CALIFORNIA, Pa. – Senior guard John Bayardelle scored on a layup just prior to the final buzzer Wednesday night to give visiting Slippery Rock University a come-from-behind, 54-53 win over California (Pa.) in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division men's basketball action.

The game-winning shot culminated a proverbial “snatch-victory-from-the-jaws-of-defeat” effort by The Rock, who overcame an icy-cold shooting effort from the field to improve their season records to 10-5 overall and 7-4 in conference games.

The decisive basket also culminated a Rock comeback from a 14-point (40-26) deficit with 14 minutes left to play in the game.

The Rock, after making only nine of 44 shots (20%) in the first 32 minutes of action, got hot down the stretch and hit nine of their last 13 attempts to finish the game with a 32% efficiency. The Green and White had similar success from 3-point range as they hit 35% (8-23) from beyond the arc. The Rock made 10 of 16 (63%) free throws.

California, which had a 39-38 rebounding edge and thus was the first team to outrebound The Rock this winter, made 41% (20-49) of its action shots with a 3-of-12 (25%) effort from long range. The Vulcans (9-8 overall, 6-5 PSAC) made 10 of 17 (59%) free throws.

Senior forward Devin Taylor led The Rock attack with 14 points and nine rebounds. Classmates Torrance Timothy and Tommy Kelly added 12 and eight points, respectively, while Bayardelle finished with six points.

Kelly, Taylor and Timothy (team-high four assists) each hit a pair of 3-point shots.

Steve Swiech scored 14 points for California to tie Taylor for game-high honors in that category. Swiech also grabbed six rebounds. Travon Vann added nine points and nine rebounds for the Vulcans.

The Rock scored the first two points of the game and held a 7-6 edge after four minutes of action, then never led again until Bayardelle's buzzer-beater.

California held a 30-22 advantage at halftime and, after a brief Rock rally to open the second half of action, went on a 10-1 run to take the aforementioned 40-26 lead with 14 minutes left to play.

The Rock closed the gap to six points, 43-37, on a Bayardelle basket with 7:30 left before California responded with four unanswered points to push the margin to 10 points, 47-37, with 6:15 remaining.

California held a 51-44 lead with 4:15 left to play, only to see The Rock close the game with a 10-2 run and claim the victory.

With the win, The Rock moved into a tie for fourth place with Edinboro (9-6 overall, 7-4 PSAC) in the PSAC-West standings. Those two teams meet head-on Saturday in SRU's Morrow Field House (3 p.m. tipoff).

Edinboro dropped a 59-51 decision Wednesday night at 10th-ranked and division-leading Indiana (13-2, 10-1).

Clarion (12-5, 8-3) beat Lock Haven (0-14, 0-11) and Mercyhurst (10-5, 8-3) nipped Gannon (8-7, 6-5) in other PSAC-West action Wednesday night to remain tied for second place, two games behind IUP. California and Gannon are tied for sixth place with Lock Haven in the division cellar.

After hosting Edinboro, The Rock travels to Gannon for a 7:30 p.m. game next Wednesday, then hosts Indiana in a 3 p.m. game Jan. 28.