SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Jan. 16) – The California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team suffered a 61-56 loss at Slippery Rock in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Saturday night.
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 6-11 overall and 4-8 in league play. Meanwhile, the Rock snaps a four-game losing streak and improves to 9-9 this season behind a 4-8 mark in conference action.
Sophomore
Tony Richardson (Sterling, Va./Dominion) led the team with 11 points on three-of-six from the field and 5-of-10 from the free-throw line. He also collected five rebounds while playing 20 minutes off the bench. Seniors
Nate Bellhy (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) and
Richard Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East) both finished with nine points, while sophomore
Nick Miller (Industry, Pa./Western Beaver) tallied seven points and two steals.
The teams traded points for the opening four minutes of the game before the Vulcans mounted a 10-4 run to take a 17-10 lead on a jumper by Richardson with 8:55 left in the first half. Following consecutive baskets by Slippery Rock, Cal U scored eight-unanswered points to stretch the lead to 25-14 on a jumper by junior
Drew Cook (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls).with 5:52 remaining before the break. The Rock then mounted a 9-2 run over nearly three minutes to trim the deficit to 27-23 before the Vulcans took a 31-25 lead at halftime.
Slippery Rock started the second half on a 12-5 run to take its first lead of the game at 37-36 with 14:13 remaining. The Rock worked the lead up to four points before the Vulcans answered with six-straight points to reclaim the lead at 49-47 on a layup by Bellhy at the 6:49-mark. Slippery Rock responded with a 12-5 rally over six-plus minutes to take a 59-54 lead with just 38 seconds remaining. During the run, the Vulcans made just one field goal and converted three-of-eight from the free-throw line. Cal U cut the score to 59-56 on a dunk by Richardson with 26 seconds left before Slippery Rock sealed the game with free-throws.
The Vulcans finished the game shooting 42.0 percent (21-of-50) from the floor despite making only seven field goals in the second half. Meanwhile, The Rock shot at a 42.0 clip (21-of-50) from the field and 85.7 percent (18-of-21) from the free-throw line. Cal U posted a 33-32 rebounding advantage, while Slippery Rock finished with 36 points in the paint.
Junior Chaquille Pratt scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field and added eight rebounds on Saturday. Senior Malcom Richardson and junior Naquil Jones both tallied 10 points in the victory.
Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 17, when it hosts Penn State-Greater Allegheny in non-conference play at 3 p.m.
