Head Coach Bob Rukavina and the Mountain Cat men's basketball team will travel to Pittsburgh for an exhibition game against Division I Pitt on Thursday.  The Mountain Cats and Panthers are scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m. in the Petersen Events Center.

The Mountain Cats return two starters and six lettermen from last year's team that made its fourth consecutive in the PSAC Tournament.  Back in the starting are junior guard Josh Wise (15.0 ppg., 5.6 rpg.) and senior guard Olando King, Jr. (4.4 ppg., 5.4 rpg.). With six freshman, five of whom are former Pennsylvania or Ohio All-State selections, the 2018-19 version of the Mountain Cats will the youngest in the 30-year tenure of Coach Rukavina.  Pitt-Johnstown must also replace three seniors in All-PSAC West selections Isaac Vescovi and Dale Clancy and staring forward Levi Masua.

Pitt is led by first-year Head Coach Jeff Capel, who is coming off of head coaching stints at Virginia Commonwealth and Oklahoma where he led teams to three NCAA Tournament berths, including taking the Sooners to the Elite Eight in 2008.  Coach Capel also spent seven season as an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke.  The Panthers are coming off of an 8-24 overall record and an 0-18 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).  Pitt will be led by senior forward Jared Wilson-Frame (13.0 ppg., 3.5 rpg.) and sophomore guard Shamiel Stevenson (8.5 ppg., 4.4 rpg.)

The Mountain Cats and Panthers last met in an exhibition in the Petersen Events Center on November 5, 2016, and Pitt came away with a 95-65 victory.  A.J. Leahey's 20 points tied for game-high, but Pitt broke open a nine-point lead midway through the second half and went on to the 30-point win.  Jake  Laravie finished with 13 points, and Isaac Vescovi scored 10 points and grabbed seven for Pitt-Johnstown.  All five Panthers' starters scored in double figures, led by Jamel Artis, who connected on six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points.  Cameron Johnson (18 pts. 8 rebs.), Michael Young (17 pts. 6 rebs.), Chris Jones (11 pts. 5 rebs.), and Sheldon Jeter (11 points, 12 rebs.) also score in double figures for Pitt.

Pitt-Johnstown will tip-off the 2018-19 regular season with games against Virginia State and Concord (WV) at the Indiana (PA) Division II Classic on November 9 and 10, before making their home debut with a non-conference game against Penn State-Fayette on November 17 at 2 p.m. in the Sports Center.