Two of the top-three teams in the PSAC West will meet in the Sports Center Wednesday night when the Pitt-Johnstown men's basketball team plays host to 19^th-ranked Mercyhurst.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.  In addition, Mountain Cat junior point guard Fred Mulbah enters the game four assists shy of tying Pitt-Johnstown's all-time record.
 
     Head Coach Bob Rukavina's Mountain Cats, 19-6 overall and in second place in the PSAC West at 15-4, look to bounce back from an 83-63 lost to California (PA), Monday night in the Sports Center.  John Paul Kromka's double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds led Pitt-Johnstown, while Joe Batt scored 11 points and Andy Zuchelli collected 10 points off the bench.  Mulbah finished with nine points and a game-high nine assists, and Jared Jakubick netted nine points.
 
            With his nine points and nine assists against the Vulcans on Monday, Mulbah comes into the game 28 points shy of becoming Pitt-Johnstown 33^rd 1,000-point scorer and four assists away from tying Nick Novak's (2009-13) Mountain Cat record of 545.  Kromka currently ranks 15^th on the Pitt-Johnstown All-Time Scoring List with 1,362 points and sixth on the All-Time Rebounding List, with 694 rebounds.
 
     Pitt-Johnstown leads the PSAC and ranks 10^th in NCAA Division II in 3-point field goal percentage and 11^th in field goal percentage.  The Mountain Cats are also second in the PSAC and seventh nationally in total assists, eighth in assists per game, and assists per game, and 12^th in field goal percentage.  Kromka leads the country in total blocks and is fifth in blocks per game and sixth field goal percentage, while Mulbah leads the nation in total assists and is second in assists per game and 39^th in steals per game.
 
    Head Coach Gary Manchel's (19^th-year) 20^th-ranked Mercyhurst Lakers are 20-4 overall and and just behind the Mountain Cats in the PSAC West at 14-4.  The Lakers, winners of three straight and five of their last six, are coming off of an 87-77 win over Gannon last Wednesday.  MiyKah McIntosh's game-high 28 points led four Mercyhurst players who scored in double figures.
 
    The Lakers pace the PSAC and are second nationally in turnover margin, fourth in total steals, fifth in steals per game, sixth in turnovers forced, and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio.  Individually, Nicholas Lang ranks fifth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio and 19^th in total steals, while McIntosh is 22^nd in 3-point field goal percentage.
 
    Pitt-Johnstown and Mercyhurst met in Erie on Jan. 26 and the Lakers came away with a 90-61 victory.  Mulbah scored 17 points, Kromka had nine points and eight rebounds, and Drew Magestro and Zuchelli added nine points apiece for the Mountain Cats.  McIntosh finished with game-high 24 points to lead Mercyhurst.
 
    Pitt-Johnstown closes out the regular season with PSAC West games at Seton Hill on Jan. 23 and at IUP on Jan. 26, before competing in the 2022 PSAC Men's Basketball Tournament from Feb. 28-March 6.