
The Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats women's basketball team couldn't overcome Slippery Rock's hot 3-point shooting, as they fell 64-60, Wednesday Night at Rich Regan Family Court at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center.The Mountain Cats used a balanced scoring attack which had three players score in double figures. Smith led the Mountain Cats with 14 points, followed by Hartwick with 13 and McCabe with 12.
The Slippery Rock University Rock opened up an early 8-3 lead in the first quarter when Brooke Hinderliter split two free-throws. The Mountain Cats answered Slippery Rocks early run when
Alexis Hartwick knocked down a 3-pointer to cut into the Slippery Rock lead and make it, 8-7. Slippery Rock answered late in the first when Madison Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer to make it, 11-7 to end the first half.
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With 8:56 remaining in the second quarter,
Tori Moreland hit a 3-pointer to cut into Slippery Rock's lead and made it 13-10. From there, the Mountain Cats went on a run and took their first lead of the game when Hartwick knocked down a mid-range jumper to make it 18-16. Slippery Rock regained the lead, 23-22, when Skyla O'Connor knocked own a mid-range jumper. Pitt-Johnstown ended the half on a mini 4-0 run capped off by an
Olivia McCabe layup with 3 second left in the half.
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Pitt-Johnstown continued their run in the second half with a 7-0 run when
Maddie Shanahan knocked down a jumper in the corner that was assisted by Hartwick to make it 34-23 with 7:11 remaining in the third quarter. The Rock got their first points of the second half when LeeAnn Gibson laid it up and in with 6:31 left.
The Mountain Cats extended their lead to ten points when
Gabrielle Smith grabbed a Hartwick miss and got a put back to make it, 41-31, with 3:33 left in the half. Slippery Rock quickly answered and went on a 12-3 run, highlighted by a Johnson 3-pointer, to cut the Mountain Cats lead to, 44-43, with a minute remaining. After a pair of McCabe free-throws, the Mountain Cats held a, 46-43, lead going into the fourth and final quarter of action.
Slippery Rock jumped out to an early 9-3 run when Krista Pietropola hit 3-pointer at the top of the key to make it 51-49 Slippery Rock.
Mia Oterson found a streaking Smith in the lane to tie it at 51-51 with 6:47 remaining in the game.
Hinderliter quickly regained the lead back for Slippery Rock when she hit a 3-pointer to make it, 54-41 P. Pitt-Johnstown got it back to a one-point deficit when Hartwick laid it up and in to make it 56-55. Slippery Rock extended their lead, 61-55 after a pair of Hinderliter free-throws. The Mountain Cats cut the deficit to two points when McCabe and Smith hit consecutive jumpers to make it 61-59. After a
Nicole Olkosky foul, Fordham split free-throws with 20 second remaining. Pietropola closed the game out with nine seconds remaining when she split free-throws to give Slippery Rock a four-point lead.
Slippery Rock's Fordham scored a game-high 15 points, followed by Hinderliter with 12 points and Johnson with 10 points.
The Mountain Cats shot 38.5% (20-52) from the field and 30.8% (4-13) from 3-point land. Slippery Rock shot 43.5% (20-46) from the field and a blistering 50% (7-14) from behind the arc.
The Mountain Cats will travel to Greensburg to take on the Seton Hill Griffins Saturday, before a home PSAC matchup against the West Chester Rams Wednesday night.
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