Box Score
Isaac Vescovi produced a game-high 21 points and was one of four Pitt-Johnstown players to score at least 15 points as the Mountain Cats defeated Seton Hill University 81-72 Saturday Night in a PSAC Conference Tournament First Round Game in the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center.
 
Dale Clancy and Nate Snodgrass both recorded 15 points while A.J. Leahey added 16 points as the Mountain Cats advance to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament to face the West Division No. 1 seed Indiana University (Pa.) March 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kovalchick Complex in Indiana.
 
Leahey went 4-for-4 from three-point range, which gives him 167 career three-point field goals and puts him in seventh place on the Mountain Cat All-Time Three-Point Field Goal List. He also remains 10 points shy of becoming the 27^th Mountain Cat to reach 1,000 career points.
 
Seton Hill got out to an early 8-3 lead after a layup from Spencer Casson at 17:48 in the first half, but Pitt-Johnstown tied the game at eight points in the 34 seconds due to a jumper from Isaac Vescovi and a three-pointer from A.J. Leahey.
 
The Mountain Cats faced another deficit when Brandon Alsto hit a three-pointer at 15:12, however, Pitt-Johnstown would eventually gain it back, but it took them 3:52 to score four points to lead the Griffins as Vescovi drained a shot from beyond the arc to give this team a 13-11 advantage.
 
Seton Hill recaptured the lead, 15-13 at 9:48 after two layups from Taylor Bowling off of assists from Kameron Taylor.
 
The lead changed a total of nine time throughout the half until the Mountain Cats went on an 8-0 run after trailing 18-17 with 7:36 left in the half. The run was highlighted by two three-pointers from Leahey as Pitt-Johnstown led the game, 25-18 at 5:31.
 
Although UPJ was able to score five of the last nine points of the half and shoot 7-for-11 (64%) from three-point range in the first half, the Griffins were able to cut their deficit by two points to make the halftime score, 35-30 in favor of the Mountain Cats.
 
Pitt-Johnstown started the second half with a 9-2 run after a layup from Rasaun Mosley on an assist from Dale Clancy to put them ahead, 44-32 succeeding a media timeout at 15:52.
 
The Griffins trimmed their deficit to five points when Alston made a pair of free throws after being fouled by Clancy on a fastbreak at 12:25. Taylor followed with a layup at 11:50 to cut Pitt-Johnstown's lead to 50-47, forcing Mountain Cat Head Coach Bob Rukavina to call a timeout nine seconds later.
 
Seton Hill regained the lead after seven straight points after a layup from Vescovi at 11:34 to go ahead, 54-52 when Taylor hit a three-pointer for the Griffins with 10:11 remaining in the game.
 
The score was then tied at 54 and 57 points before the Mountain Cats went on a seven-point run, which included a crucial three-pointer from Jake Laravie and a layup from Vescovi to regain control, 64-57 heading a Seton Hill timeout at 7:35.
 
Pitt-Johnstown then pulled ahead by 10 points when Clancy scored five straight points to give his team a 71-61 at 5:41 following three free throws. Clancy's baskets triggered a nine-point run, which the set the Mountain Cats up with a 75-61 lead with 3:39 left in the game, and also helped the team earn its first PSAC conference tournament victory in program history.
 
The Mountain Cats are to travel to Indiana University (Pa.) for a PSAC quarterfinal matchup Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Kovalchick Complex in Indiana.