SLIPPERY ROCK— Prepare to launch.

That's been the rallying cry for the Slippery Rock University men's basketball team this season.

The Rock (17-7, 8-3) is on its way to its best season this decade, ranks second in the PSACin scoring with 82.3 points per game, has surpassed the 100-point plateau six times and finds itself ranked among the top 10 in the region for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Through 24 games, SRUhas launched 604 shots from beyond the 3-point stripe — an average of 25 per game.

"I didn't take this job until May 15,"first-year Rock coach Kevin Reynolds said. "In trying to put a team together here, there's not as much variety in players available out there as there might have been in March and April.

"We had to decide what type of team we wanted to put together. We decided to find as many shooters as we could."

A favorite Reynolds quote already has filtered over to the SRU women's team.

"A good night shooting the ball takes away a lot of other worries," he says.

SRUhas 10 players who have nailed at least one trey this season. Butler graduate Jade Burka became the 10th Wednesday night against Lock Haven.

Michael Evans Jr. leads the team with 50 3-pointers. Close behind is Maurice Douglas with 48. Point guard Kyle Camper has 25 and Denell Stephens has 19. Erroll Robinson has come off the bench to hit 17 treys.

"Coach doesn't want us playing like robots,"Evans said. "He really simplifies the game. If you have an open shot, take it."

But Reynolds has prepared his players to play in that mode.

"We devote a good hour and a half each practice to shooting drills,"Douglas said. "Sometimes we have shooting competitions during practice.

"It's a fun way to play. It's easy to buy into this system."

Douglas and Evans are both juniors this year. With three regular season games remaining and SRUhaving clinched a playoff spot, both will be among The Rock's all-time single-season 3-point shooters by season's end.

Evans ranks seventh on the program's single-season list right now. Douglas is 11th.

Douglas played for a junior college inMaryland and shot 3-pointers there, "but nothing like at this rate.

"Coach gets mad at us if we pass up shots," he said.

Camper tied the school's single-season assists record Wednesday night with his 259th helper.

"A lot of those have been easy,"Camper said. "Just pass the ball out and watch those guys go to work."

SRU's roster doesn't have a lot of size. Maron Brown, at 6-foot-4, is the team's tallest starter.

"We surrendered size for shooters,"Reynolds said. "But these guys are athletic and can make plays in space.

"By widening the floor and shooting from outside, space opens up inside for us to get things done in there."

The Rock hasn't had a 3-point shooting duo like Douglas and Evans since the 1994-95 season, when Mark Metzka and Dennis Green combined to sink 164.

Last year, Evans was on Morehead State's roster, where Reynolds was an assistant coach. He redshirted after sinking more than 50 treys for Daytona (Fla.) Community College the previous season.

When Reynolds came to The Rock, Evans, the son of former NBAplayer and current Toronto Raptors assistant coach Michael Evans Sr., came with him.

"I love the style of ball (Evans) coaches,"Evans said. "It's fast-paced, up and down the floor, force turnovers and get points off them."

Evans' father also was a 3-point shooter.

"I guess it's in the genes," he said, laughing. "I think I've been shooting 3s since birth. I can't remember ever not shooting them.

"My father used to work with me on my game every summer. He always said the most important fundamental in shooting 3s is lifting your legs."

SRUhas made 189 3-pointers so far this season. The Rock attempted 35 against Lock Haven.

"That's a bit much,"Reynolds said, trying to hide a smile.

But The Rock's on-court message is clear.

"Let it fly,"Evans said. "That's our game."