SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The men's basketball team went on a late scoring run in the second half that helped the Huskies cut a double-digit deficit to just four points in the closing minute of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) against Slippery Rock on Monday. The deficit was too much to overcome for the Huskies, however, as their comeback attempt fell short and the team lost to Slippery Rock by a final tally of 60-52.
 
An early lead that The Rock (9-1, 3-1 PSAC) was able to build on in the second half put SRU up 54-39 over the Huskies (0-8, 0-4 PSAC) with just over four minutes to play. But over the course of the next three-and-a-half minutes, Bloomsburg went on a 13-2 scoring run to make the game 56-52 with 1:07 remaining. The scoring run was sparked by Dylan Harris (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia), who knocked down a pair of threes to go along with a layup and a steal during that span.
 
Harris' final three-pointer capped off the scoring run and forced a timeout with just over a minute left to play. On the ensuing possession, Bloomsburg looked to force a turnover with an extended 3-2 trap, and the stingy defense forced a wild shot in the paint by Slippery Rock with just over 30 seconds left. The Rock's field goal attempt missed, but Khalid Gates was there for SRU to clean the glass and score on a second-chance opportunity. The Rock held Bloomsburg on the next possession and then knocked down a pair of free throws to make it an eight-point game.
 
Harris was one of three Bloomsburg players to finish in double figures as he had 11 points in 19 minutes of play. Cam Villarouel (Cumming, GA/State College (PA)) was the team's leading scorer with 13 points, and the sophomore recorded 11 of those points in the second half. Villarouel was 2-2 from three-point range in the second half to go along with seven total rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block.
 
Jake Nelson (West Chester, Pa./West Chester Rustin) recorded his third double-double of the season as he brought down 10 rebounds and scored 10 points. Ash Kemble (Myerstown, Pa./Fork Union Military Academy) and Matt Bengel (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) each scored six points.
 
The Huskies were held to a 34.5% (19-55) field goal percentage in the contest, but Bloomsburg held SRU to a 31.4% (22-70) shooting percentage and a total of 60 points, which was The Rock's second-lowest scoring total of the season.
 
The defensive battle saw a tight, low-scoring affair take place for much of the first half as the score was 12-10 in favor of Slippery Rock with 11:46 to play. The Rock, however, went on an 11-2 scoring run to gain its first double-digit lead of the game. Slippery Rock's lead was cut to eight in the closing minute of the half after a Harris three with 32 seconds, and SRU went into half with a 30-22 lead.
 
Bloomsburg made it a two-possession game early on in the second half, but Slippery Rock then went on a 15-2 run over the next eight minutes to go up 49-31 with 8:36 left to play. The contest remained a double-digit game until Bloomsburg went on its late scoring run.
 
The Huskies will have off until next Friday, Dec. 30, which is when the team hosts Edinboro (3-6, 1-3 PSAC). The game is scheduled to tip off at 3:00 PM.