The Pitt-Johnstown men's and women's basketball teams return home for the first time in nearly two weeks to host a pair of PSAC Western Division games against Slippery Rock, Wednesday evening in the Sports Center.  The women will tip-off the doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. with the men's game scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
         Coach Mike Drahos' Pitt-Johnstown women's team comes in at 9-13 overall and in sixth-place in the PSAC West at 7-9.  On Monday, the Mountain Cats traveled to Gannon looking for its second win of the season against the nationally-ranked Golden Knights.  Olivia Fasick scored a game-high 15 points, Peyton Alazaus had 13 points, and Ashley Norling and Makalyn Clapper chipped-in 12 points apiece, but the 25^th-ranked Golden Knights held on for a 66-61 win.  On Jan. 29, Pitt-Johnstown dealt the No. 14 Golden Knights a 72-53 loss in the Sports Center.
         Alazaus ranks second in the PSAC and 39^th nationally in 3-pointers made, while Fasick is fifth in the PSAC and 43^rd nationally in assists.  In addition, Molly Wagoner is third in the conference and 46^th nationally in blocked shots.
         Slippery Rock enters the game at 10-10 overall and 5-9 in the PSAC West under eighth-year Head Coach Bobby McGraw.  The Rock has dropped its last seven games, including a 65-40 home loss to Seton Hill on Monday.  Jamiyah Johnson led Slippery Rock with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
         For The Rock, Johnson leads the PSAC and the country in double-doubles and offensive rebounds per game.  Johnson also paces the conference and ranks second in NCAA Division II in both total rebounds and rebounds per game.
         The Mountain Cave have won four of the previous six meetings between the two teams.  In the last meeting on January 5, the Rock earned a 66-52 win over Pitt-Johnstown in Slippery Rock.  Alazaus scored 15 points, while Norling had 13 points and seven rebounds, and Clapper tallied 10 points and six rebounds for the Mountain Cats.  Daeja Quick's 20 points and Johnson's 15 points and 17 rebounds led Slippery Rock.
         SCHEDULE NOTE:  Pitt-Johnstown's home women's basketball game against Mercyhurst that was originally scheduled for February 16 has been moved to Monday, February 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.
         Pitt-Johnstown visits Clarion on Saturday, before returning home to hosts its final two regular season games.  The Mountain Cats will host a PSAC doubleheader with the men's team against California (PA) on Monday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the Sports Center, before hosting Mercyhurst on February 21.
 
 
         Head Coach Bob Rukavina's (33^rd-year) Mountain Cats, 17-5 overall and 13-3 in the PSAC West, have won 10 of their last 12 games and are receiving votes in both the NABC (Coaches Poll) and D2SIDA (SID Poll) National Polls.  Pitt-Johnstown looks to bounce back for a tough, 67-66, loss at Gannon on Monday.  The Mountain Cats used an 18-0 run to regain the lead, but the Golden Knights were able to hold on for the one-point win.  John Paul Kromka's 17 points and game-highs of nine rebounds and four blocks and Drew Magestro's 14 points, including four 3-pointers led Pitt-Johnstown.  Fred Mulbah had 10 points, five rebounds and a game-high seven assists, while Jared Jakubick added 10 points and seven rebounds.
         Kromka ranks 16^th on the Pitt-Johnstown All-Time Scoring List with 1,309 points and sixth on the All-Time Rebounding List, with 670 rebounds. Mulbah, who enters the game 51 points away from becoming Pitt-Johnstown 33^rd 1,000-point scorer, is currently fourth on the Mountain Cat All-Time Assists List with 512,  33 assists shy of Nick Novak's (2009-13) Mountain Cat record of 545.
         Pitt-Johnstown leads the PSAC and ranks 11^th in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage.  The Mountain Cats are also second in the PSAC and 14^th nationally in both assists and assists per game and 34^th in assist-to-turnover-ratio.  Kromka leads the country in blocks and is fifth in blocks per game and field goal percentage.  Mulbah paces the PSAC and is second nationally in total assists and fourth in assists per game.
         Slippery Rock, under fourth-year Head Coach Ian Grady, comes in at 11-9 overall and 7-6 in the PSAC West following back-to-back losses to eighth-ranked IUP.  On Saturday, the Rock suffered a 70-65 loss to IUP, before falling 72-61 on Monday.  Amante Britt's 15 points and Frankie Hughes and Jonathan McFall's 12 points apiece led the Rock in Monday's game.
         Pitt-Johnstown has won the last two meetings between the teams, including a 91-87 victory in Slippery Rock on Jan. 5.  Mulbah had 24 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, while Kromka (18 points), Joe Batt (18 points), and Ryan Smith (15 points) all scored in double figures for the Mountain Cats.  Hughes' game-high 44 points paced The Rock.
         Pitt-Johnstown travels to Clarion for a PSAC game on Saturday, before returning home to host a conference doubleheader with the women's team against California (PA) on Monday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.  The Mountain Cats will also play host to Mercyhurst on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.