SALEM, W.Va. – The Salem University men's basketball team suffered a 79-51 loss to Slippery Rock at home, Saturday afternoon.
 
The Tigers drop to 8-5 after the loss, while Slippery Rock improves to 4-5.
 
Salem was outrebounded 40-28, as Slippery Rock grabbed 16 offensive boards, while the Tigers posted just eight offensive rebounds.
 
Slippery Rock forced the Tigers to 25 turnovers while Salem forced The Rock to 15 turnovers.
 
Salem struggled from the charity stripe as it was 42.9 percent (6-14), while Slippery Rock was 63.9 percent (12-19).
 
Junior Malique Ross and freshman Fonz Hale led the offensive for the Tigers as Ross netted a team-high 14 points with two rebounds and two assists, while Hale notched 13 points, two rebounds and one steal.
 
Senior Christopher Shields garnered 11 points and four rebounds to go along with one block as he was the only other Tiger to post double-digits.
 
The Tigers opened the game with six-straight turnovers, as Slippery rock started off on a 9-0 run with 16:18 left in the first half.
 
Hale connected with a shot from behind the arc at 11:50 in the first half to bring the Tigers within four, 13-9.
 
After a made basket by Slippery Rock, moments later Hale drove the lane and heaved a lob to senior Malik Toppin who hammered it home, as Slippery Rock led 15-11 with 11:24 left in the half.
 
Slippery Rock held a 33-20 lead with just 1:57 left in the first half, as the Tigers finished the half on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 33-26 at intermission.
 
In the second half, the Tigers cut the lead to six (39-33) with 17:24 remaining in the game as Ross laid it in, but this is as close as they would get for the remainder of play.
 
With 2:06 remaining in the second half, Slippery Rock held its largest lead of the game at 76-47.
 
Slippery Rock was led by Micah Till and John Warren who each posted a game-high 18 points.
 
The Tigers are back in action Wednesday as they host Ohio Eastern at 4:00 p.m. in T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.