CALIFORNIA (Feb. 28) – The California (PA) men's basketball team closed the regular season with an 81-64 loss against Slippery Rock on Senior Day at the Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.
NOTES
• The Vulcans (19-8, 16-4) had won the previous five meetings against Slippery Rock, plus five-consecutive victories at home in the series.
• Cal had already secured the second seed in next week's PSAC Tournament and will face the winner of Shepherd-Lock Haven in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 4.
• Junior
Dalman Alexander led the team with 13 points on five-of-eight shooting and added six rebounds.
• Redshirt junior
Bryson Lucas finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four blocks.
• Sophomore
Jordyn Buchanan posted eight points, five rebounds and three steals on Saturday.
• Slippery Rock mounted a 19-4 run early in the first half to build a 24-9 lead at the 8:51-mark.
• The Rock stretched the lead to as many as 20 points before taking a 43-28 lead at halftime.
• Slippery Rock held a 30-15 rebounding advantage at the break behind 11 offensive rebounds.
• The Vulcans posted a 19-4 run in the opening minutes of the second half to cut the deficit to 53-52 with 11:52 left to play.
• Slippery Rock countered with a dominating 27-6 rally to over the next nine-plus minutes to claim an 80-58 lead at the 2:27-mark.
• During that span, the Vulcans shot just 2-of-15 from the floor and The Rock converted 9-of-11 from the field and seven-of-nine from the charity stripe.
• Cal finished the game shooting 37.1 percent (23-of-62) from the floor and made only 56.0 percent (14-of-25) from the free-throw line.
• The Rock held a 52-34 rebounding advantage and scored 44 points in the paint.
NEXT
• The Vulcans earned a first-round bye as the second seed in the PSAC Tournament and will host a quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday, March 4, at 6 p.m.
• Cal will be making its sixth-consecutive appearance in the PSAC Tournament and has advanced to at least the semifinals in each of the last two seasons.
