SLIPPERY ROCK — There was no accounting for Sa'Quan Davis.

The Slippery Rock University senior guard had connected for only nine 3-pointers in 29 tries all season and entered Saturday's game averaging 4.3 points per game.

Yet he drained two critical treys in the final three minutes — adding two virtually game-clinching free throws with 48 seconds left — as SRU held off Pitt-Johnstown, 88-77, in men's basketball action at Morrow Field House.

“We hadn't seen that in preparing for this game, but those were two big-time shots,” UPJ coach Bob Rukavina said. “Slippery Rock hit a lot of big shots today to beat us and they didn't miss from the line.”

SRU (17-7, 8-4) sank 22 of 23 free throws in the contest. The Rock led 24-10 midway through the first half and by six at halftime. But the Mountain Cats (12-10, 5-7) scored the first 10 points of the second half to take the lead and turn the game into a scramble.

The score was tied four times and the lead changed hands seven times in the first 12 minutes of the second half.

“We finished strong,” Rock coach Kevin Reynolds said. “I wasn't pleased with our defense today and we didn't rebound as well as we normally do.

“But we shot 10 of 21 in 3-pointers and we don't normally shoot that well. And I liked the way we closed it out. Sa'Quan's shots were difference-makers.”

Pitt-Johnstown's Paul Weatherly sank a trey to pull his team within 72-68 with 3:07 left. Davis answered with a trey of his own 26 seconds later.

Davis sank another 3-pointer with 1:14 left to give The Rock an 80-72 advantage. His two free throws with 48 seconds left hiked the lead to 82-75 and sealed the deal.

“We couldn't stop them when we needed to,” Rukavina said.

SRU placed four players in double figures for the 11th time this season. Maurice Lewis-Briggs had 17 points and eight rebounds, Antonio Butler 16 points, six rebounds and three assists off the bench, Kelvin Dixon 14 points, Tabari Perry 10 points.

Davis had nine points, six assists and no turnovers.

“In a game like this, six assists and no turnovers mean a lot,” Reynolds said.

Saturday's win, coupled with California's 69-67 loss at Edinboro, clinches a PSAC playoff berth for The Rock. It's the fifth time in Reynolds' six seasons that SRU has qualified for postseason play.

Ian Vescovi paced UPJ with 23 points. Butler graduate Nate Snodgrass had six points, two assists and no turnovers in 30 minutes of action.

Prior to the game, Perry received the annual “Pops” Knauss Memorial Basketball Scholarship.

Pitt-Johnstown 76, SRU 60 (women) — The Rock (4-18, 1-11) dropped its fifth straight despite rallying from a 12-point deficit to tie the game at 49 with 12:10 to play.

UPJ's Leah Hansen drained a trey with 10:33 left to break the deadlock and The Rock never pulled even again.

“That's what they do, shoot 3-pointers,” SRU coach Tanya Longo said. “We didn't defend that well enough. It's not as hard to get out and contest as it may look.”

The Mountain Cats (8-14, 5-7) attempted 29 treys. They and put the game away at the foul line, sinking seven of eight free throws in the final 54 secons. UPJ sank 11 treys on the day, Hansen, Kayla DeCriscio and Nicole Carman accounting for 10 of them.

Carmen paced four Mountain Cats in double figures with 19 points.

Pitt-Johnstown allows 81.8 points per game.

“We only scored 60,” Longo said. “It's a matter of making shots. We had open looks. We got the shots we wanted all day and couldn't put the ball in the basket. That's frustrating.”

D'Asia Chambers led SRU with 16 points and had six rebounds, but also turned the ball over 11 times. The Rock had 20 turnovers as a team. Jazmyne Frost had 12 points and eight boards.

SRU shot 32 percent from the field and sank only four of 19 3-point shots.

Men

PITT-JOHNSTOWN 77

Bill Luther 4-8 2-2 13, Ian Vescovi 9-14 5-7 23, Nate Snodgrass 2-7 2-2 6, Matt Palo 4-9 3-4 11, Paul Weatherly 3-5 2-4 9, Adam Shaheen 3-5 2-4 9, Jake Laravie 2-4 0-0 5, Rasaun Mosley 0-1 0-0 0, A.J. Leahey 0-6 1-2 1. Totals: 27-59 17-25 77.

SLIPPERY ROCK 88

Maurice Lewis-Briggs 6-17 5-5 17, Tabari Perry 3-4 2-2 10, Kelvin Dixon 3-6 7-7 14, Josh Martin 2-4 0-0 5, Sa'Quan Davis 2-4 3-4 9, Maxx Rynd 2-4 0-0 5, Jordan Grady 0-0 0-0 0, Matej Delinac 1-4 0-0 3, Antonio Butler 5-8 4-4 16, Cornelius Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Erik Raleigh 4-7 1-1 9. Totals: 28-58 22-23 88.

Pitt-Johnstown 35 42 — 77

Slippery Rock41 47 — 88

3-point goals: Luther 3, Weatherly, Shaheen, Laravie; Perry 2, Dixon, Martin, Davis 2, Rynd, Delinac, Butler 2

Wednesday: SRU at Mercyhurst, 7:30 p.m.

Women

PITT-JOHNSTOWN 76

Jasmine Harper 4-8 6-8 14, Rachel Johnson 0-4 2-2 2, Kelsey Sleighter 5-11 0-0 11, Leah Hansen 5-11 1-1 15, Kayla DeCriscio 3-7 0-0 9, Olivia Rizzo 0-1 0-0 0, Grace Hyland 0-0 0-0 0, Dominique Smith 0-4 0-0 0, Nicole Carman 7-16 2-2 19, Inaya Stephenson 3-3 0-0 6. Totals: 27-65 11-13 76.

SLIPPERY ROCK 60

Jazmyne Frost 3-7 6-9 12, D'Asia Chambers 6-18 2-5 16, Katie Rathman 0-0 0-0 0, Erica Aiello 2-10 0-2 5, Megan Hardiman 3-11 2-2 8, Aidan Geise 3-9 0-0 7, Kara Houppert 3-4 2-2 8, Danielle Garroutte 1-4 2-2 4, Rebecca Olkosky 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 21-64 14-22 60.

Pitt-Johnstown 42 34 — 76

Slippery Rock33 27 — 60

3-point goals: Sleighter, Hansen 4, DeCriscio 3, Carman 3; Chambers 2, Aiello, Geise

Wednesday: SRU at Mercyhurst, 5:30 p.m.