Denell Stephens scored a game-high 30 points to lead the Slippery Rock University men's basketball team to a 72-69 victory over Mercyhurst College in PSAC-West action Saturday.

SRU (14-7, 5-3) solidifies its fourth-place standing, two games ahead of Mercyhurst and 1½ over California (Pa.).

The win assured The Rock its first non-losing season since 1999-2000 (17-12).

Maron Brown added 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds while Kyle Camper added 12 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

Six Rock players reached double figures in an 82-46 rout over visiting Mercyhurst College Saturday.Nikki Presto had 13 points, followed by Chere' Marshall and Sasha Sales with 12 apiece, Grace Palucis 11 and Julie Molloy (Grove City High) and Amanda Nero 10 each. Sales had seven rebounds, Presto six and Alissa Schake five, along with six assists and three steals.Butler High graduate Amy Achesinski led the Lakers with 13 points.

Jenn Harpp broke one of the two longest-standing records at the SRU Open Friday, winning the 3,000 meters with a time of 10 minutes, 2.92 seconds, besting the 10:06.0 set by Juanita Vetter in 1983.Tiffany Tedesco's 55-meter dash win with a time of 7.24 seconds met an NCAA provisional qualifying standard. She also won the 200 (26.78). Other SRU women winners were Laura Mucho in the 800 (2:22.72), Allison Smith in the 55 hurdles (8.73) and Whitney Hendershot in the high jump (1.72 meters).In the men's meet, James Simms (51.91), Phil Rector and Jason Jamieson swept the 400 dash while Garrett Grey 16.70 meters), Joel Peters and Chris Warning swept the weight throw.Kris Stalma won the 55 hurdles (7.81) and Cameron Daugherty the pole vault (4.42 meters) to account for The Rock's other first-place finishers.

The SRU women's team defeated California (Pa.) 144-48 and Carnegie Mellon 113-93, but lost to clarion 233-41 and Pittsburgh 245-35.The Rock (4-6) will compete in the PSACChampionships Feb. 19-22 in Mechanicsburg.

No. 27 ranked SRU was blanked 9-0 in its season opener at Carnegie Mellon, who is ranked No. 8 in Division III.SRU went 5-0 in the fall season in dual matches.