CALIFORNIA (Jan. 26) – The Vulcans were unable to overcome a season-low shooting percentage and a season-high 20 turnovers in a 90-55 loss against Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.
 
With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team drops its fourth-straight contest to fall to 6-12 overall with a 4-8 record in league action. Meanwhile, the Lakers claim their fifth-consecutive win to improve to 13-4 this season behind an 8-4 mark in conference play to remain in sole possession of third place in the divisional standings.
 
Sophomore Brent Pegram (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr.) finished with 16 points behind 7-of-11 from the free-throw line. He added three rebounds, two assists and two steals while playing all 40 minutes. Freshman Zyan Collins (South Riding, Va./Freedom) tallied 10 points and converted six-of-nine from the charity stripe against the Lakers. He also collected six rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 39 minutes of action.
 
Sophomore Nathaniel Chambers, Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville) scored eight points in 11 minutes off the bench, while classmate Ike Okwara (Lahnam, Md./Friendship Collegiate Academy) totaled seven points on three-of-three shots and added four rebounds and two steals in 18 minutes off the bench. Freshman Collin MacAdams (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) registered seven points behind five-of-six from the free-throw line and grabbed eight rebounds in 39 minutes.
 
Mercyhurst opened the game on a 16-4 run over the initial five minutes of contest after knocking down seven-of-nine attempts and forcing Cal U into six turnovers. The Vulcans were able to trim the deficit to 19-9 on a pair of jumpers from Collins and redshirt junior Donte' Williams (Buffalo, N.Y./Bishop Timon) at the 9:15-mark. The Lakers would mount a 14-4 rally to take a 33-13 advantage with 6:05 left after making four-of-five from beyond the arc, while holding Cal U without a field goal during the three-plus minute stretch. Both teams exchanged the next four baskets before Mercyhurst extended the lead on a 9-1 run to take 46-20 lead into halftime.
 
In the second half, the Lakers used 13-3 rally to stretch the lead to 59-23 after converting six-of-seven shots over three-plus minutes, while the Vulcans failed to make a shot over that span. Cal U managed to trim the deficit to 63-35 with 11:39 remaining after making three shots and six-of-six from the line, led by Pegram with six points. Mercyhurst scored six of the next nine points before Chambers tallied five-straight points for the Vulcans, which trailed 71-45 at the 6:55-mark. The Lakers would once again respond with a 9-1 run over two-plus minutes before each team traded points down the stretch, as Mercyhurst secured the 90-55 victory.
 
Cal U finished the game with a .292 field-goal percentage (14-of-48) and made 25-of-36 (69.4 percent) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst shot 52.3 percent (34-of-65) from the field while converting 11-of-30 (36.7 percent) from three-point range. The Lakers held a 39-32 rebounding advantage, while tallying 47 points off the bench and 29 points off of 20 turnovers.

Senior Jason Massey finished with 24 points on 12-of-13 shooting and added four rebounds in 24 minutes, while teammate Nelson Maxwell posted 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals in 30 minutes of action. Junior Trystan Pratapas also scored 11 points and added two assists in 18 minutes off the bench. Senior Edvaldo Ferreira tallied eight points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.
 
Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 30, when it hosts Clarion in PSAC West action at the Convocation Center with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m.