Pitt-Greensburg men's basketball dropped its first game of the season Saturday afternoon, falling 88-79 in a back-and-forth non-conference matchup at Westminster's Buzz Ridl Gymnasium.

The Bobcats came out firing as Ty Keffer knocked down a three-pointer on the opening possession, giving UPG an early spark. The first half was a seesaw affair with 10 lead changes. Jackson Byer's three-point play at the 14:32 mark pushed the Bobcats ahead 14-10, and later, Matthew Marinchak drilled a pair of threes to keep UPG within striking distance. Despite shooting 51.7% in the opening frame, Pitt-Greensburg trailed 43-39 at halftime after Westminster closed on a 7-3 run.

The second half saw the Bobcats claw back. Trent Rozich tied the game at 50-50 with a fastbreak layup at 12:50, and moments later, Arkel Batts scored inside to give UPG a 52-50 lead. That advantage was short-lived, as Westminster responded with a decisive 20-6 run fueled by Mick Hergenrother and Trey DePietro. The Titans' size proved critical, as they dominated the glass 47-27 and converted 21 second-chance points.

Pitt-Greensburg continued to fight late. Marinchak hit his third triple of the game at 8:24 to cut the deficit to three, and Byer added a fastbreak layup with just over two minutes remaining. However, Westminster maintained control down the stretch, sealing the win with timely free throws and a dunk in the final seconds.

Marinchak led the Bobcats with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, while Rozich added 18 points and six assists. Byer chipped in 14 points and four rebounds, and Keffer contributed nine points and a key block. Pitt-Greensburg finished shooting 45.3% from the field and scored 36 points in the paint, but Westminster's rebounding edge and balanced scoring proved too much to overcome.

Pitt-Greensburg will look to rebound Wednesday as they will travel north to Penn State Behrend to restart AMCC play. Tip-off is scheduled for 7PM, following the women's game.