The Pitt-Johnstown men's basketball team, winners of 12 of its last 14 games, looked to stay hot and sweep the season series against California (PA) when the Vulcans visited the Sports Center on Wednesday.  John Paul Kromka collected a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Joe Batt added 11 points and five rebounds, but Cal U got off to a fast start and secured an 83-63 PSAC Western Division victory.  Pitt-Johnstown is now 19-6 overall and 15-4 in conference-play.
 
Along with Kromka and Batt, the Mountain Cats got a trio of 3-pointers and 10 points off the bench from Andy Zuchelli, nine points and a game-high nine assists from Fred Mulbah, and nine points and four rebounds from Jared Jakubick.  Caiden Landis chipped-inn seven points for the Mountain Cats.
 
With his nine points and nine assists, Mulbah moved to within 28 points of becoming Pitt-Johnstown's 33^rd 1,000-point scorer and to within four assists of Nick Novak's (2009-13) Mountain Cat all-time record of 545.
 
The Vulcans took advantage of a slow start from the Mountain Cats and climbed out to a seven-point lead on a Philip Alston basket five minutes into the game, before five quick points from Jakubick cut it to 16-14.
 
Cal U pushed its lead to 14 with seven minutes remaining in the opening half, but Pitt-Johnstown answered to outscore the Vulcans, 15-7, the rest of the way.  Batt's jumper cut the deficit in half, and Landis' basket with :41 left made it a four-point game.
 
Keith Palek III followed with a bucket as time expired to give Cal U a 42-36 halftime advantage.
 
However, the Vulcans caught fire and shot 61% in the second half and went on to the win.
 
Pitt-Johnstown had a tough shooting night, and finished the game at 40.3%, while Cal U shot 56.1%, including 14-28 from 3-point range.  The Mountain Cats were 7-22 from beyond the arc.
 
Brent Pegram scored 32 points and Preston Boswell added 16 points to help Cal U improve to 17-6 overall and 12-5 in the PSAC West.
 
The Mountain Cats close out their regular season home schedule with a PSAC game against No. 20 Mercyhurst on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center.  Pitt-Johnstown will then travel to Seton Hill on Feb. 23 and to IUP on Feb. 26, before competing in the 2022 PSAC Men's Basketball Tournament that begins on Feb. 28.