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Box Score
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Photo Gallery
CALIFORNIA (Jan. 20) – Junior Lloyd Harrison hit the game-winning three-pointer for the Golden Eagles as time expired on Wednesday night, as the California University of Pennsylvania suffered a tough 79-76 loss to Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Hamer Hall.
The Vulcans have now lost three-consecutive games by a combined 20 points to drop to 12-6 overall and remain winless in divisional play at 0-3 this year. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles have won three of their last four games to improve to 10-6 this season and 2-1 in league action.
Junior forward
Andrew Young (Philadelphia, Pa./Cheltenham) scored a team-high 16 points on six-of-nine shooting and grabbed six rebounds. Senior guard
Jerial Nixon (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain Admiral King) posted 12 points, while sophomore forward
Kelsey Williams (Sandusky, Ohio/Sandusky) and freshman guard
Ryne Niemiec (Brownsville, Pa./Beth-Center) each added 11 points off the bench.
After Cal U led virtually the entire first half, the two teams combined for seven ties and nine lead changes in the second half. With the Golden Eagles leading 72-71, the Vulcans took their final lead of the game when Niemiec hit a three-pointer with 3:22 left in the game. Cal U maintained the momentum when Kelsey Williams blocked the ensuing shot before Clarion scored four-straight points to take a 76-74 lead with 35 seconds left. On the next Vulcan possession, Nixon tied the game at 76-76 on a pair of free-throws with 16 seconds left. However, Harrison was able to get off the game-winning buzzer-beater with 1.53 second left and no time left on the clock after the ball went through the net.
In the loss, the Vulcans shot 51.8 percent (29-of-56) from the floor and an impressive 50.0 percent (7-of-14) from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles finished the game with a .473 field-goal percentage (26-of-55). The biggest difference was at the free-throw line, as Clarion made 85.7 percent (24-of-28) and Cal U shot just 57.9 percent (11-of-19).
Cal U, who was out-rebounded by a 32-29 margin, collected 21 assists on 29 field goals and committed only 12 turnovers. Sophomore guard
Travon Vann (Frederick, Md./St. John's Catholic Prep) registered a career-high eight assists, while junior point guard
Travis Williams (Raleigh, N.C./Word of God Christian Academy) tied his season high with six assists.
Lloyd Harrison engineered the Golden Eagles’ comeback by scoring 17 of his 21 points in the second half. He also added five rebounds, six assists and three steals in the win. Guard Jamar Harrison finished with 20 points, while junior Shameel Carty scored a game-high 24 points (15 in the first half) off the bench.
The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Jan. 23, when they travel to face Edinboro at 3 p.m. Last year at the McComb Fieldhouse, Nixon converted a traditional three-point play to give Cal U a 73-72 second-half comeback victory.