Gabrielle Smith poured in a game-high 21 points and
Olivia McCabe added 16 points and 16 rebounds to help the Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball team build a 21-point halftime advantage in a 71-51 PSAC Crossover victory at Cheyney University on Saturday. Pitt-Johnstown improved to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the PSAC Western Division.
Cheyney kept it close early and took a 1-point lead with four minutes remaining in the first quarter, but two
Maurina Nunn free-throws at 1:47 gave Pitt-Johnstown a 3-point lead, before McCabe's lay-up as time was running down put Pitt-Johnstown up 17-15.
However, the Cats began to break it open with a 13-2 run to start the second quarter. Smith's layup made it an eight-point lead, before
Ashley Dean's 3-pointer and a basket from
Alexis Harris gave the Cats a 30-17 lead with 6:15 left in the half.

Pitt-Johnstown went on to outscore the Wolves 30-11 in the quarter. Two free-throws from Smith, followed by one from McCabe increased the lead to 22, before the Cats took a 47-26 lead into break on a pair of
Alexis Hartwick free-throws.
The Wolves hung around and narrowed the gap to 14 entering the fourth quarter, but Pitt-Johnstown rebuilt its lead to 20 at 64-44 on Smith's 3-pointer with 5:13 to play, before cruising to the lopsided victory.
Smith led all scorers with 21 points (10-14 free-throws) and seven rebounds, while McCabe finished with 16 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Hartwick had 10 points, and Harris and Nunn chipped-in eight and seven points, respectively.
Pitt-Johnstown shot 35.7% (20-56) from the field, but held the Wolves to just 27.3% (18-66) shooting, including just 2-10 from 3-point range. Pitt-Johnstown was 9-22 from behind the 3-point line and 22-35 from the free-throw stripe. Cheyney connected on 13-22 from the charity stripe.
TaKayla Ellis's 12 points and Yasmine Dorrielan five points and 13 rebounds led the Wolves, who fell to 1-7 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC East.
Pitt-Johnstown travels to PSAC crossover games at Millersville on Sunday and to Lock Haven next Saturday, before returning home to host a non-conference game against Wheeling Jesuit on December 12 at 6 p.m. in the Sports Center.