FAIRMONT, W.Va. (Dec.16) – Senior guard
Cordell Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Shaw) scored a season-high 33 points, including 22 in the second half, as the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team fell by a 102-93 margin at Fairmont State on Saturday evening in non-conference action.
With the loss, the Vulcans drop to 5-5 this season while playing their fourth-consecutive road game. Meanwhile, the Fighting Falcons improve to 7-3 overall in their first season under head coach Joe Mazzulla. Fairmont State was selected second in the preseason Mountain East Conference (MEC) poll after being the national runner-up last year.
Smith led the team with 33 points on 12-of-14 attempts, including six-of-eight from beyond the arc and added two rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes. He tallied 22 points in the second half after shooting eight-of-nine from the floor with five three-pointers.
Junior
Jahmere Howze (Cleveland, Ohio/Warrensville Heights) totaled 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting and collected eight rebounds (three offensive) on Saturday. He registered his third 20-point game in the last four contests. Senior
Terry Davis, Jr. (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) posted 21 points, six rebounds and four assists in a game-high 38 minutes, while classmate
Isaiah Lewis (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) finished with 13 points after shooting 5-of-10 from the field and added three rebounds against the Fighting Falcons.
Cal U opened the contest with six-straight points by Lewis before Smith knocked down a three-pointer to take an early 9-5 lead. Both teams traded the next six baskets before the Fighting Falcons took their first lead on a three-pointer with 12:48 remaining in the first half. Cal U kept the game close by scoring in the paint while Fairmont State extended its lead by shooting five-of-nine from long range. The Fighting Falcons built their lead to 41-26 with 6:02 left in the half before the Vulcans went on an 8-0 run to trim the deficit to single-digits. Cal U closed the half with a 16-9 rally after shooting five-of-six from the floor and a perfect four-of-four at the free-throw line. Davis scored seven points during the run, including a three-pointer with eight seconds left in the first half, as the Vulcans trailed 51-50 at the break.
The Vulcans reclaimed the lead for the first time since the 13:10-mark of the first half on a layup by Howze early in the second half. Both teams battled for the lead, as Fairmont State responded with a three-pointer before Cal U answered with another layup to take a 59-58 lead with 15:53 left. The contest was tied four separate times over the next four-plus minutes before the Fighting Falcons took the lead at 80-74 with a 9-3 rally. The Vulcans countered with an 11-3 run with Smith accounting for all 11 points, including three shots from beyond the arc. Cal U held an 85-83 lead with 3:56 remaining following the rally before Fairmont State sealed the victory with 10-consecutive points down the stretch.
Cal U finished the game shooting 34-of-60 (56.7 percent) from the floor and made 17-of-22 (77.3 percent) from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, Fairmont State shot 36-of-72 (50.0 percent) from the field behind 16-of-37 (43.2 percent) from long range. The Fighting Falcons held a 35-30 advantage in rebounds and scored 46 points off the bench.
Senior D'Ondre Stockman, who made over 90 three-pointers last year, led five players in double-figures with 28 points on 10-of-15 attempts, including 8-of-12 from beyond the arc, in 25 minutes off the bench. Junior Vonte Montgomery finished with 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting and added five rebounds, while teammate Jason Jolly totaled 15 points, three rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes.
The Vulcans close out their five-game road trip on Tuesday, Dec. 19, by traveling to face Salem at 6 p.m.
