ERIE, Pa. (Jan. 20) – The Vulcans posted season-lows in points and field-goal percentage on Saturday afternoon in a 67-47 loss at Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team drops to 8-11 overall behind a 4-9 mark in league play. Cal U has now lost six-straight games at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center with its last win coming in the 2011-12 campaign. Meanwhile, the Lakers improve to 8-8 this season with a 5-7 record in conference action.
Senior
Isaiah Lewis (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) led the team with 17 points on 7-of-17 attempts and added five rebounds in 33 minutes. Freshman
Philip Alexander (Laurel, Md./Mt. Zion Prep) finished with nine points after converting four-of-six from the field and collected two steals in his second career start on Saturday, while classmate
Ryan Dutton (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock) posted a career-high eight points on three-of-seven shooting in 16 minutes off the bench. Senior
Robel Teckle (Washington, D.C./Friendship Collegiate Academy) tallied six points and matched a career high with 11 rebounds in 35 minutes against the Lakers.
Cal U scored the initial points of the contest on a layup by Alexander before Mercyhurst converted back-to-back baskets to take an early 4-2 lead with 18:16 left in the half. Both teams went scoreless for the next three-plus minutes until the Lakers broke the drought with a layup. The Vulcans tied the game 6-6 on a jumper by Lewis before both teams exchanged the lead over the next four minutes. Cal U used a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead at 17-14 after converting three-of-four from the field. Mercyhurst closed the half with five-unanswered points to take a 19-17 advantage into the break.
The Vulcans tied the game twice in the opening two minutes of the second half before the Lakers mounted an 18-0 rally to take a commanding 39-21 lead with 14:10 remaining. Lewis scored five-straight points to trim the deficit until a quick five points built the Mercyhurst lead back to 18 points. Cal U countered with an 11-5 run to cut the deficit to 46-34 with 7:47 remaining. The Lakers responded with seven-unanswered points to extend their lead before both teams traded baskets over the final five-plus minutes, as Mercyhurst captured the 67-47 victory.
The Vulcans registered a season-low .321 shooting percentage (18-of-56) and made 8-of-12 (66.7 percent) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, the Lakers converted 38.0 percent (27-of-71) from the floor and were 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from the charity stripe. Mercyhurst held a 47-40 rebounding advantage and forced 19 turnovers, while Cal U scored 28 points in the paint.
Senior guard Lorenzo Collier finished with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-16 attempts and added five rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes. Classmate Malcolm Walters totaled 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, while freshman Derrick Ellis, Jr. scored 10 points and added three rebounds, three assists and two steals in 23 minutes.
Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 24, when it travels to face Clarion at 7:30 p.m.
