BOX SCORE

SAN DIEGO - Two baskets by Ashara Carrington (Marblehead, MA) in the game's final minute lifted Southern New Hampshire University to a 54-53 women's basketball victory over Slippery Rock University in the first round of the San Diego Surf N Slam at San Diego City College Friday afternoon.  The win snaps a three-game slide for the Penmen as they improve to 4-6.  SRU dropped to 4-6 on the season.

Alyssa Whitney (Somerville, MA) led the Penmen with 15 points, going 6-11 from the floor.  Carrington finished with six points, all in the second half, while Kristen Anderson (Hooksett, NH) drilled a pair of second half three-pointers and finished with six points.  Stephanie Houghton (Manchester, NH) totaled six points and handed out seven assists, while Julia Houghtaling (Franconia, NH) grabbed 11 rebounds and added five points.

Amanda Nero led all scorers with 19 points for Slippery Rock, but recorded just four points in the second half.

SNHU trailed 53-50 with 1:47 left following a conventional three-point play by SRU's KellyAnn Staudinger.  After the two teams traded empty possessions, Carrington would convert a layup with 52 seconds left to cut The Rock's lead to one.  Staudinger would miss for Slippery Rock and after Houghtaling grabbed the rebound, she got the ball to Houghton.  Houghton found Carrington all alone at the other end and another layup made it 54-53 with 19 seconds left.  Slippery Rock would call timeout but an attempt to regain the lead was off the mark and Houghton would grab the defensive rebound to end the game.

The Penmen trailed 29-25 at halftime but took their first lead of the period with just over 11 minutes to go on a three by Anderson.  Southern New Hampshire would lead by six three times in the final 20 minutes, the last with 6:47 left on a pair of Megan Smith (Smithfield, ME) free throws that made it 44-38.  From there The Rock would use a 10-4 spurt to tie the game at 48 on a Staudinger basket with just over three minutes to play.

Slippery Rock led 12-5 early but a 10-2 SNHU run capped by a Houghton basket with 6:12 before halftime gave the Penmen a 15-14 lead.  SRU would take a 27-18 lead with 38 seconds before the break on a Dana Stewart bucket, but five straight points by Whitney to close out the half made it 27-23 at the break.

The Rock outrebounded SNHU 34-32 and shot 43.2% compared to the Penmen's 35.8% effort from the floor, but committed 25 turnovers that led to 21 Southern New Hampshire points.

Southern New Hampshire returns to action on Saturday when it face the University of New Haven in the second round of the San Diego Surf N Slam.  Tipoff is slated for noon local time.