After three straight games were postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, the Pitt-Johnstown men's and women's basketball teams will be back in action, Saturday afternoon when Clarion University visits the Sports Center for a PSAC Western Division doubleheader.  The women will tip-off at 1 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 3 p.m.
 
      The Pitt-Johnstown women, 4-8 overall and 2-4 in the PSAC West under ninth-year Head Coach Mike Drahos, has had its last three games postponed.  The Mountain Cats last played on January 5 at Slippery Rock and suffered a 66-52 setback.  Peyton Alazaus' 15 points led three Pitt-Johnstown double figure scorers.  Ashley Norling scored 13 points and pulled down a team high seven rebounds, while Makalyn Clapper had 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
      Eighth-year head Coach Jana Ashley's Clarion Golden Eagles have lost their last seven games and come in at 2-11 overall and 1-7 in the PSAC West following Wednesday's 68-59 home loss to Seton Hill.  Cory Santoro scored a game-high 24 points, while Sierra Bermudez had 13 points and seven rebounds, and Allyson Kirby tallied 12 points and eight rebounds for the Golden Eagles.
      Since 2005, Clarion holds a narrow 11-10 advantage in the series, but Pitt-Johnstown has won the last six meetings, including a pair of victories during the 2019-20 season.  On Jan. 11, 2020, Gabrielle Smith's game-high 20 points led the Mountain Cats to a 75-64 win in Clarion, before Norling poured in a game-high 21 points and Allie McGrath added 15 points and seven rebounds in Pitt-Johnstown's 68-59 win in the Sports Center on Feb. 15, 2020.  Celeste Ryman's 16 points and Emily Hegedus' 14 points and seven rebounds paced the Golden Eagles.
 
 
     Coach Bob Rukavina's Mountain Cat men are ranked sixth in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region at 9-3 overall and 5-1 in the PSAC West.  The Mountain Cats, who also had their last three games postponed, defeated Slippery Rock, 91-87, in their last game on January 5.  Fred Mulbah's 24 points, six rebounds, and seven assists to lead five Pitt-Johnstown double figures scorers.  Joe Batt (18 points), John Paul Kromka (18 points), Ryan Smith (15 points) and Jared Jakubick (11 points) also scored in double figures.
     Nationally, Pitt-Johnstown leads the PSAC and ranks fifth in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage (51.8%) and 14^th in 3-point field goal percentage (40.3%).  Mulbah paces the PSAC and ranks fourth nationally in total assists and fifth in assists per game, while Kromka leads the PSAC and ranks ninth in both field goal percentage and total blocks, and 12^th in blocks per game.
    Kromka enters the game ranked 23^rd on the Pitt-Johnstown All-Time Scoring List with 1,120 points and 12^th on the All-Time Rebounding List, with 585 rebounds. Mulbah is currently fifth on the Mountain Cat All-Time Assists List with 443 assists.
     Third-year Coach Damian Pitts' Clarion Golden Eagles are 6-5 overall and 2-4 in the PSAC West.  Clarion, which had its game against Seton Hill postponed on Wednesday, suffered a 101-66 loss to No. 7 Mercyhurst on Monday.  Gerald Jarmon (19 points), Connor Ferrell (16 points, 6 rebounds), and Lawrence Lemon (12 points, 5 rebounds) led the Golden Eagles against the Lakers.
     Since the first meeting during the 1970-71 season, Clarion holds a 35-23 advantage in the series.  However, the Mountain Cats have won 12 of the last 14 meetings, including a pair of victories in 2019-20.  Kromka's 19 points and seven rebounds and Batt's 12 points helped lift Pitt-Johnstown to a 67-64 win in Clarion on Jan. 11, 2020.  The Mountain Cats then earned a 78-72 win in the Sports Center behind 16 points from Josh Wise and 14 points from Drew Magestro on Feb. 15, 2020.  Elijah Cottrill's 12 points and Kaison Branch's 11 points paced Clarion.
 
    Pitt-Johnstown will make up a PSAC West doubleheader against Edinboro, originally scheduled for Jan. 10, on Monday at 1 and 3 p.m. in the Sports Center, before visiting Mansfield for a PSAC Crossover doubleheader on Wednesday.
      SCHEDULE UPDATE:  Wednesday's (Jan. 12) postponed doubleheader at Gannon is now rescheduled for Feb. 7 at 5:30 and 7:30 in Erie, and the California (PA) doubleheader that was postponed on Jan. 8 is rescheduled Feb. 14 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.