SLIPPERY ROCK — Rashiid Coleman spent most of Wednesday night's game against Ohio Eastern on the bench.

Coleman used that time wisely.

Rejuvenated following an evening spent mostly as a spectator, the Slippery Rock University guard sparked his team Thursday night with a game-high 15 points as The Rock rolled past Grove City College 70-46 at Morrow Field House.

“I didn't play him much (Wednesday),” said SRU coach Kevin Reynolds. “He wasn't doing what we expected him to do. (Wednesday) was a wake-up call for him.”

Coleman's career-high point total showed Reynolds he had heard the alarm.

The senior had 10 of those points off the bench in the first half to stake SRU to a 34-20 lead after 20 minutes.

“He bounced back great,” Reynolds said. “After not playing much (Wednesday), you can either sit there and pout or use it as motivation, and he used it as motivation.”

In the first meeting between SRU and Grove City College since the 1983-84 season, The Rock showed off its superior athleticism, especially in the paint.

SRU had 21 offensive rebounds to four for GCC. The Wolverines didn't get their first offensive rebound until 30 minutes into the game.

That helped The Rock fire off 22 more shots than GCC. Both teams shot 38 percent from the floor.

“I knew we weren't going to get many (offensive rebounds),” said Grove City College coach Steve Lamie. “In fact, we weren't even trying. We were trying to get back and make them play 5-on-5.”

That worked for the most part, as The Rock had just four fast-break points.

But the Wolverines committed 20 turnovers to eight for SRU.

“I thought if we would have not turned the ball over, even though they would have rebounded a little more, we could have made it a game,” Lamie said. “It was sloppy play overall with 20 turnovers, but they had something to do with that.”

Grove City (4-6), a Division III program, never was really in the game against Division II SRU.

The Rock (7-3) trailed only briefly at the start, led by 11 points midway through the first half and by as many as 30 late in the game.

Maron Brown had 14 points and seven rebounds, and Devin Taylor recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for The Rock.

Kris Verderber paced Grove City with 12 points and six rebounds, while Butler High graduate Cody Fleeger had five points and six rebounds.

GROVE CITY COLLEGE 46Cody Fleeger 2-5 0-0 5, Nate Rambacher 0-0 0-0 0, Luke Tomaselli 3-8 1-2 8, Kris Verderber 6-12 0-0 12, Brett Matson 3-7 0-0 8, Charlie Thomas 0-2 0-0 0, Evan Schell 1-5 0-0 3, Sam Barnhill 1-3 0-0 3, Matt Roush 0-2 0-0 0, Bryn Moran 0-0 0-0 0, Steve Predebon 2-2 0-1 5, Steve Battaglia 1-1 0-0 2, Matt Mathias 0-3 0-0 0.

Totals: 19-50 1-3 46.

SRU 70Maron Brown 6-12 1-1 14, Jabril Bailey 3-13 0-0 6, Devin Taylor 5-10 0-1 11, Jon Valeriano 2-4 0-0 6, Torrance Timothy 0-4 0-0 0, Rashiid Coleman 6-11 1-2 15, John Bayardelle 2-4 0-0 5, John Bossle 0-2 0-0 0, Aubin Reeves 0-4 1-2 1, Tommy Kelly 2-5 1-2 6, Joe Vines 0-0 4-5 4, Jade Burka 1-3 0-0 2.

Totals: 27-72 8-13 70.

Halftime score: SRU 34-20

3-point goals: GCC 7 (Fleeger, Tomaselli, Matson 2, Schell, Barnhill, Predebon); SRU 8 (Brown, Taylor, Valeriano 2, Coleman 2, Bayardelle, Kelly).