JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (Feb. 14) – Senior Brent Pegram (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr.) posted a 30-point game to move into the top 10 all-time in school history in scoring, as the Vulcans claimed an 83-63 win at Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play on Monday night.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team improves to 17-6 overall with a 12-5 mark in league action. Additionally, the Vulcans earned their first road victory against the Mountain Cats since November 2009 when UPJ was still a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). Meanwhile, UPJ falls to 19-6 this season behind a 15-4 record in conference play.

Pegram scored 32 points (19 second half) on 13-of-18 shooting, including five-of-eight from beyond the arc, in the victory. He surpassed Seth Martin (1999-01) for No. 10 on the all-time scoring list with 1,488 points and is within reach of becoming the program's first 1,500-point scorer in nearly 25 years. Pegram recorded his 10th career 30-point game on Monday, plus added eight assists and three steals in the victory.

Fellow senior Preston Boswell (New Martinsville, W.Va./Magnolia) scored 16 points behind four-of-six from long range and added four rebounds and three assists. Junior Zyan Collins (South Riding, Va./Freedom) collected 12 points, six rebounds and a season-high seven assists, while sophomore Philip Alston (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville North) finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Freshman Keith Palek III (Woodbine, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) tallied 10 points, nine rebounds and two steals in the win.

UPJ scored the opening basket of the game before Cal U mounted a 13-4 run to take a 13-7 lead on a three-pointer by Collins with 15:52 remaining. The Vulcans later stretched the lead to 23-14 on a pair of free-throws at the 11:39-mark before the Mountain Cats scored five of the next seven points, 25-19. Cal U countered with a 10-2 rally capped by a pull-up jumper by Pegram to take a 35-21 lead with 7:12 left in the first half. UPJ responded with a 12-3 run to cut the deficit to 38-33 with 1:57 remaining before the break. The Vulcans entered halftime with a 42-36 lead after Palek made a layup in the closing seconds.

The Vulcans opened the second half on a three-pointer by Boswell and held a 49-38 lead with 17:48 left to play. Cal U made-to-back three-pointers before a layup from Pegram stretched the lead to 61-43 at the 13:03-mark. The Mountain Cats scored five of the next seven points before the Vulcans rallied off a 15-3 run, including eight points by Pegram, to take their largest lead of the game at 27 points, 78-51, with 6:55 remaining. UPJ countered with a 12-3 rally over three-plus minutes to trim the deficit to 81-63 before being held scoreless the remainder of the game.

The Vulcans posted a .561 field-goal percentage (32-of-57) and converted a season-high 14 three-pointers (50.0 percent). Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats shot 40.3 percent (25-of-62) from the floor and went 7-of-22 (31.8 percent) from long range. The teams combined to shoot only 16 free-throws on Monday night. Cal U held a 33-31 rebounding advantage and scored 24 fastbreak points while collecting 22 assists.

UPJ junior standout John Paul Kromka finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in the loss. Classmate Joe Batt also scored 11 points and added five rebounds, while freshman Andy Zuchelli collected 10 points, four rebounds and three steals off the bench.

Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 16, when it travels to face Seton Hill in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, at 7:30 p.m.