EDINBORO, Pa. (Jan. 20) — Despite a season-high 24 points from senior
Richard Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East), the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team suffered an 89-79 loss at Edinboro in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play on Wednesday night.
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 7-12 overall behind a 4-9 mark in league play. Meanwhile, the Fighting Scots improve to 10-6 on the year with a 9-4 record in conference action.
Smith posted a team-high 24 points on six-of eight shooting from the floor and 11-of-12 from the free-throw line. He also collected nine rebounds (one offensive), three assists and one block in 39 minutes. The 6-foot-9 forward ranks among conference leaders in scoring this season and also sits 10th in the league in rebounds.
Sophomore
Luka Andjusic (Belgrade, Serbia/Borislav Petrov Brace) scored 18 points after recording five three-pointers for a consecutive game and has tallied at least five treys four times this year. Senior
Khalil Jabbie (Alexandria, Va./Edison) posted 16 points after shooting 5-of-10 from the field, while also recording six assists in the loss.
Cal U opened the game making each of its first seven shots, including three from long range, to take a 17-14 lead after a lay-up from sophomore
Tony Richardson (Sterling, Va./Dominion) at the 14:54 mark. After trading scores, Edinboro scored nine-straight points in under two minutes to take the lead 25-22 with 12:02 remaining in the first half. After a break in the run, the Fighting Scots responded by scoring 10-unanswered points in under three minutes to increase their lead to 35-24 at the 8:39 mark. Cal U answered with eight-straight points to cut the lead to 35-32 before Edinboro responded with nine of the next 11 points to increase its lead to 44-34 with 2:21 left in the first half. The Vulcans were able to score six of the final eight points of the half to cut the deficit to 46-40 at halftime.
The Fighting Scots started the second half on a 13-5 run over almost six minutes to take a 59-45 lead at the 14:45 mark. The teams traded scores before a 15-5 run by the Vulcans that spanned nearly six minutes and cut the defict to 76-68 after a pair of free-throws from Smith with 3:07 remaining in the second half. After a trio of free-throws from Andjusic cut the lead to 81-75 at the 1:34 mark, the Fighting Scots responded by scoring six of the last 10 points to earn the 89-79 win.
Cal U finished shooting 53.2 percent (25-of-47) from the floor, including 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from three-point range. In comparison, Edinboro ended the game making 52.4 percent (33-of-63) from the field, while only turning the ball over seven times. The Vulcans out-rebounded the Fighting Scots by a 29-27 margin as eight of nine players recorded at least one rebound.
Senior Henri Wade-Chatman tied the game high with 24 points, while posting five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Redshirt sophomore Jaymon Mason tallied 19 points on five-of-nine shooting from beyond the arc and also posted team highs of six rebounds and nine assists.
Cal U returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 23, as it hosts Mercyhust in the Convocation Center at 5 p.m.
