CALIFORNIA (Nov. 13) – In a meeting of two of the premier programs in the Atlantic Region, the Vulcans claimed an 82-80 win over No. 5 Virginia Union on Wednesday evening in non-conference play at the Convocation Center.
With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team improves to 3-0 this season after facing three teams that appeared in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, the Panthers drop to 1-1 overall after being the favorite in the preseason Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) poll. Over the last four-plus seasons, Virginia Union has posted a staggering 113-15 overall record with three CIAA Championships and a pair of Atlantic Region Championships with an appearance in the 2017 National Championship.
Senior transfer
Monica Burns (New Stanton, Pa./Hempfield) led the team with 21 points (14 second half) behind three-of-seven from beyond the arc and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. She also tallied five assists and two steals while playing 39 minutes on Wednesday. Burns is averaging 20.3 points per game this season while shooting 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from three-point territory.
Sophomore
Shauna Harrison (Sheffield, England/Myerscough) added 19 points (14 second half) on 8-of-14 shooting and collected four rebounds (two offensive) in the win. Freshman
Olivia Hudson (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) finished with 17 points while playing 24 minutes off the bench. She scored 16 of her points in the first half after going five-of-seven from the floor, including three-of-four from long range. Junior
Bianca Jasper (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) totaled 13 points and led the team with both eight rebounds and eight assists on Wednesday. Sophomore
Brionna Allen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin) collected seven rebounds (four offensive) in the victory.
Virginia Union scored the initial six points of the game before Jasper made a three-pointer at the 6:51-mark of the first quarter to start an 8-2 run that tied the score at 8-8 with 5:04 left in the quarter. The Panthers then responded with eight-unanswered points and closed the quarter on a 16-6 run to take a 24-14 lead. Cal U opened the second quarter on a 12-4 run, including seven points by Hudson, to cut the deficit to 28-26 with 6:36 remaining before halftime. The Vulcans later took their first lead of the game, 35-34, at the 2:55-mark on a three-pointer by Hudson before the Panthers took a 41-40 lead into the break.
The Vulcans scored the opening 10 points of the third quarter and mounted a 15-3 run to seize a 55-44 lead on consecutive three-pointers by Harrison at the 6:16-mark. Cal U later posted a 9-3 rally to increase the lead to 15 points at 66-51 on a pair of free-throw by Burns with 1:14 left in the third quarter. The Vulcans shot an impressive 10-of-16 (62.5 percent) from the field and out-scored the Panthers by a 27-12 margin in the third quarter. Virginia Union later worked the deficit down to 74-69 with 3:52 left in the fourth quarter. The teams traded baskets for the next two minutes before the Panthers only trailed 78-75 with 57 seconds remaining. However, Burns delivered a three-pointer on the ensuing possession to make it a two-score contest. Virginia Union later converted a trey of its own with four seconds left to cut the deficit to 82-80, but was unable to send Cal U to the free-throw line before the buzzer.
Cal U finished the game shooting 40.9 percent (27-of-66) from the floor, including 11-of-25 (44.0 percent) from long range. Meanwhile, Virginia Union shot at a 44.8 clip (30-of-67) in the contest. The Panthers held a 40-34 rebounding advantage and scored 38 points in the paint, while the Vulcans finished with 22 assists on 27 field goals.
Junior Shareka McNeill, who finished fifth in the country in scoring last year, scored a game-high 32 points on 11-of-33 shooting after tallying 40-plus points in the season-opener over the weekend. Graduate student Jasmine Carter posted nine points and 12 rebounds, while senior Dy'Maee Royal recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds (five offensive).
The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Nov. 16, when they host Fairmont State in non-conference play at the Convocation Center with tip-off set for 6 p.m.
