• Box Score

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (Nov. 19) – Despite a combined 30 points by forwards Kelsey Williams (Sandusky, Ohio/Sandusky) and Andrew Young (Philadelphia, Pa./Cheltenham), the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team suffered a 94-66 season-opening loss to Bloomfield (N.J.) in the first day of the Alaska Invitational, hosted by Alaska Fairbanks.

In his first game with the Vulcans, Young scored a team-high 16 points on six-of-eight shooting. Kelsey Williams finished with 14 points and five rebounds, while junior transfer Rashawd Hatten (Clairton, Pa./Clairton) scored eight points off the bench.

With the game tied at 7-7, Cal U made six-straight shots to take a 21-16 lead on a jumper by Kelsey Williams with 13:11 left in the first half. The Vulcans maintained their lead until the Deacons took the lead after mounting a 17-2 rally over a 10-plus minute span. During the Bloomfield run, Cal U missed 11 consecutive shots and committed eight turnovers. The Vulcans stopped the scoring drought with a three-pointer by junior transfer point guard Travis Williams (Raleigh, N.C./Word of God Christian Academy) with 43 seconds remaining in the first half.

The Deacons took a 43-29 lead into halftime and quickly increased their lead to 24 points, 57-33, with a 14-4 run in the first four minutes of the second half. Cal U cut the deficit to as few as 20 points, 65-45, on a lay-up by junior guard Joe Berenato (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) with 12:28 left in the game.

Bloomfield was led by 35 points from junior guard Gage Daye, who surpassed the 1,000-point plateau in the win. Daye was the only Deacon to score in double figures, but eight other players finished with at least five points.

For the game, Cal U shot 45.5 percent (25-of-55) from the floor and 81.3 percent (13-of-16) from the free-throw line. After shooting over 67 percent in the second half, Bloomfield finished the game with a .569 field-goal percentage (37-of-65) and .867 free-throw percentage (13-of-15).

The Deacons held a plus-17 advantage on the glass (39-22) and scored 17 second-chance points after collecting 16 offensive rebounds. In the loss, the Vulcans collected nine steals and scored 22 points off turnovers.

Cal U continues play at the Alaska Invitational tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 20, when they face Dominican (N.Y.) at 9:15 p.m. Eastern time.