SLIPPERY ROCK — The message delivered by Randy Armagost was simple.

“It will get better,” said the Slippery Rock High boys basketball coach. “Have faith.”

The Rockets’ season may have hit rock bottom against Meadville at home Tuesday night.

Slippery Rock shot just 5-of-34 from the field, committed more than 30 turnovers and lost to the Bulldogs 74-17.

But Armagost isn’t souring on his young team. He sees the potential to turn this season around.

“We’re getting great looks,” he said. “We’re just not finishing. We’re getting good shots, they just aren’t going in. It’s all about confidence.”

That’s something of short supply for the Rockets these days.

Slippery Rock played well for most of the first quarter against Meadville, but fell behind 14-6 at the end of the first eight minutes.

By halftime, the Bulldogs’ lead had ballooned to 40-10 and it was 60-17 at the end of the third.

Armoni Foster scored 18 to lead Meadville.

Ryan Dutton picked up three fouls in the first quarter and fouled out in the third. The 6-foot-5 junior still finished with a team-leading seven points for Slippery Rock.

The Rockets have games against Hickory on Friday and George Junior Republic Dec. 22.

Slippery Rock won’t play again after the GJR game until Jan. 7.

Armagost hopes to use that time wisely.

“We have a couple more games here, but we have no game over a two-week span,” Armagost said. “We’re hoping to put a lot of things together. We’re going to work a lot on shooting and getting some confidence.

“We just have to keep working, Armagost added. “That’s all we can do. We’re young. We’re inexperienced. And in this conference, teams come after you.”

MEADVILLE 74

Anthoni Boitnott 1-1 2-4 4, Lushon Lindsey 5-10 2-2 12, Armoni Foster 5-15 7-9 18, Jason Clune 7-10 1-4 15, Roman Pero 1-4 0-0 3, Isaiah Manning 2-4 3-4 7, James Mullen 0-1 1-2 1, Trevor Miller 2-3 0-0 4, Andru McClure 0-0 0-0 0, Journey Brown 1-1 2-3 4, Andrew Mook 1-2 0-0 2, Ed Arida 0-2 0-0 0, Jack Stevens 0-0 0-0 0, Jaden Agnew 1-2 2-2 4. Totals: 26-55 20-30 74.

SLIPPERY ROCK 17

Hunter Prementine 1-8 0-2 2, Luke Brandon 2-4 0-3 4, Chase Allen 0-5 2-2 2, Ryan Dutton 2-5 3-3 7, Seth Beels 0-2 2-2 2, Josh Bowser 0-4 0-0 0, Jeff Bennett 0-3 0-0 0, Nick Wherthey 0-0 0-0 0, Luke Brandon 0-0 0-0 0, Jon Sosa 0-1 0-2 0, Ricky Mineo 0-1 0-0 0, Rod Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Dylan Dingel 0-0 0-0 0, Jonah Foster 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 5-34 7-14 17.

Meadville 14 26 20 14 — 74

Slippery Rock6 4 7 0 — 17

3-point goals: Meadville 2 (Foster, Pero)

JV: Meadville 68-41

Friday: Slippery Rock at Hickory