Pitt-Johnstown had a chance to win it in the final seconds before ultimately coming up empty in a heartbreaking 61-60 loss to Mansfield in a PSAC crossover matchup on Saturday afternoon at the Sports Center.
The Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball welcomed back about 100 Lady Cats alumni, coaches and staff to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the program. Mountain Cats dropped to 1-6 (0-2 PSAC) despite leading the Mounties for much of the game. Mansfield improved to 4-2 (1-1 PSAC).
Sophomore Belle Bosch recorded her first double-double of the year with season-highs of 22 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. She is the only Mountain Cat to reach double-digits in scoring in every contest this season.
Junior Lexi Margolis totaled 11 points and nine rebounds. Riley Childress notched a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 assists.
The Mountain Cats went up by as many as eight in the final quarter after a layup by Margolis made it 54-46 with six minutes remaining. Mansfield scored 10 straight points to take the lead, but Bosch tied the game at 56-all with a layup at the 3:07 mark.
With less than a minute to go, Mansfield led by three before Margolis connected on a pair of free throws to trim the deficit to one. The Mountain Cats forced a turnover with 14 seconds left, but coming out of a timeout, Margolis' potential game-winning 3-pointer was off the mark in the waning seconds.
Pitt-Johnstown had a 38-26 advantage in points in the paint and shot a near-perfect 13-of-14 from the free-throw line, but it wasn't enough.
A pair of free throws from Camille Dominick in the final seconds of the first quarter tied the game at 18-all.
A 3-pointer courtesy of freshman Sophia Ott in the final minute of the first half gave the Mountain Cats a 33-28 advantage at the break.
Pitt-Johnstown will have more than a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday before traveling to Glenville State on Dec. 2 for a 3 p.m. tip-off in West Virginia.