• Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Feb. 1) – In their first overtime game of the season, the Vulcans suffered a 64-53 loss at Slippery Rock on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team falls to 9-11 this season with a 4-6 mark in league play. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock snaps a two-game skid to improve to 16-6 overall and 7-3 in divisional action.

Junior guard Tynell Fortune (Harlem, N.Y./Pocono Mountain West (Pa.)) led the team with 12 points off the bench, including five points from the free-throw line. He also finished with three assists and three steals on Saturday. Fortune, who ranks third in the PSAC in free-throw percentage this year, has made 31-of-33 attempts (93.9 percent) from the charity stripe over the last six games.

Sophomore Jake Jacubec (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) and freshman Drew Cook (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls) both added 10 points and Cook also tallied three steals in the loss. Sophomore Josh Dombrosky (Shenandoah Heights, Pa./Shenandoah Valley) led the team with six rebounds, while junior Arman Marks (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) and senior Chris Williams (Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) each posted five rebounds on the road.

The Rock opened the game on a 15-4 run and held the Vulcans without a field-goal for four-plus minutes before a three-pointer by Cook with 12:04 left before halftime. Slippery Rock continued to add to its lead with a 9-3 rally after the trey to take a 24-10 lead with 4:33 remaining. The Vulcans trimmed the deficit to 27-20 at the break behind a 10-3 run to close the first half.

Slippery Rock started the second half on a 7-3 run to stretch its lead to 34-26 with 13:57 remaining. The Vulcans answered with a 12-0 rally over four-plus minutes to take their first lead since the opening minutes of the game at 38-34 with 9:35 left to play. Slippery Rock eventually reclaimed the lead at 42-41 with 3:39 left before a Fortune three-pointer a minute later gave Cal U a 45-42 lead. The basket would be the last points in regulation for the Vulcans and Slippery Rock only managed to convert a three-point play at the 1:49-mark to tie the score at 45-45. The Rock missed a lay-up on its final possession of regulation with 22 seconds remaining and the Vulcans were unsuccessful on a three-pointer with two ticks left on the scoreboard.

In overtime, the Vulcans scored the initial points on a pair of free-throws by Cook. However, Slippery Rock then mounted a 13-1 run over three-plus minutes to take a commanding 58-48 lead with 1:03 left to play. Following a lay-up by Fortune, The Rock sealed the win with six free-throws in the final minute. Cal U went the opening four minutes of overtime without a field-goal and Slippery Rock made 13-of-16 from the charity stripe.

Cal U finished the game making 36.0 percent (18-of-50) from the floor and 59.1 percent from the free-throw line (13-of-22). Meanwhile, Slippery Rock shot at a 37.0 clip (20-of-54) and 80.8 percent (21-of-26) from the charity stripe. The Rock posted a 43-31 rebounding advantage behind 16 offensive rebounds and also forced the Vulcans into 18 turnovers, their second-highest total of the year.

Slippery Rock redshirt junior Antonio Butler set a season high and led all players with 20 points off the bench. Senior Tabari Perry recorded a double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds (six offensive), while classmate Maruice Lewis-Briggs finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 5, when they host Mercyhurst at 7:30 p.m.