Box Score PHOTO GALLERY

(BOWIE, Md.)   In a game of firsts, the 20th ranked Bulldogs of Bowie State University won its home opener 84-75 over the Vulcans of California University of Pennsylvania.  The win was also Bowie State's first career-win against California (PA) after four previous setbacks dating back to the early 1980's.

With the victory, the Bulldogs improve their record to 4-1 overall while the Vulcans drop to 5-2 overall.

Bowie State senior Darren Clark tied his career-high of 28 points and added nine rebounds, six assists and three steals to pace the Bulldogs.  Fellow senior Jay Gavin finished the night with 17 points and a BSU career-high five assist, while junior Dameatric Scott posted 10 points before fouling out. 

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 13-5 lead in the first five minutes of the contest before extending its lead to nine points, 17-8 with 12:13 remaining before halftime.  The Vulcans then mounted an 8-2 rally on a traditional three-point play by Mitchell Weedon (Frederick, Md.) and back-to-back buckets by Chad Tipton (Hanover, Pa.) to trim the deficit to 19-16 at the 10:03 mark.  Bowie State responded by pushing the lead back to nine before the California (Pa.) cut the deficit to 38-37 at intermission following a jumper by Travon Vann (Frederick, Md.).

The Vulcans took their first lead of the game in the opening seconds of the second half and quickly had a four-point lead, 42-38, after a three-point play by CJ Townes (Joppatowne, Md.) at the 19:40 mark.  Bowie State tied the game less than two minutes later before taking the final lead change of the game with 15:51 left in the second half.  With the Bulldogs holding a 61-53 advantage, California (Pa.) ran off seven unanswered points to cut the deficit to one point (61-60), following a layup by Townes with 9:09 remaining.  The Bulldogs maintained the lead and stretched it to as many as 12 points, 78-66, with 2:28 left to play.

Vann and Fortune each scored a team-high 14 points to lead the California (Pa.) Vulcans.  Tipton added a dozen points and Chris Williams (Philadelphia, Pa.) pulled down a team-high eight rebounds to go along with nine points.

Bowie State shot 63 percent (17-of-27) from the field in the second half and closed out the evening at 50 percent (28-of-56) overall.  However, second half free throw shooting could have come back to bite the Bulldogs as Bowie State hit just eight-of-21 from the charity stripe.  BSU ended the game shooting 56.4 percent (22-of-39) from the free throw line and held a slim 39-38 rebound margin.  In comparison, California (Pa.) was held to a season-low 36.5 percent (19-of-32) from the field and shot just 26.7 percent beyond the arc.  The Vulcans were successful at the free throw line, knocking down 33-of-44 for 75 percent.

Bowie State will play another non-conference game on Thursday (12/8) night, hosting the Mountain Cats of the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.  Game time is set for 7 pm in BSU's A.C. Jordan Arena.