• Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Jan. 26) – Behind a 16-3 run to start the second half, the Vulcans earned a 68-45 victory against Slippery Rock on Wednesday evening at Morrow Field House in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team improves to 13-4 overall and 4-1 in divisional play. The Vulcans have also now won the last 18 meetings against The Rock since the 2002-03 season with 13 of the victories being by double-digits. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock falls to 2-15 this season and remains winless in league action at 0-5.

Junior forward Amy Johns (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) finished with a game-high 20 points on six-of-nine shooting from the floor and seven-of-eight from the free-throw line. She now has scored at least 20 points seven times this season and ranks among the conference leaders with a career-high 16.5 points per game. The McKeesport native also added four rebounds, two steals and two blocks on Wednesday.

Senior forward Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins), who entered the week leading NCAA Division II in rebounding, posted another double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds (four offensive). She made 7-of-12 attempts from the floor and four-of-six from the charity stripe, while collecting three steals against The Rock.

Sophomore guard Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) established a season high with 15 points after shooting six-of-nine from the field, including three-of-six from beyond the arc. Junior guard Danielle Luckett (Chicago, Ill./James Hubert Blake (Md.)) and freshman forward Elena Antonenko (Moscow, Russia/State University of Physical Education) each finished with seven rebounds, while Luckett added a team-high five assists.

Both teams struggled to find a rhythm offensively early, as Cal U led 11-9 after nearly nine minutes of action. The Vulcans then scored six-straight points to take their largest lead of the first half at 17-9 with 9:28 left before halftime. Slippery Rock responded with a 14-5 run to take its final lead of the game, 23-21, with 1:59 remaining in the first half. Cal U eventually took a 29-26 lead into halftime with Johns scoring 16 of her 20 points in the first half.

Cal U took control of the game after the break, scoring 12-unanswered points to take a 41-26 lead on a trey by Michael at the 16:55-mark. Leading 45-33, the Vulcans scored seven-straight points to increase their lead to 19 points, 52-33, with 9:28 remaining. After the two teams traded baskets, Cal U maintained at least a 19-point lead for the rest of the game and stretched its lead to as many 23 points twice.

For the game, Cal U shot 45.5 percent (25-of-55) from the field and 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from long range. In comparison, Slippery Rock made 34.8 percent (16-of-46) of its shots from the floor and 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from beyond the arc with no treys after halftime after making five-of-seven in the first half.

The Vulcans dominated on the glass and in the paint, out-rebounding The Rock by a 45-27 margin and out-scoring them 26-12 from in close. Cal U also forced Slippery Rock into 20 turnovers, collecting 11 steals and scoring 22 points off turnovers.

Junior forward Danielle Smith led Slippery Rock with 17 points on 7-of-18 shooting, while junior guard Marlynda Harland added 13 points and five rebounds in the loss. Junior Sherita Stanley also finished in double-figure scoring with 10 points and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.

The Vulcans return to Hamer Hall on Saturday, Jan. 29, when they host Lock Haven at 5 p.m. The game is one of two Cal U home games this season scheduled to broadcast live on Pittsburgh CW (Ch. 15/808 Comcast; Ch. 12/713 Atlantic Broadband, Ch. 19/110 Armstrong). Live stats of the game will also be available by clicking here.