SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Jan. 6) – Facing one of the nation's premier rebounding teams, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team posted an 85-74 loss at Slippery Rock on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 6-8 this season behind a 2-6 mark in league action. Cal U has dropped five of its last six contests and is currently riding a three-game losing streak. Meanwhile, The Rock improves to 12-2 overall with a 6-2 record in conference play while extending their winning streak to 10 games.
Junior
Jahmere Howze (Cleveland, Ohio/Warrensville Heights) scored 22 points after converting 7-of-13 attempts and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line. He added five rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a game-high 38 minutes. Howze tallied his fifth 20-point game of the season and sits third on the team in scoring this year with 16.9 points per game.
Senior
Isaiah Lewis (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King) totaled 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting and collected two rebounds and four assists at Slippery Rock. Classmate
Terry Davis, Jr. (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) finished with 13 points on 5-of-13 and added seven rebounds and three steals in 34 minutes. Teammates
Robel Teckle (Washington, D.C./Friendship Collegiate Academy) and
Philip Alexander (Laurel, Md./Mt. Zion Prep) both registered 11 points in the contest while shooting efficiently from beyond the arc.
The Rock scored the initial basket of the contest on a layup before Teckle made a three-pointer to give the Vulcans the early lead. Slippery Rock responded with a 6-0 run after making a pair of shots in the paint to take an 8-3 lead with 17:21 left in the first half. Cal U trailed by as many as seven points before a three-pointer from Alexander trimmed the deficit to 17-13 at the 11:10-mark. The Vulcans continued to chip away at the deficit until a 9-0 rally allowed them to reclaim the lead at 32-29. During the run, Cal U featured four different scorers and made three-of-three from the field and two-of-two at the charity stripe. The Rock quickly recaptured the lead with a pair of buckets before the duo of Lewis and Howze combined for nine points to keep the Vulcans ahead. Slippery Rock made two free-throws to close the half as the contest went into the break tied at 42-42.
Slippery Rock wasted little time opening up the second half with a three-pointer to take the lead before mounting a 10-4 run to hold a 51-46 advantage with 16:43 remaining. The Vulcans countered with seven-unanswered points after making three-of-four from the floor to reclaim the lead at 53-51. The Rock rallied again to take the lead on a 12-3 rally, as the Vulcans attempted to keep close connecting from long range. Slippery Rock remained in control 80-64 after converting 6-of-13 from the field and holding Cal U to one made field goal over nearly eight minutes. The Vulcans responded with a late 8-1 run with 1:32 left before The Rock ran out the clock to secure the 85-74 victory.
Cal U finished the game shooting 27-of-63 (42.9 percent) from the floor and made 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock shot 35-of-78 (44.9 percent) from the field and scored 60 points in the paint. The Rock dominated the boards by a 54-31 advantage, including 26 offensive rebounds which resulted in 27 second-chance points.
Rock teammates Micah Till and Brandon Simmons both posted double-doubles in the win on Saturday. Till notched his ninth double-double of the season with 20 points and 17 rebounds (six offensive) in 32 minutes, while Simmons tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds (six offensive) and added four blocks. Junior Bruce Spruell finished with 18 points, five rebounds, four assists in 26 minutes off the bench and classmate Merdic Green registered 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting and collected eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The Vulcans return to action on Monday, Jan. 8, when they host Lock Haven in PSAC Crossover play at the Convocation Center at 7:30 p.m.
