SLIPPERY ROCK - Kristen Bonner's shooting touch showed up just in time Saturday at Morrow Field House.

The 5-foot-6 junior guard scored a season-high 23 points - including four treys - to lead Slippery Rock University's women's basketball team to a 59-47 win over Lock Haven.

"Without her production, we probably don't win this game today," SRU coach Laurel Heilman said.

That's because The Rock offense struggled otherwise. After taking a 20-4 lead in the first six minutes, SRU (7-11, 1-2) managed just two points in the next six minutes as the Bald Eagles (2-15, 1-2) cut the deficit to 22-15.

Bonner's fourth trey hiked the lead to 23 - 57-34 - with 10:38 left in the game. But The Rock didn't score again until Bonner sank two free throws with 10 seconds remaining.

SRU was 0-of-9 from the floor with eight turnovers in the final 10 minutes.

"This is how we've played all year," Heilman said. "We've been consistently inconsistent. This deep into the season, I still don't have a set starting five. I don't have a rotation.

"I can't figure this team out. I wish I could."

Heilman has used five different starting lineups in the past eight games.

Bonner has been part of the inconsistency. Since netting 22 points in back-to-back games against Fairmont State and Wayne State, she reached double figures Saturday for just the third time in 13 games.

Bonner leads The Rock with 34 3-pointers - but is shooting just 29 percent from beyond the arc.

"I've been spending extra time in the gym, trying to find my shot," Bonner said. "Sure, I've been frustrated by the inconsistency. I know my team needs me."

"Kristen's our outside threat," point guard Amber McFeely said. "When she's on, I do everything I can to get her open looks. We need her to hit shots to get defenses out of that zone."

McFeely, a Grove City High School graduate, had nine assists Saturday. She has 105 on the year - closing in on her single-season school record of 180 set last year - and needs just 68 assists to break Kathy Lisman's SRU career mark of 422.

"I know I'm going to get that assist record either this year or next year," McFeely said. "It will be nice, but we need wins. We need to keep the intensity level on the court for 40 minutes."

Lock Haven had just eight players suited up Saturday and started five sophomores.

The Bald Eagles dropped their 12th straight game to SRU. Heilman is 9-0 against Lock Haven.

"When we helped out in the post, we did well defensively," first-year Lock Haven coach Valerie Curtis said. "But we knew Bonner was a shooter and we did a poor job of getting out on her.

"We fell behind by too many, too fast."

Still, a 13-point run pulled the visitors within 57-47 with 3:23 to play. And the Bald Eagles repeatedly regained possession of the ball after that.

"Then we couldn't hit a shot," Curtis said. "We never got close enough to really threaten them."

Ginger Williams had 12 points and eight rebounds for Lock Haven. Stacey Green had 11 points and 11 boards for The Rock.

LOCK HAVEN (47)

Elizabeth Gabrielle 4-11 1-1 11, Shameka Lee 2-5 1-2 5, Candace Sillers 0-3 2-2 2, Allison Hall 4-11 1-1 10, Ginger Williams 6-14 0-2 12, Missy Blazina 1-9 0-0 3, Kristy Shadduck 2-4 0-0 4, Kristine Terhune 0-0 0-1 0. Totals: 19-57 5-9 47

SLIPPERY ROCK (59)

Amber McFeely 1-4 2-2 4, Stacey Green 4-10 3-4 11, Kristen Bonner 8-15 3-3 23, Jess Caso 2-3 0-0 5, Erin Frankovich 5-7 0-0 10, Angela Greaser 0-4 0-0 0, Sarah Cybulski 0-0 0-0 0, Amanda Chojnacki 1-4 0-0 2, Dana Stewart 0-2 0-0 0, Amanda Kaufman 0-1 2-2 2, Cathy Lee Peffer 0-1 0-0 0,KellyAnn Staudinger 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 22-53 10-11 59

Halftime - SRU, 41-22. 3-point goals - Lock Haven 4-14 (Gabrielle 2-7, Sillers 0-1, Hall 1-2, Blazina 1-4), SRU 5-13 (Bonner 4-11, Caso 1-1, Greaser 0-1). Rebounds - Lock Haven 36 (Williams 8), SRU 38 (Green 11). Assists - Lock Haven 10 (Gabrielle 5), SRU 18 (McFeely 9). Total fouls - Lock Haven 13, SRU 17. Fouled out - None (SRU); Technical fouls - none.

Wednesday:

Clarion @ SRU, 6 p.m.