URBANA, Ohio (Nov. 26) – Behind double-doubles by senior Arman Marks (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) and junior Richard Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East), the Vulcans posted an 86-80 win at Urbana in non-conference play on Wednesday afternoon.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team improves to 5-3 overall after winning its third-straight game. The Vulcans rank fourth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) this season in scoring offense with 82.7 points per game, which is over 20 points higher than last season. Meanwhile, Urbana falls to 2-3 this season after entering the year on a 32-game losing streak.

Marks nearly tied his career high by scoring a game-high 24 points, including 16 points in the second half. He made 9-of-12 attempts from the floor and tied for the team lead with 11 rebounds (six offensive) while playing 24 minutes off the bench. Marks has recorded a pair of double-doubles in the last three games and now leads the team in scoring this season with 14.4 points per game.

Smith tallied his second double-double of the season, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting and 11 rebounds. He also added three steals and a pair of blocks while playing a team-high 34 minutes. Freshman forward Tony Richardson (Sterling, Va./Dominion) posted 13 points, four rebounds and two steals, while junior guard Khalil Jabbie (Alexandria, Va./Edison) collected 11 points, four rebounds and five assists in the victory. Freshman Daniel Sapp (Streetsboro, Ohio/Streetsboro) registered 10 points and five rebounds off the bench on Wednesday.

Nearly five minutes into the game, Cal U mounted a 17-5 run to take a 22-17 lead on a three-pointer by junior Jake Jacubec (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) with 10:46 left before halftime. The teams traded a basket before the Blue Knights countered with a 14-2 rally over four minutes to reclaim the lead at 33-26 with 6:05 remaining in the first half. Cal U worked the deficit down to 37-34 on a three-pointer by sophomore Drew Cook (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls) before Urbana took a 39-34 lead at the break.

The Blue Knights took their largest lead of the game at 51-46 with 14:46 left to play before the Vulcans answered with an 11-2 rally to retake the lead at 54-53 on a layup by Marks with 10:57 remaining. After back-to-back baskets by Urbana, Cal U countered with a 16-8 run over four-plus minutes to take a 70-65 lead on a traditional three-point play by Marks at the 5:43-mark. The Blue Knights later tied the game twice on three-pointers before converting a pair of free-throws to take a 78-77 lead with 1:10 remaining.

On the ensuing possession, Cal U reclaimed the lead at 80-78 with a three-pointer by Cook with 53 seconds left in regulation. The Blue Knights then missed a layup before Marks made the second of two free-throw attempts with 40 seconds left. Urbana committed a turnover on its next possession before Cal U sealed the victory by making five-of-six free-throws in the final 20-plus seconds.

The Vulcans finished the game shooting 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the field and 50.0 percent (6-of-12) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Blue Knights made 42.5 percent (31-of-73) from the floor and 28.6 percent (8-of-28) from long range. Cal U out-rebounded Urbana by a 40-35 margin and scored 39 points from inside the paint.

Urbana sophomore John Summer scored a team-high 18 points and also led the team with nine rebounds off the bench. Senior Rodney Clark, Jr. added 14 points in the losing effort.

Cal U is idle for a week before returning to PSAC West play on Dec. 3 when they host Pitt-Johnstown at 7:30 p.m.