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CALIFORNIA (Jan. 16) – The Vulcans engineered a 16-0 run in the second half to erase a 22-point deficit before suffering a 70-68 loss to No. 16 IUP on Wednesday night at the Convocation Center in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team falls to 6-8 overall with a 5-5 mark in league action. The Vulcans have now dropped six games this season by five points or less. Meanwhile, the Crimson Hawks improve to 12-2 this season behind an 8-2 record in conference play.

Sophomore Tynell Fortune (Harlem, N.Y./Pocono Mountain West (Pa.)) scored a team-high 12 points on four-of-seven attempts, including two-of-three from beyond the arc. Senior guard Keith Lowe (Columbus, Ohio/Centennial) was limited to 11 points – his lowest total since Nov. 27 – and led the team with five assists in the loss.

Senior Quentin Harding (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) finished with 10 points and five rebounds (six offensive), while freshman Jake Jacubec (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) scored 10 points off the bench.

IUP seized control of the game with a 23-3 run over six-plus minutes to take a 29-7 lead with 8:53 left in the first half. The Vulcans countered with a 10-0 rally to trim the deficit to 29-17 following a tip-in by Harding with 5:34 remaining. Cal U later entered halftime trailing 40-30 after Lowe made a three-pointer as time expired.

After the Vulcans made a jumper to open the second half, the Crimson Hawks stretched their lead to 51-36 with 14:51 left to play. Midway through the half, Cal U mounted a 16-0 run over six-plus minutes to take their first lead of the game at 63-61 following a jumper by Harding with 2:23 remaining. The Crimson Hawks answered with six-straight points before a three-pointer by Jacubec trimmed the deficit to 67-66 with 46 seconds left to play. The two teams traded a pair of free-throws before IUP took a 70-68 lead on another free-throw before Cal U missed a three-pointer from just across halfcourt as time expired.

The Vulcans finished the game shooting 43.4 percent (23-of-53) from the field after making seven three-pointers – their second-highest total of the year. Cal U also made 68.2 percent (15-of-22) from the free-throw line. In comparison, IUP converted 44.8 percent (26-of-58) from the floor and 85.7 percent (12-of-14) from the free-throw line.

Senior guard Scooter Renkin led IUP with 16 points and five rebounds, while junior Marcel Souberbielle added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.

The Vulcans continue PSAC West play on Saturday, Jan. 19, when they travel to face Gannon at the Hammermill Center in Erie, Pa., at 3 p.m.