CALIFORNIA (Feb. 10) – Sophomore
KJ McClurg set a career high with 36 points, including his 1,000th collegiate point, as the No. 16 California (PA) men's basketball team earned an 80-69 victory over Slippery Rock on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The Vulcans improve to 20-3 this season behind a 14-3 record in league play.
• The Rock falls to 11-11 overall with a 9-7 mark in conference action.
• Cal and Slippery Rock split the regular-season series this year with the Vulcans having won four of the last five meetings at the Convocation Center.
• The Vulcans have now posted a pair of 20-win campaigns in the last three years after previously not reaching the mark since the 2007-08 season.
STATS
• McClurg finished with 36 points (23 second half) on 11-of-23 from the floor, including four-of-eight from long range, and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line.
• He has now scored 1,012 points in his college career after totaling 61 points at New Hampshire during the 2020-21 campaign.
• McClurg also totaled nine rebounds (five offensive) and two steals while playing 38 minutes.
• The West Virginia native has now posted six games with at least 30 points this season.
• Redshirt sophomore
Bryson Lucas collected 10 points, four rebounds, five assists, two blocks and four steals in 30 minutes on Saturday.
• Senior
Jermaine Hall, Jr. recorded 11 points, five rebounds and five steals against The Rock.
• Redshirt senior
Zyan Collins finished with eight points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals in 26 minutes.
• Sophomore
Donald Whitehead, Jr. totaled nine points, two rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win.
GAME ACTION
• Cal held a 12-7 lead in the opening four minutes before Slippery Rock scored six-straight points to take a 13-12 lead at the 13:16-mark.
• The Vulcans then mounted a 12-2 run to reclaim the lead by a 24-15 margin with 8:40 left in the first half.
• The Rock scored seven of the next nine points to cut the deficit to 26-22 with 6:14 remaining before the break.
• Cal claimed a double-digit lead at 33-23 at the 2:37-mark after posting a 7-1 rally over 90 seconds.
• Slippery Rock tallied the final seven points of the first half to work the deficit to a 33-30 margin.
• The Vulcans scored nine-unanswered points early in the second half to take a 44-32 lead after back-to-back, fastbreak three-pointers by McClurg.
• Slippery Rock cut the deficit to single-digits before Cal mounted a 13-3 run to stretch the lead to 60-42 with 11:29 remaining.
• The Rock followed with a 12-4 rally over three minutes to work the deficit to a 64-54 margin at the 8:34-mark.
• Cal continued to maintain a double-digit lead throughout the remainder of the game.
• The Vulcans shot over 50 percent in the second half to finish with a .426 field-goal percentage.
• Cal totaled 21 fastbreak points after forcing 24 turnovers in the victory.
• The Rock graduate student Maceo Austin, a Duquesne transfer, scored 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting and added eight rebounds.
NEXT
• The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 14, when they host Clarion at the Convocation Center in PSAC West action at 7:30 p.m.
