• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (Nov. 27) – Despite a career-high 26 points by senior forward Mitchell Weedon (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora), the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team suffered a 90-88 loss to NAIA-member Wilberforce (Ohio) on Tuesday night at the Convocation Center.

With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 1-2 this season with the two losses being by a combined three points. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs improve to 4-5 overall after playing in the American Mideast Conference (AMC), which is now dissolved, last season with Carlow and Point Park.

Weedon finished with 26 points (16 second half) on 8-of-11 from the floor and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line. The Maryland native also totaled six rebounds (four offensive) and two assists on Tuesday. Weedon recorded the highest single-game point total by a Cal U player since Ron Banks scored 27 points against Millersville in the NCAA Tournament on March 18, 2008.

Sophomore guard Tynell Fortune (Harlem, N.Y./Pocono Mountain West (Pa.)) tied his career high with 19 points against Wilberforce. He made four-of-eight attempts from the field, including two-of-five from beyond the arc, and finished 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Fortune also registered four assists and two steals off the bench.

Senior Quentin Harding (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) added 17 points and six rebounds, while classmate Keith Lowe (Columbus, Ohio/Centennial) finished with 11 points, six assists and three steals.

Trailing 11-6 early in the game, the Vulcans mounted a 9-0 run over a three-minute span to take a 15-11 lead following a lay-up by Weedon with 12:29 left in the first half. Wilberforce rallied to tie the score with 7:58 remaining before taking a 22-20 lead on its next possession. Cal U then regained the lead on a three-pointer by Fortune and led by as many as six points, 35-29, with 2:12 left. However, the Bulldogs closed the first half on a 12-0 run to take a 41-35 lead into the break.

After Wilberforce made a three-pointer to open the second half, Cal U posted a 10-2 run capped by a three-pointer by freshman guard Jake Jacubec (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) to trim the deficit to 46-45 with 17:29 remaining. The Bulldogs countered by stretching the lead to nine points, 64-55, before the Vulcans responded with a 17-3 run over five-plus minutes to take a 72-67 lead on a pair of free-throws by Weedon with 7:12 left to play. Wilberforce answered with a 10-3 run to take a 77-75 lead before Cal U took its last lead of the game, 78-77, on a three-pointer by Fortune with 4:04 remaining.

The Bulldogs led by as many as eight points, 86-78, in the final minute before making just four-of-seven free-throws to allow the Vulcans to cut the deficit to 89-87 on a three-pointer by Lowe with 12.3 seconds left. Wilberforce made the first free-throw with 2.6 seconds left before Harding collected the rebound on the second attempt and was fouled on a three-quarter length shot with just 0.2 seconds remaining. Harding just missed the first free-throw before converting the second attempt. Cal U was unable to collect the rebound following the intentional miss on the third free-throw attempt by Harding.

After shooting almost 63 percent in the second half, Cal U finished the game making 51.0 percent (26-of-51) from the floor and 80.0 percent (32-of-40) from the free-throw line. In comparison, Wilberforce shot at a 49.2 clip (29-of-59), including 43.8 percent (14-of-32) from beyond the arc with nine first-half three-pointers. Both teams finished with 32 rebounds with the Vulcans scoring 28 points from in the paint.

Bulldog senior Darius Foster led all scorers with 38 points, the highest single-game total by an opposing player in recent program history. He shot 12-of-25 from the floor, including 6-of-14 from long range, and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Junior guard Rachaun Thompson added 18 points and six assists in the win.

The Vulcans open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover play this weekend with two road games, beginning Saturday, Dec. 1, against West Chester at 3 p.m.