• Box Score

CLARION, Pa. (Jan. 25) – Seniors Steve Swiech (Greenock, Pa./Elizabeth-Forward) and Chad Tipton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) each scored a team-high 13 points and were two of six players to reach double-digits on Wednesday night, as the Vulcans posted a 76-63 win against Clarion at Tippin Gymnasium in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team improves to 11-8 overall and is now tied with Clarion for fourth place in the divisional standings with an 8-5 league record. Meanwhile, Clarion drops to 12-7 this year.

Tipton finished with 13 points after shooting 5-of-10 from the floor, including three-of-five from beyond the arc, while leading the team with 31 minutes off the bench. Swiech posted 13 points on six-of-nine attempts and six rebounds while playing 23 minutes.

Juniors Quentin Harding (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) and Travon Vann (Frederick, Md./St. John's Catholic Prep) both scored all 10 of their points in the second half. Vann shot three-of-six from the field and four-of-four from the free-throw line while adding three assists and two steals. Harding made three-of-five from the floor, including a pair of three-pointers, and collected three rebounds off the bench.

Freshman forward Jeremy Posey (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) tied his season high with 22 minutes off the bench, scoring 10 points and tallying five rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Fellow freshman Tynell Fortune (Harlem, N.Y./Pocono Mountain West (Pa.)) scored 11 points after making seven-of-eight from the free-throw line and set a season high with seven assists.

After shooting over 57 percent in the second half, the Vulcans finished the game making 46.6 percent (27-of-58) from the field and a season-high 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from beyond the arc. In comparison, the Golden Eagles made 39.3 percent (22-of-56) from the floor and 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from three-point territory.

Trailing at halftime, the Vulcans scored five points in the first minute of second half to take a 37-34 lead following a traditional three-point play by junior forward Mitchell Weedon (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora). Clarion regained the lead after mounting a 12-5 run over four-plus minutes to take a 46-41 lead at the 14:41-mark. Cal U countered with a 17-2 rally behind a combined 13 points by Harding and Posey to take a 58-48 lead with 8:51 remaining. The Golden Eagles trimmed the deficit to four points, 63-59, before the Vulcans scored nine-consecutive points capped by a Harding three-pointer with 2:12 left in the game.

Cal U was out-rebounded by a slim 38-35 margin with both teams scoring 32 points from inside the paint. The Vulcans held a staggering advantage in bench points, as their reserves scored 44 points on Wednesday, and committed a season-low 11 turnovers.

Senior Paul McQueen led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 21 points, while also adding nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Junior guard Calvin Edwards posted 12 points in the losing effort after shooting six-of-six from the free-throw line.

The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Jan. 28, when they host Mercyhurst on Alumni Day at 5 p.m. The game will broadcast live on Pittsburgh CW. Live stats of the game will be available by clicking here.