Head Coach
Bob Rukavina and the Pitt-Johnstown men's basketball team, seeded fifth in the Western Division, will tip-off the 2018 PSAC Championship Tournament at fourth-seeded Edinboro University on Monday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at McComb Fieldhouse.
The winner of Monday's opening round match-up advance to a PSAC Quarterfinals match-up at Western Division top-seeded Indiana (PA) at 7:30 p.m.
The Mountain Cats, winners of five of their last regular season games, improved to 15-11 overall and closed out the PSAC schedule at 13-9 after Wednesday's 71-64 victory at Mercyhurst.
Josh Wise's 20 points led four Mountain Cat double figure scorers.
Isaac Vescovi had 19 points,
Olando King, Jr. tallied 13 points and nine rebounds, and
Dale Clancy finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Pitt-Johnstown also got seven points and seven rebounds from
Levi Masua.
Vescovi (21.0 ppg.), Clancy (16.7 ppg.), and Wise (15.0 ppg.) are all averaging in double figures in scoring for Pitt-Johnstown, while four Mountain Cats are averaging five or more rebounds per game, including Masua (7.7 rpg.), Wise (5.7 rpg.), King, Jr. (5.3 rpg.), and Vescovi (5.1 rpg.). Clancy and Masua lead the teams in assists at 4.9 and 3.0 assists per game, respectively.
Clancy currently stands in ninth-place on the Mountain Cat All-Time Scoring List (1,447 points), tied for second on the assists list (520), and fifth on the 3-point field goals list (230). Vescovi is 12
th-place on the Pitt-Johnstown Scoring List with 1,376 points.
The Fighting Scots under fifth-year Head Coach Pat Cleary enter Monday's game at 16-10 overall and 13-9 in the PSAC following Saturday's 92-84 home loss to Mercyhurst. Keshawn Liggins scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Jaymon Mason added 25 points to lead Edinboro.
Liggins' 23.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game pace Edinboro. Jaymon Mason 16.7 ppg.) and Anthony Coleman (15.6 ppg.) are also scoring in double figures for the Fighting Scots.
Edinboro leads the all-time series between the schools, 21-9, including a pair of victories over the Mountain Cats this season. On January 8 in Edinboro, Liggins made three free-throws and Mike Beck added one in the final minute to help the Fighting Scots hold on for a narrow, 82-78, PSAC victory. Wise had 19 points and Vescovi scored 18 points to lead Pitt-Johnstown. Liggins (21 points), Mayson (17 points), Coleman (12 points), and Alex Jay (11 points) all scored double figures for Edinboro. The Fighting Scots completed the season sweep with an 87-72 overtime win in the Sports Center on January 31. Clancy's 24 points and Wise's 17 points led the way for Pitt-Johnstown, while Liggins' game-highs of 29 points and 16 rebounds and Mason's had 25 points led three Edinboro double figure scorers.
The top six teams from each division (East and West) earned an opportunity to win the PSAC Men's Basketball Championship while the top two teams from each division earned a first-round bye. The highest remaining seed from the East will host the semifinals and finals.
Monday, February 26 - 1st Round
No. 5 (West) Pitt-Johnstown at No. 4 (West) Edinboro - 7 PM
No. 6 (East) Millersville at No. 3 (East) Shippensburg - 7 PM
No. 6 (West) Mercyhurst at No. 3 (West) Slippery Rock - 7 PM
No. 5 (East) Bloomsburg at No. 4 (East) Kutztown - 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 28 - Quarterfinals
Winner of EU/UPJ at No. 1 (West) IUP - 7:30 PM
Winner of SHIP/VILL at No. 2 (East) West Chester - 7:30 PM
Winner of KU/BU at No. 1 (East) East Stroudsburg - 7:30 PM
Winner of SRU/MERCY at No. 2 (West) Gannon) - 7:30 PM
*Semifinal Bracket Switch
- In the semifinals, the highest remaining seed from host division will play the lowest remaining seed from the
opposite division. This may require a change of
opponents from the original bracket
Saturday, March 3 - Semifinals (Top remaining East Seed will host)
Semifinal 1 will be at 1 p.m.
Semifinal 2 will be at 3:30 p.m. (Top remaining East seed)
Sunday, March 4 - Final
SF 1 Winner vs. SF 2 Winner - TBA
