SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Jan. 29) – Behind 20-point games from junior
Zyan Collins (South Riding, Va./Freedom) and sophomore
Philip Alston (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville North), the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team claimed a 92-83 win at Slippery Rock in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Saturday afternoon.
With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 14-4 overall with a 9-3 mark in conference play. Cal U also extended its winning streak to six games, which is the longest for the program since the 2009-10 campaign. Meanwhile, The Rock falls to 10-6 this season behind a 6-4 record in league action.
Alson registered his 11th double-double of the season on Saturday. He scored 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting and five-of-seven from the free-throw line while collecting 15 rebounds. Alston also set a career high with five assists and added three blocks while playing 37 minutes in the win. The Ohio native has collected at least 15 rebounds in a game five times this year.
Collins finished with 20 points on 6-of-12 from the floor and six-of-eight from the free-throw line. He has scored at least 20 points five times this season and has registered 14 career 20-point games. Collins also collected four rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in the victory.
Senior
Brent Pegram (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr.) scored 14 points behind three-of-six from beyond the arc. He also totaled four rebounds, six assists and three steals at Slippery Rock. Classmate
Preston Boswell (New Martinsville, W.Va./Magnolia) registered 11 points, seven rebounds and two assists while playing all 40 minutes. Freshman
Bryson Lucas (Clarksburg, W.Va./Robert C. Byrd) finished with nine points and three rebounds off the bench, while classmate
Keith Palek III (Woodbine, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) tallied seven points, seven rebounds and a season-high six assists in the win.
The Vulcans raced out to a 12-1 lead in the opening minutes of the game before The Rock countered with an 11-4 run behind a trio of three-pointers to trim the deficit to 16-12 at the 13:59-mark. Cal U scored the next five points to extend the lead to 24-16 on a layup by Pegram with 10:39 left in the first half. The Rock later scored five-straight points to trim the deficit to 37-34 before the Vulcans closed the half on an 8-2 run to take a 45-36 lead at the break.
Early in the second half, Cal U scored nine-unanswered points to take its largest lead of the game at 18 points, 56-38, on a three-pointer by redshirt freshman
Dylin Borden (Pasadena, Md./Annapolis Area Christian) with 17:09 remaining. The Rock later responded with a 15-5 run to trim the deficit to 63-56 at the 11:13-mark. After the teams traded the next eight points, the Vulcans posted an 8-3 rally to take 75-62 lead following back-to-back layups by Alston with 6:45 left to play. Slippery Rock later recorded an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to 81-76 at the 2:50-mark before a pair of three-pointers by Pegram helped seal the victory.
Cal U finished the game shooting 53.3 percent (32-of-60) from the floor, including 9-of-18 (50.0 percent) from long range. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock shot at a 37.8 clip (31-of-82) from the field and was limited to just 11-of-41 (26.8 percent) from three-point territory. The Rock held a 44-42 rebounding advantage behind 22 offensive rebounds, while the Vulcans scored 23 fastbreak points.
Junior Amante Britt led The Rock by scoring a career-high 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting and added five assists. Senior Tyler Frederick – a transfer from La Roche – recorded a double-double with 20 points and 16 rebounds (10 offensive), while junior Jonathan McFall – a transfer from Chowan (N.C.) – finished with 15 points and six rebounds.
The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 2, when they host Pitt-Johnstown, which is tied for first place in the PSAC West standings, at 7:30 p.m.
