Box Score

CALIFORNIA, Pa. – East Stroudsburg University held California to three points over the final six minutes, but couldn't overcome an 11-point deficit as the Vulcans handed ESU its second straight loss, 68-64, in non-conference men's basketball on Sunday afternoon at Hamer Hall.

ESU (7-5) trailed 60-49 with eight minutes left after California (7-4) went on a 14-0 run but climbed back into the game down the stretch. A three-pointer by senior guard Mike DeMarco and a layup by senior forward Mike Tobin cut the deficit to three points with just under a minute to play, but the Warriors turned the ball over twice in the final 10 seconds after getting a defensive stop and Rashawd Hatten made the second of two free throws to seal the win with two seconds left.

The Warriors, the preseason favorite in the PSAC East, faced the No. 1 and No. 3 picks in the PSAC West poll this weekend. Preseason favorite and defending champion IUP beat ESU, 78-72, on Saturday. The Warriors went 2-2 in crossover action against the PSAC West, falling to 22-4 in crossover games over the past five seasons, and open the PSAC East schedule on Wednesday against Cheyney after winning a share of their first PSAC East regular season title since 1992 last season.

Tobin led ESU with 13 points and eight rebounds, sophomore forward Terrance King had 13 points and four blocks and sophomore forward Duane Johnson posted seven points, six rebounds and six assists one day after setting his career-high with 23 points in the loss at IUP.

DeMarco had eight points, six rebounds and five assists and sophomore guard Gerald Bridges, Jr. and sophomore forward Marcus Brown contributed eight points off the bench.

ESU led throughout the first half and was up 29-22 before California scored the final seven points of the half to send the game into the locker room deadlocked at 29-all. The lead changed hands four times in the first four minutes of the second half and the Warriors led 49-46 with 12 minutes left before California forced six turnovers during its game-changing run.

The Warriors went almost five minutes without a field goal during Cal's run before hitting five shots over the final six minutes. The score was 65-54 after Steve Swiech converted a three-point play for the Vulcan's final field goal with 6:02 left. The Vulcans were 0-for-4 from the field, 3-for-8 at the foul line and committed four turnovers down the stretch, but the 11-point margin proved to be too much to overcome.

California shot 54.3 percent and was 15-for-27 (55.6 percent) in the second half. Swiech scored 10 of his 17 points in the first half and was 7-for-9 from the field, while four other players scored at least eight points. Hatten had 11 points and was 3-for-6 at the line in the final five minutes.

ESU finishes its non-conference schedule with a 7-5 record entering the 14-game PSAC East slate. The Warriors were 13-0 against non-league foes a year ago to set up their NCAA Division II Tournament run.

The first night of conference play on Wednesday has Millersville at Bloomsburg, West Chester at Mansfield, Kutztown at Shippensburg and Cheyney at ESU.