Box Score
Nate Snodgrass recorded a game-high 23 points as Pitt-Johnstown defeated Edinboro University, 80-65 in PSAC West Division competition Saturday at the McComb Fieldhouse in Edinboro after an early first half advantage helped the Mountain Cats maintain control of the game.
 
A.J. Leahey also added 20 points and seven rebounds while Dale Clancy totaled 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Mountain Cats, who advanced to 10-6 overall, 7-5 in conference play.
 
Pitt-Johnstown got out to a 7-0 lead in the first 3:09 of the game after a layup and three-pointer by Leahey along with a jumper from Clancy.
 
After an Edinboro jumper from Henri Wade-Chatman with 16:33 left in the half, the Mountain Cats scored 14 straight points to build a 21-2 advantage just under seven minutes into the game. The run helped the team keep a sizeable lead that did not fall under 18 points.
 
A jumper from Dom Keyes with 10:47 remaining in the first half gave Pitt-Johnstown a 22-point lead, but two straight baskets from the Fighting Scots that cut the Mountain Cats lead to 25-7 with 9:48 to go. Keyes finished the game with four points and three rebounds.
 
By the five minute mark, Pitt-Johnstown built a 24-point lead when Jake Laravie made two free throws after being fouled by Edinboro's Mikael Anderson to put the Mountain Cats up, 38-14. Laravie finished the game with six points and three rebounds.
 
The biggest lead of the game for UPJ came with eight seconds left until halftime when Clancy made a pair of free throws after being fouled by Edinboro's Je'land Head, which lead to the Mountain Cats ending the half with a 44-18 lead.
 
Edinboro was held to just a 27% (7-for-26) first half shooting percentage and went 0-for-6 from three-point shooting range as well as nine turnovers. The Mountain Cats capitalized on the Fighting Scots misfortunes by shooting for 62% (16-for-26) from the field, went 7-for-7 for the free throw line and four steals in the first half.
 
Edinboro scored the first five points of the second half to cu Pitt-Johnstown's lead to 44-23 after two free throws made by Michael Beck and a three-pointer from Jaymon Mason.
 
By the 11:49 mark in the second half, the Mountain Cats' lead was cut to 14 points when the Fighting Scots went on an 8-1 run to make the score, 53-39 in Pitt-Johnstown's favor. Just under two minutes later, the Fighting Scots went on another scoring streak, scoring six straight points (including four free throws), to cut the lead to 56-45.
 
Two free throws from Clancy with five minutes left helped the Mountain Cats pull ahead to a 17-point, 69-52 lead. The closest Edinboro got to tying the game in the last five minutes was when Wade-Chatman hit a three-pointer to cut the Mountain Cats' lead to 12 points.
 
Pitt-Johnstown closed out the game with three straight free throws from Snodgrass and Clancy in the last minute of play to help secure the victory over Edinboro, rebounding from a home loss to Indiana University (Pa.) last Wednesday.
 
Tommy Scales led the way with a double-double (15 points and 11 rebounds) for the Fighting Scots, who fall to 9-6 overall and 8-4 in conference play with the loss.
 
The Mountain Cats are to travel to Slippery Rock for a PSAC West Division game on Wednesday, before returning home to host a conference doubleheader with the Lady Cats against Clarion on Saturday starting at 3 p.m. in the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center.