Slow start costly to Cal women
The California University women’s basketball team played Thursday night for the first time since the death Sunday of Vulcans senior forward Shanice Clark.
The No. 24-ranked Vulcans played a strong second half against PSAC West Division rival Gannon but was unable to overcome poor outside shooting and a sluggish first 20 minutes.
Nettie Blake scored 19 points to led four Gannon players in double figures as the Golden Knights held off a late charge by California and handed the Vulcans only their third loss of the season, 71-63, at the Hammermill Center in Erie.
The loss drops California (11-2, 14-3) into a second-place tie in the West Division with Gannon (11-2, 12-4). Both teams trail first-place IUP (12-1, 16-1) by one game.
California, which never led in the game, shot only 30 percent from the field in the first half and Gannon closed the half with an 11-3 run to take a 36-23 lead. The Golden Knights led by as many as 16 points early in the second half before Cal used its defense to spark a late rally. Cal forced 28 Gannon turnovers in the game and pulled to within 67-63 when Emma Mahady made a three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining. Until Mahady’s basket, Cal did not have a three-pointer as the Vulcans missed their first 14 attempts from behind the arc.
Gannon closed out the win by making four free throws in the final 18 seconds.
Blake had nine rebounds to go with her 19 points. Mollie Sebald and Morgan Neighbors each scored 14 points, and Candice Hendricks had 12, for Gannon.
Mahady scored 15 of her team-high 17 points in the second half. Miki Glenn’s 14 points for Cal included a 12-for-13 performance at the free-throw line. Seairra Barrett came off the bench and kept Cal within striking distance in the first half when she made her first six shots. Barrett finished with 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
The Vulcans host Slippery Rock Saturday (3 p.m.). In lieu of an admission charge, members of the Fastbreak Club, a boosters organization for the women’s basketball program, along with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and athletic training students will be collecting donations in the Convocation Center lobby. All donations will be given to Shanice Clark’s family.
Clark, a native of Toronto, Ontario, was redshirting this season after playing in 24 games last season.
California 63, Gannon 58, OT: Khalil Jabbie made 11 of 12 free throws and California University rallied for a 63-58 overtime upset of host Gannon in a PSAC West Division game.
Gannon (10-3, 11-7) led by 10 points at halftime but went nearly seven minutes without a point in the second half as California (8-5, 12-6) made a charge. While Gannon was having trouble scoring, Cal took its first lead of the game at 43-41 on a dunk by Richard Smith.
Both teams had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but with the score tied Gannon missed a shot with 17 seconds remaining and Jabbie missed a three-pointer with two seconds left.
Gannon bolted to a four-point lead in the first minute of overtime, but sparked by a three-point play by Arman Marks, who scored 14 points, the Vulcans rallied. Cal took the lead for good at 57-56 on a jumper by Calvin Brown with 1:56 to play, then stretched the advantage at the free-throw line.
Jabbie led Cal with 15 points, Jake Jacubec scored 12 and Smith had 11.
Gannon’s Girban Smith scored a game-high 22 points.