Ryan Smith dropped a career-high 27 points to help Pitt-Johnstown outlast Shippensburg for a 91-86 victory on Friday night at Heiges Field House.

The Mountain Cats won their fifth consecutive game to improve to 7-3 overall (3-0 PSAC). The senior from Harrisburg accounted for 22 of the Mountain Cats' 42 first half points before finishing 10-for-17 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Freshman Jay Rose matched Smith with a game-high three triples and totaled 17 points, five rebounds and a pair of steals. Graduate transfer Sean Dillon provided 15 points to go along with eight rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Baden Forup notched 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Pitt-Johnstown led by as many as 19 in the second half when Rose connected on a jumper that made it 73-54 with 10:30 to play. That lead was eventually shrunk down to one possession on three separate occasions over the final minute and a half, but each time the Mountain Cats had a response.

A pair of free throws from Dillon with 45 seconds remaining pushed the lead to 87-82. Shippensburg cut it to 87-84 nearly 30 seconds later before sophomore Vinnie Cugini answered with two free throws to make it 89-84.

After the two teams traded turnovers in the waning seconds, Cugini slammed the door shut with two more free throws with just a second left on the clock.

The Mountain Cats shot 46.5% (33-for-71) from the field, but the real difference came from behind the 3-point line where they were 9-for-20 (45%). In turn, they also limited the Raiders to just a 5-for-27 (18.5%) mark from deep.

Pitt-Johnstown fell into a 17-8 hole roughly six minutes into the game before beginning to find its rhythm. 

Will Kromka's fastbreak layup with about two minutes to play in the half tied it at 36-all. Smith then scored the final six points of the half for the Mountain Cats as they took a 42-40 advantage into the break.

The Mountain Cats will visit Millersville for a 3 p.m. tip-off on Saturday.