Men's Basketball 6/13/2013 3:57:00 PM

Mountain Cats Get Lost, Then Fall to West Liberty

02/11/2010

After getting lost on the bus ride down for nearly two hours and arriving at West Liberty (WV) University at 8 o'clock for a 7:30 game, the Mountain Cats had to get ready quickly to take on the Atlantic Region's top-ranked team. Patrick Grubbs (Turtle Creek, Pa.) had a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Danny Branch (Washington, D.C.) added 20 points, but the Hilltoppers broke open a five-point halftime lead and dealt Pitt-Johnstown an 86-72 road loss on Thursday. Pitt-Johnstown dropped to 11-10 overall and 7-9 in the WVIAC.
Branch and Andy Byer (Tire Hill, Pa.) connected on three-pointers to give the Mountain Cats a 6-3 lead two minutes into the game. West Liberty answered with a 14-4 run over the next 4:29, capped by John Wolosinczuk's three-pointer at 14:12, to give the Hilltoppers a 17-10 lead.
Pitt-Johnstown battled back to tie the score at 24 on Rudy Roberts' (Cleveland, OH) lay-up at 7:32, but the Hilltoppers outscored the Mountain Cats 18-13 the rest of the half to build a five-point halftime lead.
Back-to-back three-pointers put the Hilltoppers up 30-24, before West Liberty took its largest lead of the half at 42-33 on Wolosinczuk's lay-up with 1:31 left. Three of Branch's 14 first half points and a late break-away lay-up from Nick Novak (Murrysville, Pa.) got Pitt-Johnstown to within five at 42-37 at the break.
The Hilltoppers pushed their lead into double-digits for the first time at 48-38 3:20 into the second half on Corey Pelle's basket.
The Mountain Cats cut the deficit to 52-29 on Byer's rebound and put-back with 12 minutes to play, but Scott Mirich scored 10 of West Liberty's next 19 points to ignite a 19-8 run and give the Hilltoppers a 71-57 lead at 6:10.
Pitt-Johnstown never got any closer than 12 points. West Liberty built the lead to 18,b efore going on to the 14-0point win.
Pitt-Johnstown shot 46% from the field, 5-17 from three-point range and 9-16 from the free-throw line. West Liberty ended the night shooting 45.6%, 8-35 from behind the three-point line and 16-21 from the charity stripe.
Grubbs had 20 points on 8-9 shooting and 4-8 from the free-throw line. Branch scored 20 points, while Byer rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points. Roberts collected eight points, and Novak finished with eight points, four rebounds and five assists.
Wolosinczuk led all scorers with 22 points and six rebounds. Mirich scored 21 points, and Pelle had 17 points and five rebounds. Barry Shetzer rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points and seven rebounds. The Hilltoppers made it 13 straight wins and improved to 18-1 overall and 14-1 in the WVIAC.
Pitt-Johnstown will host Wheeling Jesuit (WV) University on Saturday for a doubleheader on Breast Cancer Awareness Night and Ohio Valley (WV) University on Monday. The Lady Cats will tip-off both home doubleheaders at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center, with the mens' game to follow at 7:30 p.m.

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