hill finished at 42.6 percent shooting and made eight three-pointers. The Griffins also converted 24 free throws and scored 21 points off 16 SRU turnovers.
Elijah Hill led Slippery Rock with 21 points, six rebounds and one block, shooting 9-of-10 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc before fouling out late in the game.
Kerwin Prince added his seventh double-double of the season with 18 points, 14 rebounds and two steals, while Brady Mayo chipped in 12 points. Isaac James contributed nine points and seven rebounds, and Braylon Littlejohn finished with five points and five assists. Mack Staunch rounded out SRU’s key contributors with five rebounds.
The Rock finished the year with a 17–12 record, extending one of the most consistent stretches in the conference. Slippery Rock has now posted winning seasons in 16 of the last 17 years and earned 15 postseason appearances during that span. Under head coach Ian Grady, SRU has reached at least 17 victories in four of the seven full seasons that he has led the program.
