• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (Jan. 9) – Senior forward Rashawd Hatten (Clairton, Pa./Clairton) had 11 points, including a free-throw to seal the game with two seconds remaining, to help lead the Vulcans to a 68-64 victory over visiting East Stroudsburg in the final game of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover action.

The California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team improves to 7-4 on the season and now turns it attention to the PSAC West. The Warriors fall to 7-5 this year and will begin PSAC East play on Wednesday, Jan. 12.

Junior forward Steve Swiech (Greenock, Pa./Elizabeth-Forward) led Cal U in scoring for the fourth-straight time, as the 6-9 Akron transfer tallied a game-high 17 points. Swiech was joined in double-digits by Hatten and sophomore guard Quentin Harding (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport), who added 10 points.

Junior forward John Williams (Baltimore, Md./Mervo) added eight points and a team-best five rebounds with classmate Chad Tipton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) also adding eight points.

The two teams played to an even first half that ended tied at 29-29. The first eight-plus minutes of the second half saw neither team take a lead of more than four points before Cal U went on a 12-0 run which started with a jumper by sophomore guard Ryne Niemiec (Brownsville, Pa./Beth-Center) and was capped off with a Niemiec fastbreak layup with 7:55 remaining.

With the Vulcans leading 65-54 with 6:02 left in the game, the Warriors scored four-straight points before Hatten stopped the run with a pair of free-throws. East Stroudsburg hit a three-pointer on its ensuing possession and a free-throw at the 2:44-mark before making it a one-possession game in the final minute, 67-64. The Warriors then committed a pair of turnovers before Hatten sealed the victory with two seconds left.

Cal U posted one of its best shooting performances of the season, making 54.3 percent (25-of-46) from the field and 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from the free-throw line. In comparison, East Stroudsburg shot at a 44.1 clip (26-of-59) from the floor and just 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from the charity stripe.

The Warriors out-rebounded the Vulcans by a 33-28 margin, while the Vulcans scored half of their 68 points from inside the paint. Cal U also forced East Stroudsburg into 19 turnovers with six players collecting at least one steal. The Vulcans collected 15 assists on 25 field-goals led by four assists from junior guards CJ Townes (Joppatowne, Md./Joppatowne) and Freddy Appiah (Toronto, Ontario/Ascension of Our Lord).

Senior Mike Tobin and sophomore Terrance King led the Warriors with 13 points each with Tobin pulling in a game-high eight rebounds.

Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 12, when it begins PSAC West play at home against Edinboro at 8 p.m. Live stats will be available by clicking here.