GREENSBURG, Pa: The Pitt-Greensburg men's basketball team broke a 64-64 deadlock, outscoring Pitt-Bradford 9-2 in the final 3:19 of Saturday's Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference contest to capture a 73-66 victory over the visitors.
The win improves the Bobcats to 10-2 in the AMCC and 10-9 overall as Bradford falls to 7-5 in conference play and 10-9 on the season.
After a back and forth affair to open the first, Pitt-Bradford would seem to seize control and hold onto a seven point, 36-29 lead with 1:58 remaining in the half. The Bobcats would come roaring back, closing the half on a 6-0 run capped by a
Jerell Figueroa (Dover, PA, Dover Area) three with seven tics left, cutting the deficit to just one point, 36-35 as the teams broke for halftime.
UPG kept things close despite shooting just 36% from the floor and an uncharacteristic 23% from behind the three point arc. Though they would convert 77% (10-13) from the foul line.
Much like the first, the teams would trade buckets and the lead on several occasions. Fortunately for the Bobcats an improved second half shooting percentage of 48% would pay major dividends. Especially in the game-closing 9-2 run that pushed Pitt-Greensburg to the victory. Once again they'd make the most from the charity stripe, converting 88% (7-8) of their chances.
UPG finished 81% from the free throw line and held a major advantage over the Panthers who converted just 33% (4-12).
A trio of Bobcats would tally 17 points apiece including Figueroa,
Rocco Contristano (Pittsburgh, PA, Keystone Oaks), and
Marcus Thomas (Uniontown, PA, Uniontown) who pulled down a game high 13 rebounds.
Mike Connelly (Butler, PA, St. Joseph) would also finish in double figures with a 13 point performance to round out the leading scorers.
The Bobcats who currently sit in a tie for second place in the AMCC will face Franciscan University next. They'll travel to Steubenville OH for an 8:00pm tip with the Barons on Wednesday, February 4
th as they continue their quest for a regular season conference title.
