Josh Wise scored a game-high 23 points and the Mountain Cats outscored Mansfield University by 13 in the second half, including eight straight free-throws down the stretch, to secure an 85-70 win in Saturday's PSAC-opener in Mansfield.  Pitt-Johnstown improved to 5-2 overall and 1-0 in the PSAC Western Division.
 
Pitt-Johnstown jumped out to a 15-7 lead just over six minutes into the game on Jared Jakubick's 3-pointer and Wise's basket in the paint.
 
Keith Farmer's layup two minutes later got Mansfield back to within two, before Joe Batt's 3-pointer at 5:43 increased the Mountain Cats' lead back to eight at 25-17.
 
Pitt-Johnstown still held and eight point lead with four minutes left in the half, but the Mounties outscored the Mountain Cats, 11-5, the rest of the way to cut it to 36-34 at the break on a Taylor Sweeney 3-pointer.
 
Mansfield kept the momentum to begin the second half and took a 43-40 lead on another 3-pointer from Sweeney.
 
Pitt-Johnstown responded with an 18-7 run, capped by two of Wise's 18 second half points and a Fred Mulbah layup, rebuild its lead to eight at 58-50 with 11:02 to play.
 
The Mounties battled back again.  This time, Mansfield cut it to 62-61Ryan Bernstein's free-throw at the 6:32 mark.
 
However, Pitt-Johnstown regained control and used a Caiden Landis 3-pointer to extend the lead to 75-66 with 2:48 remaining, and got four free-throws from Mulbah, and two apiece from Jakubick and Landis in the final minute to break it open.
 
Wise finished with a game-high 23 points and six rebounds to lead three Mountain Cats who scored in double figures.  Hit three 3-pointers off the bench and collected 14 points and four rebounds, and Mulbah had 18 points (6-7 free-throws), four rebounds, five assists, and three steals.  Pitt-Johnstown also got eight points from Adam Kline, seven points and nine rebounds from John Paul Kromka, and six points and five rebounds from Landis.
 
The Mountain Cats, who dominated the glass 42-28, shot 53.6% (30-56) from the floor and 8-16 from behind the 3-point line, while holding Mansfield to 40.0% (24-60) shooting.  The Mounties connected on 12-25 from 3-point range and 10-15 from the charity stripe.  Pitt-Johnstown was 17-22 from the free-throw line.
 
Mansfield, which fell to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in the PSAC East, was led by Sweeney's 19 points.  Nysir Marshburn had 18 points and nine rebounds, while Tyler Moffe scored 13 points and Bernstein had 10 points, six rebounds, and a game-high 10 assists.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will host a PSAC game with the women's team against Kutztown on December 8 at 3 p.m.  The Mountain Cats will also host a non-conference doubleheader against Cheyney on December 18 and a PSAC doubleheader with the women's team against Millersville on December 19.