EDINBORO, Pa. (Jan. 15) – Sophomore Philip Alston (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville North) and senior Brent Pegram (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr.) combined for 60 points, as the Vulcans earned an 89-84 victory at Edinboro in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play on Saturday afternoon.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team improves to 9-4 overall behind a 4-3 record in league action. The Vulcans are averaging 86.6 points per game this season, which is the most since the 1990-91 campaign when they scored nearly 93 points per game. Meanwhile, the Fighting Scots fall to 5-6 this season with a 3-3 mark in conference play.

Alston registered his third 30-point game of the season and set a career high with 18 rebounds (eight offensive). He shot 12-of-20 from the floor and converted eight-of-nine from the free-throw line while playing 36 minutes on Saturday. Alston also matched his career high of four blocks for the fourth time this year and added a pair of assists. His 18 rebounds are the most by a Cal U player since Jahmere Howze collected 20 rebounds in November of 2017.

Pegram scored 27 points (19 second half) behind 12-of-13 from the free-throw line and added five rebounds and two assists in the win. He is now tied with Dick Majernik (1951-55) for No. 12 all-time in school history with 1,317 points. Senior Preston Boswell (New Martinsville, W.Va./Magnolia) finished with 15 points and six rebounds, while junior Zyan Collins (South Riding, Va./Freedom) totaled 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Edinboro held a 73-66 lead with just over seven minutes left in the second half before a dunk by Alston started a run of six-consecutive points by Cal U in a span of 75 seconds to trim the deficit to 73-72. The Fighting Scots worked the lead to 79-75 before Alston and Pegram accounted for eight points during an 8-0 run, as the Vulcans took an 83-79 lead with 1:59 remaining. The teams traded baskets before Boswell retrieved a pivotal offensive rebound with 20 seconds left that led to Cal U sealing the win with four free-throws in the final moments.

The Vulcans opened the game with a three-pointer before the Fighting Scots went on a 9-4 run to hold a 9-7 lead at the 16:47-mark. Cal U later mounted a 9-2 rally to claim a 20-17 lead on a layup by Collins with 12:08 left in the first half. Edinboro countered with an 11-3 run to take a 31-25 lead at the 5:07-mark and later made a pair of three-pointers in under a minute to extend the lead to 40-32 with 1:55 remaining before the break. The Vulcans then scored eight-straight points to tie the score on a layup by Collins before the Fighting Scots took a 45-40 lead at halftime. The teams combined for 11 lead changes and six ties in the first half.

Cal U cut the deficit to 45-44 in the opening minute of the second half before Edinboro responded with a 7-2 run to stretch the lead to 52-46 with 17:08 left to play. The Vulcans later countered with an 11-2 rally to claim a 61-59 lead on a three-pointer by Collins at the 11:15-mark. Edinboro eventually scored nine-straight points to take the largest lead of the game at 73-66 with 8:49 remaining.

Cal U finished the game shooting 45.3 percent (29-of-64) from the floor and converted 26-of-34 attempts (76.5 percent) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Edinboro shot at a 43.8 clip (28-of-64) behind 10-of-26 (38.5 percent) from long range. The Vulcans out-rebounded the Fighting Scots by a 42-35 margin and scored 44 points in the paint, plus committed just 12 turnovers in the victory.

Edinboro senior Deontae Robertson scored a team-high 23 points and added five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Classmate Jaryn Simpson finished with 20 points behind four-of-five from long range, four rebounds and six assists on Saturday, while junior Cyrie Coates collected 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

The Vulcans continue PSAC West play on Wednesday, Jan. 19, when they travel to face Clarion at 7:30 p.m.