CALIFORNIA (Nov. 27) – The California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team made a season-high 15 three-pointers, including a combined 12 by seniors
Terry Davis, Jr. (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) and
Cordell Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Shaw), while claiming a 97-88 victory over Salem on Monday night at the Convocation Center in non-conference action.
With the win, the Vulcans improve to 4-2 this season while playing their last four games at home. Meanwhile, the Tigers fall to 2-3 overall in their second season competing as an independent program.
Davis scored a game-high 25 points on 8-of-17 from the floor, including five-of-eight from beyond the arc. He also registered 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the year, while collecting nine assists, one block and two steals against Salem. Davis, who tallied 17 second-half points on Monday, posted his fourth 20-point game of the season while shooting nearly 53 percent from the field.
Smith finished with a season-high 22 points behind 7-of-13 from long range. It marks the second time in two years the Vulcans have featured a player with seven three-pointers in a game after previously going over a decade without someone accomplishing the feat. Smith entered the game with just five three-pointers over the last three games after making six treys over the opening two games of the year.
Fellow senior
Isaiah Lewis (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) posted 19 points, five rebounds and eight assists in the victory, while junior
Jahmere Howze (Cleveland, Ohio/Warrensville Heights) tallied 14 points and eight rebounds while playing just 21 minutes due to foul trouble. Senior
Robel Teckle (Washington, D.C./Friendship Collegiate Academy) added 10 points in 31 minutes off the bench.
Cal U scored the opening basket of the game before Salem mounted a 14-3 run to take a 14-6 lead with 15:49 left in the first half. The Tigers stretched the lead to as many as nine points before the Vulcans responded with a 14-2 rally to tie the score at 27-27 with 6:37 remaining before the break. Salem then made a free-throw before Cal U scored seven-straight points to take a 34-28 lead on a layup by Lewis at the 5:25-mark. The Vulcans took a 49-40 lead with 12 seconds left following a three-pointer by Smith before the Tigers scored on a tip-in as time expired.
The Tigers mounted a 12-4 run early in the second half to take their final lead of the game at 57-55 with 14:29 remaining. Cal U then seized control of the game with a 25-7 rally over seven-plus minutes to take an 80-64 lead with 6:52 left to play. Davis and Smith combined for 16 points during the run, as the Vulcans made 8-of-10 shots from the floor, including five-of-seven from beyond the arc. Salem responded with a 13-3 run to trim the deficit to 83-77 at the 4:33-mark before the teams traded points over the next three-plus minutes. The Vulcans sealed the victory with six free-throws in the final 65 second, as the Tigers managed just one shot attempt during the final minute.
Cal U finished the game shooting 50.7 percent (34-of-67) from the floor, including 15-of-31 (48.4 percent) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Salem made 45.5 percent (30-of-66) from the field and converted 16-of-38 (42.1 percent) from long range. The Vulcans held a slim 39-36 rebounding advantage and scored 23 points off turnovers.
Senior Ignacio Rodriguez led the Tigers with 23 points after shooting 7-of-14 from three-point territory. Classmate Reggie Oliver added 22 points and eight assists, while junior Malik Toppin finished with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds.
The Vulcans begin a five-game road trip this weekend when they travel to face Bloomsburg on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 3 p.m.
