Cresson, PA: Behind a school-record 8 three pointers from Mike Connelly, the Pitt-Greensburg men's basketball team defeated #24 ranked Penn State Behrend 77-72 on Saturday evening at Mount Aloysius College. This was the first time in the history of the UPG men's basketball program that the Bobcats defeated a nationally ranked team. Prior to the game, the 8 members of the senior class were recognized for their contributions to the program.

The Bobcats close out the regular season at 16-9 and finish 13-5 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play, which is good for 3^rd place in the league standings. The Lions finish 20-4 overall and 14-4 in AMCC play.

Behrend opened play with a 9-3 run in the first four minutes, but that would be the largest lead for either team in this closely contested matchup.

UPG took their first lead with 13:33 left in the first half, when Connelly hit a three pointer to give the Bobcats a 14-12 lead.

Scoring would go back and forth for the remainder of the half, but Pitt-Greensburg took a 43-42 lead into the locker room after Marcus Thomas gathered an offensive rebound with one second remaining and put in back in for a layup.

The Bobcats would grab a three point lead one minute into the second half thanks to a Jerell Figueroa three pointer, but PSB would claw back. The lead changed seven times over the next fifteen minutes of play.

The key sequence in the game came with 3:17 remaining. After the Lions hit a free throw to go up 70-65, Connelly would hit consecutive three pointers to give UPG a one point lead, which they did not relinquish for the rest of the game.

Matt Darby, Jarrett Shannon, and Connelly all hit clutch free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

Connelly led all scorers with 26 points. Thomas and Rocco Contristano both posted double-doubles. Thomas had 10 points to go along with 13 rebounds. Constristano had 12 tallies and 10 boards. Shannon and Figueroa both chipped in with 8 points.

Pitt-Greensburg will enter the AMCC playoffs as the third seed. They will host the #6 Medaille Mavericks on Wednesday February 24^th at 7:00pm. The game will be held on the campus of Penn State Fayette.

GAME NOTES:
-With his ten points tonight, Marcus Thomas is seven points away from 1,000 points. He would be the 4^th member of the 2016 senior class to reach that milestone. 
-Connelly's 8 three pointers tonight marked a new single game record in Bobcats' history, the previous record was held by teammate Jerell Figueroa who had 7 against D'Youville College in last year's AMCC 1st round playoff game.  Also a former Bobcat, Steve Persing, knocked down 7 three pointers in a 2009 contest against Franciscan Unviersity.