Box Score
Josh Wise scored a career-high 19 points, and Pitt-Johnstown used a 40-16 run to build a 17-point first half advantage in an 80-58 PSAC victory over Clarion, Friday afternoon in the Sports Center.  The Mountain Cats improved to 8-4 overall and evened its record in the PSAC Western Division at 3-3.
 
Pitt-Johnstown spotted Clarion an early 7-0 lead, but stormed back to outscore the Golden Eagles by 24 to build a 17-point lead with 2:27 left in the first half.
 
Five quick points from Cameron Grumley and a pair of free-throws by B.J. Andrews gave Clarion an early lead, before the Mountain Cats took the lead on Wise's 3-pointer at the 13:16 mark.
 
Pitt-Johnstown increased it into double figures on Dale Clancy's steal and lay-up with 11 minutes left in the half, then capped the run with a bucket from Ajan Smith to make it 40-23.
 
Another bucket by Smith as time expired gave Pitt-Johnstown a 46-27 halftime lead.
 
The Mountain Cats didn't let up in the second half.  Jake Laravie's 3-pointer, followed by a pair of baskets by Rasaun Mosley pushed it out to 27 four minutes in.  Two buckets in the paint from A.J. Leahey and Wise's jumper with 12 minutes left in regulation gave Pitt-Johnstown it largest lead of the day at 68-34.
 
The Mountain Cats never let the Golden Eagles get closer than 21 the rest of the way and coasted to the 22-point victory.
 
Wise's game and career-high 19 points on 8-13 shooting led three Pitt-Johnstown players who scored in double figures.  Leahey had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Laravie had 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists.  The Mountain Cats also got nine points and nine assists from Clancy, seven points and six rebounds from Isaac Vescovi, and six points and five rebounds from Smith.
 
With his 16 points, Leahey moved into 13^th-place on the Mountain Cat All-Time Scoring List with 1,262 points.  He also stands in fourth-place on the all-time 3-point field goals list with 197.
 
Pitt-Johnstown held a 41-31 advantage on the glass and shot 48.5% (32-66) from the field.  The Mountain Cats were also 7-21 from 3-point range, and 9-11 from the free-throw line.  The Golden Eagles were held to just 34.0% (18-53) shooting, including just 4-17 from behind the 3-point line.
 
Grumley had 13 points and six rebounds, and Andrews had 11 points for Clarion, which dropped to 5-6 overall and 3-3 in the PSAC West.
 
Pitt-Johnstown travels to PSAC games at IUP on Tuesday and Edinboro on Friday, before hosting a PSAC doubleheader with the Lady Cats against Gannon on January 9 in the Sports Center.