GREENSBURG, Pa. (Jan. 23) – Following a late-game run, the California (PA) men's basketball team earned a 66-56 victory at Seton Hill in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Monday night.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 8-10 overall with a 5-7 mark in league play. Cal has won six-straight meetings against Seton Hill and sit one-game back of a tie for fourth place in the PSAC West standings. Meanwhile, the Griffins fall to 11-7 behind a 6-6 record in conference action.

Sophomore Keith Palek III (Woodbine, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) registered a game-high 17 points while going 6-of-16 from the field and a career-high 18 rebounds, marking his fifth double-double of the season. He also collected four assists, two blocks and one steal on Monday. Palek is averaging 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in his second year as a starter.

Redshirt junior Jermaine Hall, Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Severn School) tallied 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists, while sophomore Cam Polak (West Homestead, Pa./Steel Valley) notched 12 points, four rebounds, one block and one assist. Redshirt freshman Donald Whitehead, Jr. (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) added nine points, three rebounds and three assists off the bench.

Following a three-point make by freshman KJ McClurg (Morgantown, W.Va./University), the Vulcans stretched their lead to a 11-6 margin at the 14:30-mark in the first half. The Griffins answered with a 10-6 rally as they trimmed the deficit to 17-16. Cal executed an 11-4 run to take a 28-20 advantage following mid-range jumper from Palek. Seton Hill mounted momentum in the closing minutes of the half as a three-pointer from Sean Dillon ignited a 9-2 rally for the Griffins that cut the deficit to 30-29 at the break.

After allowing four-consecutive points, Seton Hill went on a 7-4 rally to tie the game at 36-36 with 16:29 remaining. Cal halted the run by scoring nine-straight points to take a 45-36 edge on a three-point play by Hall at the 12:43-mark. Seton Hill fought back with a 15-7 rally that started with a layup from Caleb Whitaker and ended with a pair of free-throws from Samuel Tabe, as it trailed 52-51 with 5:39 left to play. The Vulcans put the Griffins in an eight-point deficit, 64-56, as Cal conducted a 12-5 rally while Polak tallied seven of the 12 points during the run with 43 seconds remaining.

The Vulcans shot 41.7 percent (25-of-60) from the field while connecting on 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) three-point attempts. Meanwhile, Seton Hill was limited to a .333 field-goal percentage (21-of-63) after going just 3-of-26 (11.5 percent) from long range. Cal held a slight 43-42 reboudning edge while recording 17 assists in the win.

Tabe finished with a team highs of 15 points and nine rebounds in the losing effort. Drew Green tallied 11 points, six rebounds and three blocks, while Dillon added eight points, four assists and two rebounds.

The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 25, as they host Mansfield in PSAC Crossover action in the Convocation Center at 7:30 p.m.