After eight straight road games to begin the season, the Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball team will makes its 2018-19 home debut against Kutztown University as part of a PSAC doubleheader with the Mountain Cats men's basketball team, Saturday afternoon in the Sports Center. The women will tip-off against the Golden Bears at 1 p.m., with the men's game to follow at 3 p.m.
Head Coach Mike Drahos, in his fifth year at the helm of the women's basketball program, Pitt-Johnstown squad, 4-4 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC West, will make its 2018-19 home debut this afternoon. The Mountain Cats split a pair of conference games on the road last weekend.
Gabrielle Smith poured in a career-high 37 points and
Alli McGrath added 32 points in last Saturday's 98-93 double-overtime win at Mansfield, before Smith tallied 32 more points in Sunday's 69-68 loss at Shippensburg. Pitt-Johnstown also visited Salem (WV) University for a non-conference game on Wednesday and suffered an 86-69 setback. Smith scored a game-high 25 points and had seven rebounds, while McGrath had 20 points and nine rebounds and
Maddie Shanahan tallied 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Mountain Cats.
Kutztown, under 25
th-year
Head Coach Janet Malouf, also split a pair of PSAC Crossover games last weekend and comes in at 2-6 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC East. Third ranked-Indiana (PA) dealt the Golden Bears a 72-41 loss to begin conference-play last Saturday, before Kutztown bounced back with a 66-55 win over Clarion on Sunday.
Rylee Derr scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds, while
Karen Lapkiewicz and
Taylor Thames added 15 and 11 points respectively to lead the Golden Bears.
In the last meeting between the two teams on December 3, 2016,
Alex Heck had 23 points and 10 rebounds and
Jenna Altomare added 22 points to lead the Golden Bears to a an 81-77 win in the Sports Center.
Tori Moreland scored 23 points, while
Olivia McCabe had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and
Jamie Tabon had 17 points and seven rebounds to pace Pitt-Johnstown.
Pitt-Johnstown travels to Robert Morris for an exhibition game next Saturday, before hosting a non-conference doubleheader with the men's team against Cheyney on December 18 and a conference doubleheader against Millersville on December 19. Both doubleheaders will tip-off at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.
Head Coach Bob Rukavina's (30th year) Mountain Cats come in at 5-3 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC Western Division after splitting a pair of crossover games to begin PSAC-play last weekend. On Saturday,
Josh Wise, the PSAC West Player of the Week, scored 18 points,
Fred Mulbah had 18 points, and
Jared Jakubick added 14 points in the Mountain Cats' 85-70 win at Mansfield. Pitt-Johnstown then visited 20
th-ranked Shippensburg on Sunday and suffered a tight, 76-71 loss. Wise scored 22 more points, and
John Paul Kromka, this week's PSAC West Freshman of the Week, posted career-highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Mountain Cats.
Kutztown, 5-3 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC East under 19
th-year
Head Coach Bernie Driscoll, also split two PSAC Crossover games last weekend. The Golden Bears got 20 points from
Moe Williams in a 96-87 overtime loss to No. 3 Indiana (PA) on Saturday, before rebounding with an 87-70 victory over Clarion on Sunday.
Anthony Lee finished with a game-high 37 points, while
Josh Townsend had 13 points and nine rebounds, and
Ricky Hicks chipped-in 10 points for Kutztown.
Pitt-Johnstown and Kutztown first met during the 1990-91 season, and the Mountain Cats hold an 8-4 advantage in the series. The Golden Bears have won the last two meetings, including a 96-90 victory on December 3, 2016 in the Sports Center.
A.J. Leahey scored a game-high 36 points, and
Isaac Vescovi added 23 points to lead Pitt-Johnstown.
Ethan Ridgway and
Josh Johnson scored 21 and 20 points, respectively to pace six Kutztown players who scored in double figures.
The Mountain Cats will break for Finals Week before hosting a non-conference doubleheader with the women's team against Cheyney on December 18 and a PSAC Crossover doubleheader against Millersville on December 19. The women will tip-off both doubleheaders at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center, with the men's game to follow at 7:30 p.m.
