SLIPPERY ROCK — A new philosophy has engulfed the Slippery Rock University men's basketball program.

Similar results are anticipated.

The Rock opens its 2019-20 season as part of the Joe Retton Classic Friday night in Fairmont, W.Va., taking on Notre Dame (Ohio). The previously transfer-heavy program only has seven such players among its roster of 16.

“We want to start building from within,” second-year coach Ian Grady said. “We want a balance of classes — freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors — every year.”

SRU is picked to finish second to Indiana (Pa.) in the PSAC West preseason coaches poll. The Rock was 19-10 overall, 16-5 in PSAC play, last year as Grady took over as interim head coach while Kevin Reynolds was placed on administrative leave.

Grady was named permanent head coach late last season.

“There's more regularity to the start of this season,” Grady admitted. “There's no uncertainty, less stress involved.”

Mars resident Bobby McGraw returns for his sixth year as coach of the SRU women's team. The Rock is coming off a 12-16 season and is picked to finish seventh in the PSAC West preseason poll.

The Rock women are part of the PSAC-CIAA Challenge and open the season Friday against Johnson C. Smith in Elizabeth City, N.C.

“We need to play with more consistency this year,” McGraw said. “I believe this is the season we can shock the PSAC.

“Slippery Rock hasn't hosted a PSAC Tournament game in 20 years. We want to put an end to that.”

Both Rock teams bring back plenty of experience. The men have eight returning players, seven of whom played in at least 18 games a year ago. They will be without standout senior forward Micah Till for a while, however.

The 6-foot-7, 250-pound Till — who averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds last year — is not eligible to play until Dec. 15.

“He played a season of football at North Carolina State, so he only has a semester of eligibility left,” Grady said. “That's an NCAA ruling. His grades are good (3.0 grade point average), so it has nothing to do with that.”

Senior guard Jared Thompson averaged 16.4 points per game last year and sophomore point guard Amante Britt became the first SRU freshman to start 29 games last season.

Lashon Lindsey, a 6-8 forward, an all-state player and Meadville's all-time leading scorer, along with Mars graduate and guard Brandon Caruso, are among the freshmen on the SRU roster.

“Brandon is a hard worker and I can see him being a contributor for us down the road,” Grady said. “I don't expect him to be a red-shirt. He should get some minutes.”

McGraw is counting on three veteran senior starters — forwards Brooke Hinderliter and Karns City graduate LeeAnn Gibson, and guard Madison Johnson — to lead the way this year.

Hinderliter averaged 18.3 points per game a season ago and has 1,201 career points. Johnson averaged 8.6 ppg., Gibson 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest.

After an early-season injury, Gibson started 16 of her team's final 19 games.

“LeeAnn is one of the steadiest players I've ever coached,” McGraw said. “She's always gonna get a bunch of rebounds, shoot 50 percent from the floor, 75 percent from the line.

“We are counting on her for more offense this year. She's been working on her jump shot and she has the green light from beyond the arc.”

Caroline Gibson, a 5-5 freshman guard, is Laurel High School's all-time leader with 1,214 points, 314 assists and 316 steals. Lindsay Frabotta, a New Castle graduate, averaged 16 points and 9.1 rebounds per game her senior year.

“Frabotta is stuck behind some veteran seniors at forward, so Caroline Gibson has a better chance of seeing ample minutes,” McGraw said. “She's pushing her way into the point guard rotation.

“Our league is absolutely loaded this year. But we upset No. 10 California last year, beat Mercyhurst by 30 .... We're capable of beating anyone in this league.”

The Rock men will make their home debut Tuesday against Penn State-Shenango at 7:30 p.m.

The Rock women open their home season Nov. 23 against Shippensburg at 1 p.m.