• Box Score

CLARION, Pa. (Feb. 11) – For the first time in two years, the No. 23 California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team lost back-to-back games after falling 93-83 to Clarion on Thursday evening at the Tippin Gymnasium in Pennsylvania State Atheltic Conference (PSAC) West action.

With its second-straight loss, the Vulcans drop to 16-6 overall this season and third place in league standings with a 6-3 mark in divisional play. Entering play on Thursday night, Cal U remained in second place in the latest NCAA Atlantic Regional rankings. Meanwhile, Clarion improves to 12-10 overall and 3-6 in conference play this year.

Junior Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) posted her seventh-consecutive double-double behind team-high totals of 23 points and 13 rebounds (seven offensive). The 5-11 forward added five assists, three steals and three blocks in the loss. Smith finished with her fifth 20-point the year after shooting 9-of-14 from the floor and four-of-eight from the free-throw line.

Guards Brooque Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry) and Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) finished with 21 and 19points, respectively. Williams added seven rebounds (five offensive), four assists and four steals on Thursday. In her 11th career start, Michael established a career high with 19 points behind five-of nine shooting from beyond the arc.

The trio of Smith, Williams and Michael combined to score over 75 percent of the Vulcans' points in the game, as the remainder of the team combined to score only 21 points.

Trailing by 18 points with five minutes left in the game, the Vulcans mounted a furious 21-5 rally over a four-plus minute stretch to cut the deficit to 85-83 with 1:10 remaining. During the run, Cal U shot 8-of-10 from the floor and Smith scored seven of her 10 second-half points. The Golden Eagles stopped the run with a jumper by sophomore guard Rachel Graeff before shooting six-of-six from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the win.

All five of Clarion's starters scored in double figures, led by a season- and game-high 31 points by senior guard Lizzie Suwala. Senior Bethany Koch finished with 21 points, while Graeff added 19 points, six rebounds and eight assists.

The two teams shot similar percentages from the floor and beyond the arc, but the difference in the game was at the free-throw line. The Golden Eagles made 81.0 percent (17-of-21) from the charity stripe, including 77.8 percent (14-of-18) in the second half. Meanwhile, the Vulcans shot only 40.9 percent (9-of-22) for the game from the free-throw line.

Clarion also out-rebounded Cal U by a 47-39 margin with 19 offensive rebounds. In the loss, the Vulcans collected 15 steals and forced the Golden Eagles into 25 turnovers.

The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Feb. 13, when they travel to face Lock Haven at 1 p.m.

Notes:
Cal U last loss back-to-back games in February 2008, falling to IUP (2/2) and Edinboro (2/6) at home before losing at Clarion (2/9) … The game against the Golden Eagles was originally scheduled for yesterday, Feb. 10, but was postponed due to winter weather and road conditions.