ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Junior forward Tabari Perry (Cambridge, Md./Cambridge-South Dorchester HS) scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed six rebounds Sunday afternoon as NCAA Division II Slippery Rock University sank Division I Navy, 79-56, in men’s basketball exhibition action.
The Rock led virtually from the opening tip en route to the victory in the first of two preseason games they will play against Division I competition. The Green and White travel to the University of Michigan for an 8:30 p.m. game Friday.
Perry led a group of four Rock players who finished Sunday’s game with 10 or more points. Senior guard John Bayardelle (New York City, N.Y./Ramapo HS) had 14 points, senior forward Devin Taylor (New Castle/New Castle HS) finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds and senior center Luiz Santos (Sao Paulo, Brazil/College Avanco) had 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots.
As a team, The Rock shot the basketball very well as they ended the game with a 52% (29-56) efficiency with a respectable 29% (5-17) showing from 30-point range. SRU made 16 of 26 (62%) free throws.
The Rock also outrebounded the Midshipmen, 47-42, but were on the high end of a 16-13 turnover comparison.
Navy, which is coming off a 3-26 season last winter, shot a frigid 29% (19-66) from the field, hit 26% (6-23) of its 3-point shots and made 57% (12-21) of its free throws.
Kendall Knorr scored a team-high 12 points for the Midshipmen.
SRU closed out the first half of action Sunday on a 20-7 run and took a 41-20 lead into the intermission.
The Rock held its largest lead at 30 points, 58-28, with 13:21 left to play.
SRU, after visiting Michigan, will officially open its 2012-13 season with a Nov. 13 road game at NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional rival Ohio Valley University (W. Va.) before opening its home schedule with a 7 p.m. game Nov. 19 against La Roche College.
