Box Score

CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The California (Pa.) men's basketball team snapped the ninth tie of the game by out-scoring Gannon 13-7 in the final 3:22 of regulation to earn a 65-59 victory Saturday evening in front of 257 fans at the new Cal U Convocation Center.

California improved to 7-1 all-time against Gannon at home while winning its fourth straight game in the series. As a result, the Golden Knights fell out of the top four in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division. But fortunately, six teams are within one game of each other. Indiana (Pa.) leads the division with a 9-1 conference record. Clarion, Edinboro and Mercyhurst are tied for second place with 7-3 marks. Gannon, California (Pa.) and Slippery Rock sit one game back with 6-4 resumes.

Darrell Blanton's (Cleveland, Ohio/Euclid) jumper forged the game's ninth tie at 52 with 4:10 left in regulation, before California started to pull away. Pape Kota pushed the Vulcans ahead with two free throws at the 3:22 mark. Blanton cut the deficit to one point on two occasions with a free throw and later another jumper.

Gannon still only trailed 59-57 with 1:29 left to play after Oscar Macias (Cicero, Ill./Morton) answered Travon Vann's three-point play with a lay-up. But Chad Tipton came up with arguably the play that put the game away, burying a three-pointer to give the Vulcans a 62-57 advantage with 1:11 showing on the clock.

Another Macias lay-up with 38 seconds left cut the deficit to 62-59, but California eventually iced the 65-59 victory with three free throws in the final 19 seconds.

Saturday's contest featured nine ties and six lead changes. Gannon led by as many as five points (21-16) after Adam Blazek's (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) triple with 3:13 left in the first half.

A Brandon Belt (Odenton, Md./Arundel) free throw with 23 seconds remaining gave Gannon a 22-21 lead at the break, but the Golden Knights failed to win after leading at halftime for the fifth time this season. The squad's six losses this year have been by a combined 20 points, an average of 3.3 points per loss.

California seemed to have complete control after rattling off a 15-5 run to assume a 46-36 lead with 10:41 to play. However, Gannon immediately responded with a 10-2 run to draw within 48-46 to set up the finish.

Blanton and Belt led all players with 15 points each. Macias added 13 points to complete the double-digit scorers.

Gannon shot 41.5 percent (22-53) from the field, 27.8 percent (5-18) from three-point range and 76.9 percent (10-13) from the free throw line. The Golden Knights were out-rebounded 35-31 and committed 17 turnovers compared to 10 assists.

Tipton came off the bench to lead the Cal attack with 15 points, hitting 5-of-9 three-pointers. Vann and Mitchell Weedon chipped in 14 and 10 points, respectively.

California (Pa.) shot 40.7 percent (22-54) from the floor, 37.5 percent (6-16) from behind the arc and 71.4 percent (15-21) from the charity stripe.

Gannon dropped to 8-6 overall and 6-4 in the PSAC Western Division with its second consecutive loss. Cal improved to 9-7 overall and 6-4 in conference play despite entering the game with seven losses during its last 10 contests. The Golden Knights complete their brief two-game road swing Wednesday, January 18 at rival Mercyhurst. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.