WEST CHESTER, Pa. (Jan. 6) – Junior guard
Cordell Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Shaw) scored a career-high 35 points on Friday night, as the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team suffered a 72-70 loss at West Chester in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover play.
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 3-11 this season and 0-7 in league action. Cal U has now lost six of its last seven games by six points or less. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams improve to 6-7 overall with a 4-4 record in conference play.
Smith finished with 35 points after shooting 14-of-24 from the floor, including five-of-nine from beyond the arc. He also collected three rebounds, four assists and four steals while playing 39 minutes on Friday. Smith, who scored a combined eight in the last two games, previously scored over 20 points only once in his career and is the third different player to register a 30-point game this season.
Fellow junior
Jay Tucker (Philadelphia, Pa./Academy at Palumbo) posted 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals in the loss. He is now averaging 15.0 points and 9.8 rebounds with a pair of double-doubles over the last four games. Classmate
Daniel Sapp (Streetsboro, Ohio/Streetsboro) added eight rebounds at West Chester, while sophomore
Rashawn Browne (Toronto, Ontario/Bill Crothers) collected five assists.
The Golden Rams scored the opening eight points of the game before the Vulcans mounted a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to 11-10 on a pair of free-throws by Smith with 13:57 left in the first half. During the run, West Chester made just one-of-seven attempts from the floor and missed five three-pointers. The Golden Rams then rallied off eight-straight points to stretch their lead to 19-10 at the 10:32-mark. Cal U countered with a 17-0 rally, including 11 points by Smith, over four minutes to claim a 29-21 lead with 6:00 remaining before halftime. West Chester responded with an 11-2 run to reclaim the lead at 32-31 with 2:03 left in the first half before the teams entered the break tied at 37-37.
Cal U made a pair of three-pointers to open the second half before West Chester posted a 7-2 run over 90 seconds to take a 45-44 lead with 17:17 left to play. The Vulcans later led 52-49 before the Golden Rams seized control with a 15-3 run over seven-plus minutes to take 64-55 lead with 7:08 remaining. Cal U was held to just 1-of-10 shooting and committed five turnovers during the stretch. The Vulcans snapped over a six-minute scoreless drought at the 5:46-mark before the teams traded points for nearly four minutes. Cal U then scored seven-straight points to trim the deficit to 68-66 on a jumper by Smith 1:16 left to play before West Chester made its first field goal in nearly three minutes with 28 seconds remaining. Smith answered with a layup four seconds later and the Golden Rams answered with a pair of free-throws on the ensuing possession. Cal U missed its next shot attempt and was forced to foul to regain possession. The Golden Rams missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity and Smith was able to make a basket with four seconds left, 72-70, before another West Chester miss on a free-throw. However, the Vulcans were unable to convert the buzzer-beater attempt.
The Vulcans finished the game shooting 37.9 percent (25-of-66) from the floor, including just 26.7 percent (8-of-30) from long range. Meanwhile, the Golden Rams made 38.0 percent (27-of-71) from the field and 65.0 percent (13-of-20) from the free-throw line. West Chester out-rebounded Cal U by a 38-33 margin and scored 40 points from inside the paint.
Junior guard Tyrell Long led the Golden Rams in scoring with 19 points after going 8-of-13 from the field on Friday. Sophomore Jackson Hyland recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds (five offensive), while classmate Matt Penecale finished with seven points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
Cal U returns to PSAC West play on Monday, Jan. 9, when it hosts Slippery Rock in the Convocation Center at 7:30 p.m.
