Box Score
Isaac Vescovi scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds to help Pitt-Johnstown battle back from a pair of double-digit deficits, but PSAC West leading IUP hits all six of its free-throws in the final 32 seconds to hold off the Mountain Cats, 84-77, Wednesday night in Indiana.  Pitt-Johnstown slipped to 15-10 overall and 11-9 in the PSAC West.
 
After a very tight first 10 minutes that featured five ties and a dozen lead changes, IUP began to knock down its 3-pointers and used a 17-6 run to build an 11-point advantage.
 
Nate Snodgrass' jumper put Pitt-Johnstown back in the lead by one at 23-22, but two of Brandon Norfleet's 21 first half points, followed by a conventional 3-point play from Tevin Hanner started the Crimson Hawks' run.  Brandon Spain, Jacobo Diaz, and Norfleet all hit 3-pointers around Tanner's lay-up to close the run and put IUP in front 42-31 with 3:50 left in the half.
 
The Mountain Cats charged back with a 14-2 spurt of its own over the next 1:28 to retake the lead, 45-44, on the strength of 3-pointers from A.J. Leahey, Vescovi, and Jake Laravie.
 
IUP answered with five consecutive points over the final 1:32 to take a 49-45 lead into the halftime break on Dante Lombardi's 3-pointer, and Diaz's tip-in.
 
The Crimson Hawks held the momentum to start the second half.  Anthony Glover's 3-pointer two minutes into got IUP's lead back out to seven, before Diaz added seven more points to extend it to 71-58 with 11:28 left.
 
Leahey's basket and Jake Laravie's lay-up and free-throw got the Mountain Cats back to within four at 74-70 at the 6:08 mark.
 
However, Pitt-Johnstown couldn't get over the hump, as Diaz and Norfleet connected on all six of their free-throws in the final 32 seconds to seal the win.
 
Vescovi's 18 points and five rebounds led five Mountain Cats who scored in double figures.  Leahey had 16 points and five rebounds, while Clancy tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.  Snodgrass had 12 points and seven assists, and Laravie rounded out the double figure scorers with 10 points and four rebounds.
 
Leahey currently stands in 10^th-place on the Mountain Cat All-Time 3-point Field Goals list with 154.  He is also 71 points away from becoming the Pitt-Johnstown's 27^th 1,000-point scorer.
 
Both teams shot the ball well.  Pitt-Johnstown finished the night shooting 50.8% (30-59) from the field and 8-19 from 3-point range.  The Mountain Cats were also 9-10 from the free-throw line.  IUP shot 54.7% (29-53) from the floor, 8-15 from behind the 3-point line, and 18-211 from the charity stripe.
 
Norfleet's game-high 31 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, and Diaz's 16 points and seven rebounds paced four Crimson Hawks who scored in double figures.
 
With the victory, IUP made it 14 wins in its last 15 games and improved to 20-6 overall and 17-4 in the PSAC West.
 
The Mountain Cats travel to Clarion for a PSAC game on Saturday, before celebrating senior night and closing out the 2015-16 regular season with a conference doubleheader with the Lady Cats against Slippery Rock on Wednesday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.