MANSFIELD, Pa. (Dec. 20) – Junior guards Khalil Jabbie (Alexandria, Va./Edison) and Jake Jacubec (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) combined for 41 points and 11 steals on Saturday afternoon, as the Vulcans posted a 72-70 victory in the final minute at Mansfield in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover action.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team improves to 8-4 overall with a 4-3 mark in league play. Meanwhile, Mansfield falls to 4-6 this season behind a 2-5 record in conference action.

Jabbie led the team and scored a season-high 24 points, including 20 points in the second half, while shooting 6-of-11 from the floor and converting 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. He also paced the team with seven rebounds, three assists and six steals despite playing only nine minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. Jabbie is averaging 17.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.0 steals over the last four games.

Jacubec added 17 points on 5-of-12 attempts from the field, including three-of-seven from beyond the arc, and also collected five steals. Junior Richard Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East) posted 10 points on four-of-eight shooting and six rebounds, while senior Arman Marks (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) finished with eight points off the bench.

With just under seven minutes left in the second half, Mansfield held a 64-56 lead before Cal U closed the game on a 16-6 run to earn the 72-70 victory. The Vulcans started the rally with six-straight points cut the deficit to 64-62 before the Mountaineers countered with four-straight points to take a 68-62 lead at the 4:05-mark. Jabbie then scored four-straight points to trim the deficit back to 68-60 with 3:13 left to play.

Mansfield snapped a two-plus minute scoreless drought with a jumper at the 1:58-mark to take a 70-66 lead before Jacubec connected on a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 70-69 with 1:33 remaining. The Vulcans forced turnovers on the next two possessions by the Mountaineers before Jabbie gave Cal U a 71-70 lead with 27 seconds left to play. Sophomore guard Drew Cook (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls) forced a turnover on the next Mansfield possession and made one of two free-throws to give Cal U a 72-70 lead with six seconds remaining. The Mountaineers missed a potential, go-ahead three-pointer as time expired in the second half.

Cal U finished the game shooting 41.8 percent (23-of-55) from the field and made 88.0 percent (22-of-25) from the free-throw line. Mansfield posted similar numbers, posting 44.2 percent (23-of-52) from the field and 78.3 percent (18-of-23) from the charity stripe. The Mountaineers held a slim 35-32 rebounding advantage, while the Vulcans converted 22 turnovers into 21 points.

Senior Joe Bell, a two-time All-PSAC East First-Team selection, scored 24 points on 9-of-14 attempts from the field. Freshman Da'Quan Jones registered a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while also adding four assists and four steals in the loss.

The Vulcans are idle for two weeks due to the holidays before returning to action with back-to-back road games, beginning at Lock Haven on Jan. 3 at 3 p.m.