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University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Athletics

PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CATS
SmithGabrielle2
Ali Single
69
Mercyhurst MER-W(~1 4-12, 4-6 PSAC-W
76
Winner Pitt-Johnstown UPJ-W 9-7, 4-6 PSAC-W
Mercyhurst MER-W(~1
4-12, 4-6 PSAC-W
69
Final
76
Pitt-Johnstown UPJ-W
9-7, 4-6 PSAC-W
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Mercyhurst MER-W(~1 13 16 23 17 69
Pitt-Johnstown UPJ-W 16 22 16 22 76

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women’s Basketball Downs Mercyhurst, 76-69, Behind Gabrielle Smith’s 28 Points

Johnstown, PA

Smith, GabrielleGabrielle Smith poured in a game-high 28 points and the Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball team made it back-to-back wins with a 76-69 PSAC Western Division victory over Mercyhurst, Wednesday evening in the Sports Center.  The Mountain Cats raised their overall record to 9-7 and improved to 4-6 in conference-play.
 
Smith shot 8-14 from the floor and 12-13 from the free-throw line to account for her 28 points.  Smith also grabbed five rebounds, blocked two shots, and made three steals.  Olivia Fasick scored 17 points, while Alli McGrath had eight points and four rebounds.  Pitt-Johnstown also got six points and a team-high seven rebounds off the bench from Ashley Norling and six points from Mia Oterson.
 
Pitt-Johnstown increased a three-point lead at the end of the first quarter into a 20-13 advantage two minutes into the second quarter on Smith's layup.  Meghan Komendarek's basket two minutes later cut Mercyhurst's lead to three.  The Mountain Cats slowly built the lead into double digits with a pair of free-Fasick, Oliviathrows from McGrath with :14 left, before an Amber Renz bucket at the basket made it 38-29.
 
The Lakers battled back and outscored Pitt-Johnstown 21-13 over the first eight minutes of the third quarter to pull to within one at 51-50 on an Emily Shopene 3-pointer.
 
However, two free-throws from Maddie Shanahan with 4:26 to play got the Mountain Cat lead back out to eight and Pitt-Johnstown never let Mercyhurst get closer than three the rest of the way.
 
The Mountain Cats ended the night shooting 44.4% (24-54) from the floor and 2-11 from the charity stripe.  The Mountain Cat got it done from the free-throw line, connecting on 26 of its 31 attempts, while Mercyhurst made 12 of its 13 attempts from the line.  The Lakers shot 42.4% (25-59) from the field and 7-19 from behind the arc.
 
Renz finished with 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to lead Mercyhurst, which fell to 4-12 overall and 4-6 in the PSAC West.  Nicolete Newman scored had 13 points, and Shopene scored 10 points for the Lakers.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will host PSAC doubleheaders with the men's team against Slippery Rock on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Sports Center and nationally-ranked Indiana (PA) next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
 
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