• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (Feb. 22) – Freshman Emma Mahady (Albury, Australia/Xavier) scored a career-high 16 points on Wednesday evening, as the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team posted a 93-63 victory over Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at the Convocation Center.

With its fifth-straight win, the Vulcans improve to 17-8 overall and 14-7 in league play. Having already clinched a spot in next week's PSAC Tournament, Cal U secured the fourth seed in the PSAC West by virtue of Wednesday's results. Meanwhile, Clarion drops to 7-18 on the year and 6-15 in conference action.

Mahady, who previously scored a career-high 12 points twice, posted a game-high 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor on Wednesday. She also collected four rebounds and three assists while making her fifth-straight start.

Senior guard Danielle Luckett (Chicago, Ill./James Hubert Blake (Md.)) finished with 15 points, three assists and six steals in the win. Fellow senior Amy Johns (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) was limited to 13 points on 5-of-16 attempts after scoring at least 19 points in each of the previous seven games.

Freshmen Selena Adamshick (Harveys Lake, Pa. /Lake Lehman) and Chelsea McKnight (Grove City, Ohio/Harvest Prep) both finished with nine points and McKnight added six steals, while senior Nakia DeBlanc (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) and sophomore Elena Antonenko (Moscow, Russia/State University of Physical Education) each added eight points and combined for 10 rebounds off the bench.

After being down four points early in the game, Cal U went on a 12-2 rally to take a 12-6 lead on a jumper by Luckett at the 14:33-mark. The Golden Eagles answered with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 14-14 with 10:43 remaining. Over the next two minutes, the Vulcans mounted a 12-4 rally to take a 26-18 lead on a jumper by DeBlanc with 8:34 left in the half. After a Clarion jumper, Cal U scored 10-unaswered points to take a 36-20 lead with just over six minutes remaining in the half.  The Golden Eagles countered with a 7-0 run at the 4:28-mark to cut the lead to 36-27 before a last-second jumper by Mahady ended the first half with Cal U leading 44-35.

In the opening three-plus minutes, the Vulcans took a 53-39 lead on a jumper by Luckett at the 16:37-mark. Leading 57-44, Cal U scored eight-straight points to take a 65-44 lead on a jumper by Mahady with 12:22 remaining. Clarion then posted a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 12 points, 65-53, with 9:20 left in the game. The Vulcans answered with a 12-2 run to extend their lead to a commanding 22 points, 77-55, before stretching it to as many as 32 points, 93-61, in the final minute.  

Scoring a season-high 93 points, Cal U shot 46.8 percent (36-of-77) from the field and 79.2 percent (19-of-24) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Clarion shot 36.1 percent (22-of-61) from floor and 60.9 percent (14-of-23) from the charity stripe. The Golden Eagles held a 48-40 advantage on the glass, while Vulcans committed a season-low eight turnovers and scored 28 points off turnovers.

Clarion freshman Hannah Heeter recorded her 12th double-double of the season, posting 14 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Raven Jones finished with eight points and seven assists in the losing effort.

The Vulcans conclude the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 25, when they travel to face No. 2 Edinboro at 1 p.m. Cal U will make a second trip in four days to Edinboro on Tuesday, Feb. 28, when it faces the Fighting Scots in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament.