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University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Athletics

PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CATS

Men's Basketball

Mountain Cats Suffer 72-59 Loss at Gannon

Erie, Pa.

Box Score
Gannon University used a quick 8-0 run midway through the second half to break open a four-point game in a 72-59 PSAC victory over the Mountain Cats, Wednesday night in Erie.  Ian Vescovi scored 19 points and pulled down six rebounds to lead Pitt-Johnstown, now 10-7 overall and 3-4 in the PSAC West.
 
Vescovi scored Pitt-Johnstown's first eight points, and Bill Luther connected on a 3-pointer that gave the Mountain Cats a slim one point lead five minutes into the game.
 
Gannon, which shot over 60% in the first half, answered by outscoring Pitt-Johnstown 23-11 over the next 11 minutes to build an 11-point advantage of its own.
 
Two of C.J. Oldham's 15 first half put the Golden Knights in front by seven, before Adam Blazek's jumper in the paint capped the run and extended it 33-22 with 3:28 left in the half.
 
The Mountain Cats were able to cut it to 39-33 at the break on another 3-pointer from Luther and a short jumper from Vescovi as time ran out.
 
Five straight points by Gannon to open the second half pushed its lead back out to 11, but Pitt-Johnstown kept it close can cut it to five on Paul Weatherly's 3-pointer at 14:41, then to four at 52-48 on a Nate Snodgrass jumper three minutes later.
 
However, Gannon scored the next eight points to build the lead to 60-48 with 8:28 to play.
 
The Mountain Cats clawed back to within six on two Luther free-throws with 2:48 remaining, but then Golden Knights hit eight straight from the line in the final 2:15 to seal the 13-point victory.
 
Vescovi's 19 points and six rebounds led Pitt-Johnstown, while Luther added 10 points to account for the only other Mountain Cat to score in double figures.  Palo and Weatherly each chipped-in seven points in the loss.
 
Luther is currently 19th on the Mountain Cat All-Time Scoring List with 1,089 points and third on the career-3-Point Field Goals List with 232.
 
Pitt-Johnstown ended the night shooting 46.7% (21-45) from the field, but just 4-18 from behind the 3-point line.  The Mountain cats were also 13-16 from the free-throw line.  Gannon, which out-rebounded Pitt-Johnstown 31-21, finished the game shooting 52.1% (25-48) from the floor, 3-9 from 3-point range, and 19-24 from the charity stripe.
 
Blazek scored a game-high 21 points, and Oldham tallied 17 points and seven rebounds to pace the Golden Knights, who made it five straight wins and improved to 11-7 overall and 6-2 in the PSAC West.
 
The Mountain Cats host conference doubleheaders with the Lady Cats in the Sports Center against Mercyhurst University on Saturday starting at 2 p.m. and Indiana University (PA) on Wednesday starting at 5:30 p.m.
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