• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (Jan. 7) – Behind a three-pointer by junior guard Keith Lowe (Columbus, Ohio/Centennial) with 17.2 seconds remaining, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team erased a 12-point halftime deficit on Saturday night to claim a 61-59 victory against West Chester in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover play at the Convocation Center.

With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 9-7 overall with a 5-3 mark in league crossover action. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams drop to 6-6 this season behind a 3-5 record in conference play.

Senior forward Steve Swiech (Greenock, Pa./Elizabeth-Forward) scored a team-high 16 points after making six-of-nine from the floor and four-of-eight from the free-throw line. He also registered four rebounds (three offensive) and two blocks in the victory.

Freshman Jeremy Posey (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) finished with 12 points – all in the second half – and posted four rebounds and four blocks off the bench. Classmate Tynell Fortune (Harlem, N.Y./Pocono Mountain West (Pa.)) added seven points and led the team with six assists while playing a season-high 27 minutes off the bench. Lowe, who entered the game averaging 14.0 points in four games, was limited to a season-low five points and five rebounds.

After West Chester stretched its lead to 14 points early in the second half, Cal U mounted a 19-7 run over eight minutes to cut the deficit to 46-44 on a three-pointer by Posey with 10:02 remaining. The Golden Rams responded with six-straight points before the Vulcans trimmed the deficit to 55-54 after five-straight points by Posey with 3:53 left in the game. With West Chester leading 59-56, Swiech made a layup to cut the lead to 59-57 at the 1:57-mark.

After the Golden Rams turned the ball over with 40.2 seconds remaining, Lowe gave the Vulcans their first lead of the game with the go-ahead three-pointer with 17.2 seconds. Posey blocked the ensuing West Chester shot, but the Golden Rams earned possession of the ball underneath the basket with 6.0 seconds remaining. The buzzer-beater attempt by West Chester fell short of the rim to give Cal U its second two-point win as many nights.

The Vulcans finished the game shooting 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from the field, while shooting only 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from beyond the arc. In comparison, the Golden Rams made 34.0 percent (18-of-53) from the floor and 33.3 percent (5-of-15) from long range. Despite being out-rebounded, Cal U out-scored West Chester 34-16 from inside the paint and committed a season-best 13 turnovers.

West Chester freshman Corey Blake posted a double-double in the loss with 13 points and 13 rebounds (seven offensive), while junior Jon Breedon finished with 13 points, six assists and three steals.

Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 11, when it opens divisional play at rival IUP, who holds a two-game lead in the league standings. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex. Live stats of the game will be available by clicking here.