• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (Jan. 8) – Behind five players scoring in double-figures, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team earned an 86-74 win against Mansfield on Wednesday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover action at the Convocation Center.

With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 6-8 overall behind a 5-2 mark at home. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers suffer their fourth-straight loss and fall to 2-12 this season.

Sophomore guard Jake Jacubec (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) scored a team-high 19 points on 6-of-10 from the floor and five-of-six from the free-throw line. He also totaled four assists while playing a team-high 36 minutes on Wednesday night. Jacubec has averaged 17.3 points over the last three games after being limited to a season-low two points on Dec. 21.

Junior Tynell Fortune (Harlem, N.Y./Pocono Mountain West (Pa.)) added 14 points and five assists off the bench, while classmate Arman Marks (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) finished with 13 points and six rebounds. Freshman Drew Cook (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls) scored a career-high 12 points while making a consecutive start and junior Alonzo Murphy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) totaled 10 points and six rebounds in the victory.

Trailing 20-17, the Vulcans closed the first half on a 14-7 run to take a 31-27 lead into the break. Cal U scored the opening basket of the second half before Mansfield mounted an 11-2 rally to take its final lead of the game at 38-35 with 15:06 left to play.

Cal U countered with eight-straight points to reclaim the lead at 43-38 with 13:35 remaining. After the teams traded baskets, the Vulcans recorded a 17-8 run behind nine points by Fortune to stretch the lead to 64-52 with 4:40 left in the game. Mansfield worked the deficit down to 76-72 in the final minute before Cal U sealed the victory with an 8-2 run, including six free-throws.

After shooting almost 58 percent in the second half, Cal U finished the game with a season-best .500 field-goal percentage (26-of-52). The Vulcans also made a season-high 28 free-throws on 38 attempts (73.7 percent) in the victory. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers shot 44.6 percent (29-of-65) from the floor and 56.0 percent (14-of-25) from the charity stripe. Mansfield out-rebounded Cal U by a 41-33 margin and finished with a 50-32 advantage in points in the paint.

Mansfield junior Charles Pemberton scored a game-high 23 points and added 13 points, while classmate Joe Bell also posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

The Vulcans return to PSAC West play on Saturday, Jan. 11, when they travel to league-newcomer Pitt-Johnstown for a 3 p.m. start.