Box Score

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mansfield rallies to stun Cal 78-75 on the road

CALIFORNIA, Pa. – Mansfield went on a 20-6 run over the final five minutes of the game and Joe Bell and Chuck Harper each scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Mountaineer men's basketball team to a thrilling 78-75 PSAC crossover victory over California University (Pa.) Tuesday night at Hammer Hall.

The win snapped a four-game losing streak and marks Mansfield's first PSAC win of the season. It's also the first victory for head coach Rich Miller over the Vulcans in six tries during his eight-year tenure at Mansfield.

Mansfield (2-4, 1-3 PSAC) trailed the Vulcans 69-58 with just over five minutes to play in the game, before junior Onyema Utti's lay-up sparked a 12-0 run that was capped by a Joe Bell layup giving the Mountaineers a 70-69 advantage with 2:09 remaining.

Harper and Kenny Johnson each sunk a pair of free throws to extend Mansfield's lead to 74-69 with 47 seconds remaining in the game. But California (3-4, 2-2 PSAC) answered back with a 3-pointer by Keith Lowe to close back within two points seven seconds later. Chuck Harper and Kenny Johnson combined for four free throws over the final 30 seconds of the game to lock in the win.

Bell kept Mansfield in the game in the first half, scoring 12 of the Mountaineers first 17 points and scored 18 points before committing his third foul of the game with a second to go until intermission.

Mansfield's Taijay Williams hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 26-26 with just over seven minutes to play before halftime but Cal went on a 16-1 run over the next three minutes to take a 42-27 lead before the Mountaineer cut the margin to 47-35 at halftime.

The first half was marred by a total of 30 combined fouls with the Mountaineers connecting on just 7-of-14 attempts from the charity line to Cal's 15-of-20 shooting.

Mansfield stepped up its defensive effort in the second half generating 16 points off turnovers over the game's final 20 minutes including six points during the game-changing run late in the contest.

In addition to Bell and Harper's 20-point effort, freshman Kenny Johnson added a season-best 15 points while junior Charles Becoats notched 10 points. Bell was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine boards. Harper also recorded a career-best five steals in the game while connecting on 10-of-12 free throw attempts including 5-for-6 over the final minute of the game.

Keith Lowe paced three Vulcans in double figures with 20 points on the night.

The Mountaineers are back in action tomorrow when they travel to No. 16 IUP for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.