SLIPPERY ROCK — The offense is flashy — and potent.

But a juggernaut scoring attack means little to the Slippery Rock High girls basketball team, especially with the playoffs on the horizon.

Defense is the name of its game.

And the swarming and swatting 'D' showed up again Thursday night at the new Rock Box, as the Rockets forced bad shots, blocked some of the good ones and toppled Hickory easily, 73-44.

Slippery Rock (16-6, 12-2) has been holding teams to a shooting percentage hovering around the average winter temperature in Western Pennsylvania.

Thursday was no different. The Hornets (9-11, 5-9) shot just 20 percent in the game and their starting five were a mere 5-of-39 from the field.

Earlier this season, the Rockets held Titusville to 1-of-28 shooting in the first half and Grove City to a 10 percent shooting effort over the first two quarters of that game.

"That's a stat we've noticed," said Slippery Rock coach Adrienne Orris. "Only one game this year we have been held offensively under 58 points, and you don't score consistently without getting stops at the other end.

"We're going to face some teams who have potent shooters like we do in the playoffs, so we're going to have to defend," Orris added.

Slippery Rock's defense helped turn a tight game for the first eight minutes into a blowout.

The Rockets went on a 16-4 run to start the second quarter to build a 17-point lead.

SlipperyRock led by as many as 31 midway through the fourth quarter.

Four Rockets' scored in double digits, led by Taylor Crocker's 19.

Karly Rhoads and Adele Campbell added 14 points each and Kourtney Rhoads 13 for Slippery Rock.

Campbell, though, has made her presence felt this season on defense.

The junior had four more blocked shots against Hickory and is averaging 3.8 blocks per game this season.

"Once you get one block, you want to get more," Campbell said. "It gets the team fired up. Once that adrenaline gets going, you want to keep getting them. Sometimes, it gets you in trouble."

Namely, foul trouble.

Campbell fouled out early in the fourth quarter against Hickory. Fouls have been a problem for Campbell, to the point where Orris has her on a three-swat limit.

"Yeah, I'm not allowed to swat at the ball after I get three fouls," Campbell said, laughing.

But Campbell, and the rest of the Rockets, have been swatting shots like flies in the Amazon this season.

"It's not something we practice," Campbell said. "It just happens."

Campbell has been a force at both ends down the stretch this season after SarahCessar was slowed with a leg injury.

Cessar missed several games and is playing at about half strength right now.

"I said to her when Sarah went out that everyone was going to have to step up in different areas and Adele was our only post left," Orris said. "Adele has had a double-double in pretty much every game since Sarah has been out. The joke has been thatSarah was stealing all of Adele's rebounds."

Slippery Rock will get more than a week off before the District 10 Class AAA playoffs begin Feb. 21.

It will be a much needed respite.

"We're going to refuel," Orris said. "We're going to refocus. We've been playing pretty good basketball and our goal is to be playing in March. So, we're heading toward that."

HICKORY 44Logan Rock 0-2 1-2 1, Lindsay Fulcher 0-8 1-2 1, Jonna Vellente 0-5 0-0 0, Haley Hanson 3-15 4-4 13, Kelsey Trosch 2-9 6-12 10, Ashley Marriott 3-1 1-1 7, Macy Horvath 2-2 0-2 4, Kalie Gargano 0-1 0-1 0, Laura Leicht 0-3 0-0 0, Kia Foster 0-0 0-0 0, Chelsi Kozma 2-6 4-4 8, Katie Skero 0-0 0-0 0, Liz Palumbo 0-1 0-0 0, Jasmine Boulware 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 12-60 17-28 44

SLIPPERY ROCK 73KarlyRhoads 6-12 2-2 14, Ali Doyle 1-4 1-2 2, KourtneyRhoads 4-11 1-3 13, Adele Campbell 5-12 4-6 14, Sarah Cessar 2-6 2-2 6, Taylor Crocker 7-12 2-2 19, Bre Northcott 2-4 0-0 4, Molly Weitzel 0-1 0-0 0, Paige Walter 0-3 0-0 0, Jackie Basta 0-0 0-0 0, Katja Kaufman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 27-65 17-28 73

Hickory 13 10 6 15—44Slippery Rock 18 20 17 18—733-point goals: Hanson 3; Ko. Rhoads 4, Crocker 3

JV: Hickory 36-27

Feb. 21: Slippery Rock vs. TBA, District 10 Class AAA playoffs