SLIPPERY ROCK — Opportunity lost.

Needing a win Saturday over 17th-ranked Indiana of Pa. to make the PSAC Tournament, Slippery Rock University's women's basketball team was outscored by 17 points in the second half, droppng a 72-52 decision at Morrow Field House.

That loss, coupleled with Clarion's 80-65 victory at Edinboro, denied SRU (11-16, 6-8) a berth in the tourney for the third straight year.

Clarion and SRU tied for the final playoff spot in the standings, but Clarion won the third tiebreaker, a better record against Division II teams with a .500 or better record.

"We played a very good team, but we had the game at home," SRU coach Laurel Heilman said. "This was our chance. I don't know if the pressure got to us or what. I can't explain it."

The Rock trailed only 33-30 at halftime and shot 61.9 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes. But SRU also had 15 turnovers.

For the game, SRU had 29 turnovers and only 13 assists. IUP (22-5, 11-3) had 12 turnovers and 18 assists.

"That's the game right there," Heilman said. "You don't have to go any further. You can't give away that many possessions."

With 10 minutes left in the first half, SRU had a 22-16 lead and Jahzinga Tracey, IUP's all-time leading scorer, had not scored a point.

What followed was a 14-0 Crimson Hawkls' run, with Tracey scoring 10 of those points.

"That's no coincidence," IUP coach Jeff Dow said. "When Jahzinga gets going, we usually get on a run."

Tracey was held to 14 points, ending her regular season career with 2,011 points, ninth on the PSAC's all-time scoring list.

Trailing 30-22, The Rock responded with an 8-0 run of its own. Grove City High School graduate Julie Molly came off the bench to drain a pair of treys and Amanda Nero sank an eight-footer.

Lacy Claar — IUP's leading scorer with 19 points — hit a trey before the end of the half to give the Crimson Hawks an edge at intermission.

Down 38-32 with 18:15 left in the game, Heilman called a timeout.

"The look on our faces, you'd swear we were down by 20," the coach said. "I tried to get them pumped up ... 'Hey, we're only down six. Let's go!' ... It just didn't happen."

SRU has reached the PSAC tourney three times in Coach Heilman's nine years, losing in the first round each time.

"We ended last year with a 10-game losing streak. This year, we were in the hunt until the end," Heilnan said. "Maybe next year, we can take that next step."

Nero ended her SRU career with 929 career points and as the team's leading scorer three years in a row.

INDIANA (PA.) 72Staci Heberling 5-12 1-1 11, Jahzinga Tracey 6-17 2-3 14, Kierstin Filla 1-6 0-0 2, Kylie Miller 5-13 1-1 13, Eryn Withers 2-5 1-1 5, Julie Lozon 0-1 0 0, Tara Powers 0-0 0-0 0, Hillary Shope 4-6 0-0 8, Lacey Claar 7-9 1-2 19, Lauren Kukic 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 30-71 6-8 72

SLIPPERY ROCK 52Haley Gaidosh 4-8 0-0 8, Sasha Sales 6-11 0-2 12, Amanda Nero 5-11 0-0 12, Alissa Schake 1-1 0-0 2, Chere' Marshall 2-4 2-2 7, Julie Molloy 4-8 0-0 11, Sandra Busser 0-0 0-0 0, Robin Vlah 0-0 0-0 0, Jess Schake 0-2 0-0 0, Grace Palucis 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 22-46 2-4 52

Indiana 33 39 —72Slippery Rock 30 22 —523-point goals: Miller 2, Claar 4; Nero 2, Marshall, Molloy 3