The Pitt-Johnstown men's and women's basketball teams will host a PSAC Western Division doubleheader against Mercyhurst University, Saturday afternoon in the Sports Center.  The women will tip-off against the Golden knights at 1 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 3 p.m.  Prior to the women's game, Pitt-Johnstown will recognize senior forward Olivia McCabe for becoming the program's 37^th 1,000-point scorer.
 
Coach Mike Drahos' (5^th year) Pitt-Johnstown squad just finished a stretch that saw the team play three nationally-ranked opponents in its last four games.  On Wednesday, Pitt-Johnstown traveled to 10^th-ranked California (PA) and suffered a 53-43 loss to slip to 7-8 overall and 4-6 in the PSAC.  Maddie Shanahan had a career-high 11 points and six rebounds.  The Cats also got nine points and eight rebounds from Gabrielle Smith, five points and a game-high 11 rebounds from Olivia McCabe, and eight points from Maurina Nunn.
 
McCabe, who scored her 1,000^th-career-point last Saturday against Gannon University, enters today's game ranked 36^th on the Pitt-Johnstown All-Time Scoring List with 1,031 points and 13^th on the All-Time Rebounding List with 713.
 
Mercyhurst, under 10^th-year Head Coach Deanna Richard, is 6-9 overall and 4-5 in the PSAC after a 79-62 win over Clarion on Monday and an 83-68 loss to Seton Hill on Wednesday.  Stephanie Petery scored 11 points, and Rachel Chessar and Vivian Allison each scored eight points to lead the Lakers against the Griffins.
 
Last year, the Lakers swept two PSAC games from Pitt-Johnstown.  On January 14, Mercyhurst earned a 71-41 win in Erie, before securing a 74-66 victory in the Sports Center on February 11 behind 17 points apiece from Angela Heintz and Jalin Steel.  Jamie Tabon had game-highs of 19 points and eight rebounds, while Laurel O'Barto scored 15 points and Smith added 14 points for Pitt-Johnstown.
 
 
Head Coach Bob Rukavina's Mountain Cats look to snap a four-game losing streak after falling to 6-8 overall and 4-6 in the PSAC following Wednesday's narrow 81-80 setback at California (PA).  Dale Clancy scored a career-high 32 points and pulled down seven rebounds to help the Mountain Cats erase a 15-point deficit, but the Vulcans hit three free-throws in the final 24 seconds to hold on for an 81-80 PSAC victory.  Isaac Vescovi had 21 points and nine rebounds, Drew Magestro had 11 points and five assists, while Josh Wise scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds.  Levi Masua also scored five points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
Clancy currently stands in 15^th-place on the Mountain Cat All-Time Scoring List (1,243 points), fourth on the assists list (452), and fifth on the 3-point field goals list (192).  Vescovi is 21^st-place on the Pitt-Johnstown Scoring List with 1,122 points.
 
Mercyhurst, 7-6 overall and 4-5 in the PSAC under 15^th-year Head Coach Gary Manchel, has won its last two games.  The Lakers are coming off of a 91-62 victory over Clarion on Monday, and a 69-63 win over Seton Hill on Wednesday.  Lorenzo Collier scored 13 points and Patrick Smith had 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds to lead four Mercyhurst players who scored in double figures against the Griffins.  The Lakers also got 12 points from Derrick Ellis and 11 points and five assists from Malcolm Walters.
 
In a series that dates back to 1971, Mercyhurst leads 22-21, but Pitt-Johnstown has won the last three meetings, including sweeping a pair of games last year.  On January 14, Jake Laravie, Clancy and Vescovi all scored 14 points to lead the Mountain Cats to a 71-61 win in Erie.  Pitt-Johnstown completed the sweep with a 78-70 win in the Sports Center on February 11.  Clancy's 20 points paced five Mountain Cat double figure scorers, while Durrell McDonald scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Lakers.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will host a PSAC doubleheader against Slippery Rock University on Wednesday starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center, before traveling to Seton Hill University for a conference games next Saturday.