• Box Score

BOWIE, Md. (Dec. 6) – Facing one of the preseason favorites in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the Vulcans dropped an 84-75 contest to No. 20 Bowie State in non-conference action at the A.C. Jordan Arena on Tuesday night

With its second-straight loss, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team falls to 5-2 this season. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs improve to 4-1 this year after winning their home-opener.

Redshirt junior Travon Vann (Frederick, Md./St. John's Catholic Prep) and freshman Tynell Fortune (Harlem, N.Y./Pocono Mountain West (Pa.)) each scored a team-high 14 points on Tuesday. Making his first start of the year, Vann shot 4-of-11 from the field and made five-of-six from the free-throw line. Fortune finished with a season-high 14 points after making 12-of-14 attempts from the charity stripe. His 12 free-throws are the most in a game by a Vulcan since forward Ron Banks shot 12-of- 14 at Clarion in February 2008.

Senior Chad Tipton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) finished with 12 points, four rebounds and two steals in the loss. Senior guard CJ Townes (Joppatowne, Md./Joppatowne) and sophomore Chris Williams (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) both added nine points, while Williams led the team with a season-high eight rebounds off the bench.

Bowie State jumped out to a 13-5 lead in the opening five-plus minutes before stretching its lead to nine points, 17-8, with 12:13 left before the break. The Vulcans then mounted an 8-2 rally on a traditional three-point play by junior forward Mitchell Weedon (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) and back-to-back baskets by Tipton to the trim the deficit to 19-16 at the 10:03-mark. The Bulldogs later reclaimed a nine-point lead in the first half before the Vulcans cut the deficit to 38-37 at the break following a jumper by Vann.

The Vulcans took their first lead of the game in the opening seconds of the second half and quickly had a four-point lead, 42-38, after a three-point play by Townes with 19:40 remaining. Bowie State tied the game less than two minutes later before taking the final lead change of the game with 15:21 left in the second half. Trailing 61-53, Cal U scored seven-unanswered points to cut the deficit to one point, 61-60, following a layup by Townes with 9:09 remaining. The Bulldogs maintained the lead and stretched it to as many as 12 points, 78-66, at the 2:28-mark. The Vulcans later cut the deficit to 81-75 after Fortune made four free-throws following a technical foul with 39 seconds left.

Cal U was held to a season-low 36.5 percent (19-of-52) from the field and shot just 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from beyond the arc. However, the Vulcans continued to excel from the free-throw line, making a season-high 33 free-throws on 44 attempts (75.0 percent). In comparison, Bowie State made 50.0 percent (28-of-56) from the floor and converted only 56.4 percent (22-of-39) from the charity stripe. The Vulcans out-rebounded the Bulldogs by a slim 39-38 margin, but committed a season-high 25 turnovers that led to 33 points for Bowie State.

Senior guard Darren Clark led the Bulldogs with 28 points and added nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. Fellow senior Jay Gavin finished with 17 points and five assists, while junior Dameatric Scott posted 10 points before fouling out.

The Vulcans return to league play this weekend with a pair Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover games, starting Friday, Dec. 9, at Kutztown. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.