Box Score California, PA – (12/18/2011) – Following the opening tip, tonight's opponents went their separate ways as the University of California (PA) used a 52-16 halftime advantage to claim an 88-44 win over Chestnut Hill College. The Griffins first-half struggles, a 5-of-23 (21.7%) shooting performance and a 29-10 rebounding deficit, helped the Vulcans end their four-game losing streak. Freshman guard
Luke Dickson (Pittman, NJ) led the Griffins with 10 points and three steals.
The University of California (PA) (6-4) took advantage of being in front of their home crowd for the first time in two weeks and wasted no time seizing an early 11-point lead, 15-4 (13:51). Led by the inside-out combination for senior forward Steve Swiech (Greenock, PA) and junior guard Keith Lowe (Columbus, OH), the Vulcans grew that lead into a 20-point, 34-14, advantage before going on a 18-2 run over the final six minutes of the period (6:04). Dickson scored eight of his points in the second half, but the Vulcans were just too much for Chestnut Hill College (9-4), as their lead topped out at the final buzzer, 88-48.
Lowe finished as the Vulcans top scorer with 19 points, he also provided seven rebounds and seven assists to his game-high scoring performance. Swiech finished with a double-double, offering 16 points and 11 rebounds while two others reached double figures. Freshman guard Tynell Fortune (New York, NY) came off the bench for 12 points and junior forward Mitchell Weedon (Frederick, MD) supplied 11 points with his nine rebounds.
Dickson was 4-of-8 (50.0%) from the floor, including two buckets from long range (2-of-6, 33.3%), for his team-high, ten points. Fellow freshman, forward
Alssene Saintilus (Irvington, NJ) and sophomore guard
Jakeem Bogans (Philadelphia, PA) each totaled nine points while freshman center
Seamus Radtke (Philadelphia, PA) led the Griffin effort on the glass with seven rebounds.
The men's basketball team remains on the road to play Slippery Rock University in a 4:00 p.m. contest on Monday, December 19.
