CALIFORNIA (Feb. 23) – The California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team had its upset bid fall short in a 65-60 loss versus No. 2 IUP on Senior Day in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Saturday at the Convocation Center.
 
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 7-18 this season behind a 5-14 record in league play. Meanwhile, the Crimson Hawks extend their winning streak to six-straight games and improve to 24-2 overall with a 17-2 mark in conference action. IUP was ranked first in the initial NCAA Atlantic regional rankings released this week.
 
Freshman Zyan Collins (South Riding, Va./Freedom) scored a career-high 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including four-of-seven from beyond the arc. He added eight rebounds, two assists and one steal while playing all 40 minutes. Collins tallied his fourth 20-point game this season and is averaging 20.3 points over the last seven games.
 
Senior Cordell Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Shaw) totaled nine points behind three-of-six from three-point range and added two steals in 17 minutes off the bench. He was making his first appearance this season due to injury. Sophomore Brent Pegram (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr.) finished with eight points, five rebounds, six assists and four steals in 38 minutes of action. Junior Jordan Gessner (Elizabethville, Pa./Upper Dauphin) tallied eight points, two rebounds and two steals in 27 minutes, while freshman Collin MacAdams (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) collected a team-high nine rebounds, but matched a season low with four points in 40 minutes of play.
 
Both teams exchanged the initial six baskets of the game, as the Vulcans held a 9-8 lead at the 14:25-mark of the first half. IUP countered with eight-unanswered points, including a pair of three-pointers, to take a 17-8 lead. The Vulcans closed the gap to 19-15 with 7:04 left, while the Crimson Hawks were held scoreless for over four-plus minutes. IUP snapped the drought with a 9-3 run on four-of-four attempts to extend the lead to 28-18. Cal U answered by scoring seven of the next nine points, led by Collins with four points, to trim the deficit to 30-25. The Crimson Hawks stretched the advantage to 34-26 before both teams went scoreless over the last one-plus minute to head into the break.
 
The Vulcans opened the second half with a 12-2 rally over a four-minute span after shooting five-of-seven from the field to take a 38-36 lead at the 15:15-mark. IUP quickly reclaimed the lead on consecutive jumpers before a three-pointer by Collins put Cal U ahead 41-40. The Crimson Hawks responded with a 13-3 run to take a 53-44 lead, while the Vulcans were held to one field goal over nearly five minutes. MacAdams knocked down a jumper with 8:39 remaining before both team went scoreless for over three minutes. Cal U closed the gap to 53-49 until IUP scored four of the next five to take a 57-50 advantage. The Vulcans countered with five-straight points to close the gap to 57-55 at the 2:08-mark before the Crimson Hawks made six-of-seven from the free-throw line to seal a 65-60 victory.
 
Cal U finished the game with a .356 field-goal percentage (21-of-59) and converted 9-of-22 attempts (40.9 percent) from three-point range. Meanwhile, IUP shot 41.0 percent (25-of-61) from the floor, including 14-of-30 (46.7 percent) in the first half. The Crimson Hawks held a commanding 46-34 rebounding advantage and tallied 19 second-chance points.
 
Senior Dante Lombardi registered 20 points on 7-of-17 shots and added four rebounds, two assists and three steals in 38 minutes. Classmate Jacobo Diaz posted a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, plus five assists and one block in 32 minutes. Redshirt freshman Armoni Foster posted 10 points and three rebounds while playing 26 minutes.
 
The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 27, when they travel to face Seton Hill in PSAC West play in nearby Greensburg, Pennsylvania, starting at 7:30 p.m.