The Pitt-Johnstown men's and women's basketball teams return from the holiday break and will host PSAC Crossover doubleheaders against Millersville on Friday and Shepherd on Saturday.  Friday's games are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. in the Sports Center, and Saturday's games are slated to begin at 1 p.m.
 
The Pitt-Johnstown women, under second-year Head Coach D'wan Shackleford-Vickroy, is 3-8 overall and 0-4 in the PSAC after a 70-66 loss at East Stroudsburg on Dec. 20 and a 71-63 setback at Kutztown on Dec. 21.  Liv West poured in a game-high 23 points, and Riley Childress had 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists against the Warriors.  West then added 16 points and eight boards, and Sophia Ott tallied 11 points against the Golden Bears.
 
Head Coach Kira Mowen's (3^rd year) Millersville Marauders enter the game at 4-5 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC following a 56-45 home loss to fifth-ranked Gannon on Dec. 21. Morgan Mahoney led the way with 12 points against the Golden Knights.  Millersville also picked up an 80-65 victory over Lincoln a on Dec. 19 behind Kelly Cleaver's 19 points and seven rebounds.  Carley Berk chipped in 17 points to help pace four double-figure scorers.
 
The Mountain Cats and Marauders have met 10 times since the 2004-05 season and Pitt-Johnstown holds an 8-2 advantage.  Pitt-Johnstown had won four straight games until Millersville ended the streak last season on Dec. 7 behind 14 points from Bryn Zentner and 11 points and nine rebounds from Cleaver.  Belle Bosch's game-high 18 points and five rebounds paced the Mountain Cats.
 
Shepherd, under fourth-year Head Coach Julie Kaufman, was 2-6 overall and 0-3 in the PSAC before Friday's scheduled game at Clarion.  The Rams wrapped up the fall semester with a 76-72 loss at Slippery Rock on Dec. 16 and an 86-63 home loss to Edinboro on Dec. 20.  Lamaria Estridge scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Kara Wehner had nine points, and Trinity Turner tallied eight points and seven boards against the Fighting Scots.
 
Pitt-Johnstown and Shepherd have split the last four meetings between the two teams.  On Dec. 30, 2022, the Mountain Cats earned a 77-48 victory in Shepherdstown, W.Va., before the Rams answered with a 64-57 home win last season on Dec. 21.  Gianna Gallucci scored a game-high 15 points, and Belle Bosch added 12 points and a game-best 13 rebounds for Pitt-Johnstown.  Samiyah Nasir's 13 points led three double figure scorers for Shepherd.
 
 
The Mountain Cat men, under Head Coach Bob Rukavina, has won four straight games and comes in at 9-3 overall and 3-1 in the PSAC after an 83-79 win at East Stroudsburg on Dec. 20 and a 79-67 victory at Kutztown on Dec. 21.  Jay Rose scored a game-high 21 points and pulled down five rebounds, and Baden Forup collected a double-double of 19 points and a dozen rebounds to pace four Mountain Cat double figure scorers against the Warriors.  Rose then added 20 more points against the Golden Bears, while Vinnie Cugini was 4-5 from behind the arc and scored 19 points, and Forup tallied 12 points and seven boards.
 
Ninth-year Head Coach Casey Stitzel's Millersville Marauders are 7-3 overall and 2-1 in conference-play.  The Marauders had their six-game winning streak snapped with a 74-70 home loss to top-five ranked Gannon on Dec. 21.  Day Waters had 19 point and seven rebounds, and Aamir Hurst collected 17 points to lead the Marauders against Gannon.  Millersville also defeated Bowie State (MD) 88-71 on Dec. 19 behind Saraj Ali 23 points and seven rebounds and Cesar Tchilombo's 12 points and 17 rebounds.
 
Pitt-Johnstown holds a 9-5 advantage in the series since the teams first met in 1995-96 season.  Last year on Dec. 7 in Millersville, the Mountain Cats had their six-game winning streak over the Marauders snapped.  Cugini had 20 points and Forup had 16 points and six rebounds for the Mountain Cats.  Jahme Ested's 20 points led five Marauders who scored in double figures.
 
Prior to Friday's scheduled game at Clarion, Head Coach Justin Namolik's (17^th-year) Shepherd Rams were 5-5 overall and 1-2 in conference-play following an 83-64 home victory over Edinboro on Dec. 20.  Elwine Wordlaw's game-high 25 points Brody Davis' 18 points and seven boards led the way for the Rams.  Shepherd also suffered a 70-61 loss to Slippery Rock on Dec. 16.
 
Since first meeting in 1982-83, Pitt-Johnstown holds a 17-8 advantage in the series.  The Mountain Cats have won 11 of the last 13 meetings.  However, last year in Shepherdstown, W.Va. on Dec. 21, the Rams picked up an 80-65 win behind Marcus Banks' 19 points and Chase Paar's 14 points and eight rebounds.  Ryan Smith poured in a game-high 28 points, and Forup added 15 points and six boards for Pitt-Johnstown.
 
Following this weekend's games, both Pitt-Johnstown teams travel to Indiana (PA) to begin PSAC West-play on Wednesday, before returning home to host a conference doubleheader against Slippery Rock on Jan. 10 in the Sports Center.