SLIPPERY ROCK — A basketball commandment states that when a ball deflects off the rim, go get it.

Pitt-Johnstown did. Slippery Rock University didn't.

The Cats outrebounded SRU 52-27, snaring 28 offensive boards to The Rock's 10, in posting an 82-70 women's basketball win Tuesday night at Morrow Field House.

"You don't have to look any farther than that," SRU coach Laurel Heilman said of the rebounding numbers. "That's the game right there."

Pitt-Johnstown 6-foot-1 sophomore Monae Baker came off the bench to tally 27 points and 18 rebounds. She netted 38 points against West Liberty in UPJ's previous game.

"She's normally a starter, but you have to come to practice," UPJ coach Sasha Palmer said. "Monae had to learn a lesson tonight. You have to be a good practice player first."

The Rock (2-5) works on rebounding in practice, but Heilman doesn't consider that phase of the game to be a skill.

"There's no trick to it. Rebounding is commitment," Heilman said. "You have to crash the boards. (SRU men's coach Kevin Reynolds) doesn't do any rebounding drills at all, yet his team puts up 3s, then goes after the ball.

"We have a bunch of safeties out there. We take a shot and three or four girls want to drop back."

Tuesday's game was close early, the lead changing hands three times and the score being tied four times in the first 10 minutes. The Cats (4-3) took the lead for good at 17-16 on a Baker layup with 9:49 left in the first half.

UPJ led by nine points at halftime and led by as many as 20 (76-56) with 6:52 remaining in the game.

"Our goal was to come in here and control play inside," Palmer said. "We've got some strong, physical players and we felt we could do that."

The Cats came alive from outside early in the second half, sinking seven treys in the first 11 minutes.

Sheena Aden had nine assists for UPJ, which doubled up The Rock in that category, 24-12.

Chere' Marshall paced SRU with 16 points and four steals. Grove City High graduate Julie Molloy came off the bench to score 12 points in 17 minutes — all in the second half. She missed a game after suffering a bruised tailbone last week.

"We thought there might be a hairline fracture there at first, but she's OK," Heilman said. "Julie didn't come back to practice until yesterday and we got her on the court for an hour.

"She was limited in how long she could go tonight."

Nikki Presto led The Rock in rebounding with five. SRU had two freshmen, Bethany Caudill and Emilee Vitez, in its starting lineup.

"Our young players got a taste of what they're going to see in January and February, once PSAC West play begins," Heilman said. "There are plenty of Monae Bakers in our league."

Notes: Heilman remains five wins shy of tying the SRU women's basketball career coaching record of 111. ... Palmer is the wife of former SRU men's coach Jamal Palmer, who is now an assistant men's coach at Pitt-Johnstown. ... UPJ improved to 27-9 all-time against The Rock.

PITT-JOHNSTOWN 82Qiuana Brown 4-8 0-0 10, Andrea Dalton 6-14 0-0 14, Katie McBroom 0-1 1-2 1, Sheena Aden 2-10 3-5 7, Sara Trimarco 1-5 1-2 3, Maria Montini 2-2 1-2 7, Monae Baker 12-16 2-4 27, Elisa Schober 0-1 0-0 0, Katie Kendall 0-5 0-0 0, Kelly Goode 3-7 0-0 7, Kayla Loughner 2-7 0-0 6. Totals: 32-76 8-15 82

SLIPPERY ROCK 70Nikki Presto 3-7 0-0 7, Bethany Caudill 2-6 3-4 8, Grace Palucis 1-5 2-2 4, Emilee Vitez 2-6 1-4 5, Julie Molloy 5-8 0-0 12, Kara Lazauskas 0-0 0-0 0, Sandra Busser 0-1 2-4 2, Alex Beatty 4-7 0-0 9, Katelyn Griffin 0-0 0-0 0, Tynesha Lee 3-4 1-2 7, Haley Geyer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 27-58 11-19 70

Halftime Score: UPJ 34, Slippery Rock 25

3-point goals: Brown 2, Dalton 2, Montini 2, Baker, Goode, Loughner 2; Presto, Caudill, Molloy 2, Beatty

Friday: SRU vs. LeMoyne at Mansfield Classic