WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. (Nov. 14) – The California (PA) men's basketball team dropped an 85-82 contest against Wheeling on Friday night at MEC/PSAC Conference Challenge after the Cardinals broke a tie with three free-throws following a foul called on the Vulcans with 1.3 seconds remaining.
NOTES
• The Vulcans (0-1) lost their season-opening contest for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.
• Redshirt sophomore
Antoine Arnett led the team with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting.
• He added seven rebounds (five rebounds) in 36 minutes while playing his first game since Nov. 22, 2024.
• Senior transfer
Brayden Reynolds scored 17 points behind 13-of-17 from the free-throw line, plus six assists and three steals.
• Redshirt junior
Bryson Lucas tallied 16 points, four rebounds and two assists, while sophomore
Jordyn Buchanan collected 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and four steals.
• Over a six-minute span in the first half, the Vulcans mounted a 21-12 run to seize a 33-23 lead with 6:21 left before the break.
• Wheeling later responded with a 10-2 rally to the deficit to 39-37 at the 1:03-mark before Cal held a 42-37 lead at halftime.
• The Vulcans posted a 12-2 run early in the second half to claim a 59-48 lead with 14:33 left to play.
• Cal held a 77-70 lead at the 3:21-mark before Wheeling cut the margin to a single possession, 77-75, with 2:14 remaining.
• The Cardinals claimed the lead at 82-81 with 13 seconds left to play on a pair of dunks on consecutive possessions.
• Cal tied the score on a free-throw by Arnett on the ensuing possession before the Vulcans were whistled for a foul with 1.3 seconds remaining.
• The Cardinals sealed the victory by converting all three free-throw attempts.
• The Vulcans finished the game shooting 50.0 percent (24-of-48) from the floor and went 29-of-45 (64.4 percent) from the free-throw line.
• Wheeling shot at blistering 72.0 percent (18-of-25) in the second half.
NEXT
• Cal returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 15, when it faces host and No. 11 West Liberty at 8 p.m.
• The Hilltoppers, which feature a new head coach, won the 2025 Atlantic Region Championship for their eighth regional title in the last 15 years.
