SLIPPERY ROCK — On a chilly and gray late winter's day, the Slippery Rock High girls basketball team goes about the business at hand.

It's just like any other practice throughout the long season — and that's the point.

Slippery Rock coach Adrienne Orris speaks of Hopewell, the Rockets' opponent in the second round of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Butler High, but only in passing.

"I'll talk about Hopewell a little bit, but I won't mention them again," Orris said. "We're not going to change anything. We're going to come to play relaxed and have fun. That's what these girls have taught me. When we have fun, we've been successful."

Slippery Rock (23-2) won't fret about the Vikings' 26-1 record. The Rockets won't lose any sleep over the fact Hopewell was one of two teams to defeat them this season.

Instead, they will worry about what they are going to do, and little else.

"I've learned that if you try to change what you do every game, try to run different stuff on offense and defense at this point of the season, it's too much for high school players," Orris said.

What Slippery Rock will do is quite simple: rely on its six seniors, who have been through more than a few pressure-packed tussles in their career, and "play ball," Orris said.

When Hopewell and Slippery Rock met in December, the Rockets held a 42-41 advantage in the third quarter before the Vikings took the lead for good on the way to a 64-54 vicory.

Hopewell won 25 straight before a loss to New Castle in the WPIAL championship game.

Slippery Rock lost only one other game, a setback against Sharon that was ultimately avenged in the District 10 title game.

The Vikings, though, have had a renewed focus after losing in overtime to New Castle.

"Suffering that defeat put a bad taste in our mouth," said Hopewell coach Jeff Homziak. "It's kind of re-energized us. "

Hopewell easily handled Bellefonte 63-23 Saturday in its first-round state playoff game.

Senior Paige Alviani leads the Vikings in scoring with 18.9 points per game. Elise Farris, another senior, scores 15.5 points per contest and freshman Shatori Walker-Kimbrough pitches in 13 points per game.

It was Farris who keyed Hopewell's win over Slippery Rock in December.

"Her speed is one luxury that most teams don't have," Homziak said. "She's also one of our best defensive players on the floor. She always seems to come up with a big play when we need it."

For the first time this season, Slippery Rock will be an underdog.

Orris said that's just fine with her.

"I wouldn't expect us to be the favorite," Orris said. "We weren't even picked to win our district. We're still not even ranked in the state. We haven't been ranked all season and Hopewell has been ranked all year. That's fine. I'd rather be the underdog. We're in a position where there is no pressure on us."

Pressure hasn't really been a big factor for Slippery Rock all season, despite the fact the six seniors have played together for four years and realize the end is near — one way or another.

"We don't like to think about that, though," said senior guard Karly Rhoads.

Orris said she is amazed at how laid-back her team is.

"A lot of it is poise," Orris said.

Senior guard Ali Doyle said it might be a cliche, but the team doesn't think beyond the next possession, let alone the next game.

Nor do they think about the end.

"Getting over the first hump was going to be a be a big deal for us," Doyle said. "We really do just take it game by game and want it to just keep rolling."

SR-HOPEWELL STARTERS

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Slippery Rock (23-2)Player Ht. Pos. Yr. PpgKarly Rhoads 5-11 G Sr. 17.0Ali Doyle 5-4 G Sr. 3.6Kourtney Rhoads 5-9 G Sr. 14.2Adele Campbell 5-10 F Sr. 8.2Sarah Cessar 5-9 F Sr. 9.9

Hopewell (26-1)Player Ht. Pos. Yr. PpgAmanda Tocci 5-5 G Sr. 8.5Elise Farris 5-7 G Sr. 15.5Paige Alviani 5-7 F Sr. 18.9Samantha Fisher 5-9 F Sr. 4.5S. Walker-Kimbrough 5-11 F Fr. 13.0