• Box Score
• Photo Gallery

CALIFORNIA (Nov. 11) – Senior guard Chad Tipton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) scored a team-high 19 points and tied his career high with five three-pointers on Friday night, as the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team posted an 84-74 season-opening victory over Lincoln (Pa.) at Hamer Hall in the first day of the WJS Psychological Associates Conference Challenge.

The Vulcans have won their season-opener in back-to-back years and seven times in the last nine campaigns. The game was part of a two-day conference challenge hosted by Cal U between the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), marking the first home tip-off tournament at Hamer Hall since the 2004-05 season.

Tipton finished with 19 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field, including five-of-nine from beyond the arc, and four-of-four from the charity stripe. The 6-5 senior made four of his three-pointers during the first half and finished the game with a team-high six rebounds.

Junior forward Mitchell Weedon (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) posted 16 points on seven-of-nine attempts in his debut with the Vulcans. True freshman guard Tynell Fortune (Harlem, N.Y./Pocono Mountain West (Pa.)) scored 13 points off the bench in his college debut, while sophomore forward Chris Williams (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) added 12 points off the bench in his first game at Cal U.

Leading 18-15 midway through the first half, the Vulcans mounted an 18-2 run over a five-minute span to take their largest lead of the game at 36-17. During the run, Cal U made forced Lincoln into turnovers on four-straight possession and senior guard CJ Townes (Joppatowne, Md./Joppatowne) capped the drive with a lay-up with 5:38 left before halftime. The Lions responded with a 16-3 run, capped by a three-pointer at the buzzer, to cut the deficit to 39-33 at the break.

Lincoln claimed its first lead of the game, 52-51, with 13:59 left in the second half after a fast-break layup capped a 10-2 run. The Vulcans would tie the contest two times before going on a 10-0 run over three-plus minutes to take a 67-60 lead on a pair of free-throws by Tipton with 6:13 remaining. Cal U led by only three points with 28 seconds left before Fortune connected on a pair of free-throws. The Vulcans then took a three-possession lead when junior guard Quentin Harding (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) made a layup after grabbing the offensive rebound on a missed free-throw with only 12 seconds remaining, 82-74.

Cal U finished the game shooting 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the field, including 45.5 percent from three-point territory (10-of-22). The Vulcans held a sizeable 39-23 advantage on the glass over the Lions and scored 21 second-chance points on 17 offensive rebounds.

Senior guard Denzel Mooney scored a game-high 22 points in the losing effort, while sophomore George Jackson posted 15 points, five assists and four steals before fouling out.

The Vulcans continue play in the PSAC-CIAA Conference Challenge tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 12, when they host Virginia Union in Hamer Hall at 7:30 p.m. Live stats will be available by clicking here.