The Pitt-Johnstown men's and women's basketball teams will make their 2024-25 home debuts with non-conference games, Wednesday evening in the Sports Center.  The women will take on Wheeling (WV) at 6 p.m. with the men's game against Penn State-Greater Allegheny to follow at 8 p.m.
 
            First-year Head Coach D'wan Shackleford-Vickroy and the Pitt-Johnstown women's squad opened the season with a pair of tight losses at last weekend's Frostburg State (MD) Jim Crawley Conference Challenge.  On Friday, Belle Bosch scored a career-high 21 points and had seven rebounds, and Liv West added 13 points, but West Virginia Wesleyan battled back a first half deficit for a 73-69 win.  Frostburg State then held on for a 63-59 win on Saturday, despite 17 points and nine rebounds from Bosch and 10 points and six rebounds from Lexi Margolis.
            Wheeling, under third-year Head Coach Anna Kowalska also enters the game at 0-2 after dropping games to Edinboro and California (PA) at the Edinboro Tip-Off Classic.  In Friday's opener, Emilia Sierra Lacosta scored 19 points, and Rachel Wilson added 12 points and 10 rebounds, but Edinboro defeated the Cardinals 78-62.  The Vulcans then dealt Wheeling an 81-56 loss on Saturday.  Kaylee Marvin's nine points led the way for the Cardinals.
            Since the 2004-05 season when both teams were members of the WVIAC, Wheeling holds a narrow, 10-8 advantage in the series.  The Mountain Cats have won the last two meetings, including a 73-65 victory in Wheeling, W.Va. last year on Dec. 15.  Cassidy Crawford had game-highs of 24 points and 14 rebounds, and Peyton Alazaus added 22 points to lead Pitt-Johnstown.  The Cardinals were paced by Shamia Strayhorn's 19 points and nine rebounds, and Bryana Henderson's 15 points.
    The Pitt-Johnstown women travel to Davis & Elkins (WV) for a non-conference game on Saturday, before hosting a non-conference game against Saginaw Valley State (MI) on Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. in the Sports Center.
 
 
                The Pitt-Johnstown men, under 36^th-year Head Coach Bob Rukavina, will open its 2024-25 home schedule against Penn State-Greater Allegheny after starting the season by splitting two games at last weekend's Slippery Rock Atlantic Region Challenge.  On Friday, Freshman Jay Rose made his college debut with 17 points and seven rebounds, but Virginia Union defeated the Mountain Cats, 79-58.  Pitt- Johnstown answered with a, 92-83, victory over Shaw (NC) in Saturday's second round behind Rose's career-high double-double of 31 points and 11 rebounds.  The Mountain Cats also got 12 points and seven boards from Ryan Smith and 12 points off the bench from Adam Bilinsky.
            Head Coach Denzell London's Penn State-Greater Allegheny Lions come in at 0-2 after beginning the season with home losses to Apprentice (Va.) and Miami-Hamilton in the USCAA Tip-Off Tournament.  On Saturday, Biagio Crossley scored 12 points to lead three double figure scorers in a 77-62 loss to Apprentice, before the Lions fell to Miami-Hamilton, 66-58, on Saturday.  Devin Green had 14 points and seven rebounds, and Jalen Cole netted 12 points.
            Pitt-Johnstown and Penn State Greater Allegheny first met during the 2003-04 season and the Mountain Cats hold a 7-0 advantage in the series.  In the last meeting on Dec. 7, 2016, Pitt-Johnstown got a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds from AJ Leahey in a 100-80 victory over the Lions.  Curtis Newby and Khari Hicks each scored 14 points to pace Penn State-Greater Allegheny.
            The Mountain Cats will host a non-conference game against South Carolina-Beaufort on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the Sports Center, before visiting D'Youville (NY) for another non-conference game on Monday.