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Box Score
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Feb. 4) – Freshman forward
Kelsey Williams (Sandusky, Ohio/Sandusky) scored a season-high 21 points on Wednesday, as the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team suffered a 74-58 loss to Slippery Rock University at the Morrow Field House in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.
With their fourth-straight loss, the Vulcans fall to 10-9 overall and 3-4 in league action. Meanwhile, The Rock improves to 13-7 and 4-3 in divisional action.
Williams scored a team-high 21 points after making 9-of-14 attempts from the free-throw line and 6-of-16 shots from the field. The 6-7 forward also collected a team-high eight rebounds (six offensive), four blocks and two assists. In 18 games this season, he leads the team with 5.3 rebounds per game and ranks second on the squad with 10.4 points per game.
Juniors
Jerial Nixon (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain Admiral King/Lakeland C.C. (Ohio)) and
Tanyen Pearson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Withrow/Colby C.C. (Kan.)) each finished with eight points. Senior guards
Jesse Brooks (Severn, Md./Archbishop Spalding/Maryland Eastern Shore) and
Kenny Johnson (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls/Ferrum (Va.)/CCBC) both added seven points. Brooks also had six rebounds and three assists.
Trailing 6-0 to start the game, Cal U scored 10-unanswered points to take a 10-6 lead on a lay-up by Brooks with 15:56 remaining. Slippery Rock evened the contest at 17-17 before mounting a 13-2 rally to claim a 30-19 lead with 7:57 left in the half. The Vulcans responded with a 9-2 run to trim the deficit to 32-28 on a jumper by Pearson with 4:37 remaining. The Rock scored nine-straight points to take a 41-28 halftime lead after scoring 17 points off turnovers in the opening half.
In the opening minutes of the second half, the Vulcans cut the deficit into single-digits, 46-38 when Williams scored four-straight points with 15:55 remaining. Cal U eventually trimmed the deficit to six points, 57-51, when Johnson drilled a jumper and 9:29 left in the game. Slippery Rock then scored eight-straight points to take a 65-51 lead before expanding its lead to 16 points, 74-58, in the final minute of the game.
For the game, Cal U was limited to .368 shooting (21-of-57) from the field and made only 11-of-20 free-throw attempts (11-of-20). In comparison, Slippery Rock shot 51.7 percent (31-of-60) from the floor.
The Rock out-rebounded the Vulcans by a 42-33 margin and scored 38 points from inside the paint. Cal U forced 16 turnovers and registered six blocks, including four by Williams.
Cal U returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 7, when it travels to face PSAC-newcomer Gannon University in Erie, Pa. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
