All the bulbs in the Pitt-Bradford Sport & Fitness Center
scoreboard seemed to working properly as the Panthers registered a
wild 121-109 men’s basketball victory over Westminster College on
Tuesday.
Both teams entered the non-conference game at 1-1 and were
averaging in triple digits offensively and defensively, so it came
as no surprise each side of the board was fully enflamed when the
smoke had finally cleared.
“It was an up-and-down game and we knew what to expect,” said
Andy Moore, Pitt-Bradford head coach. “The real key was not letting
them (Titans) score in bunches and holding them to 26 percent
(15-for-56) in three-point shooting.”
The offensive stars for the Panthers were as plentiful as the
falling snowflakes in the parking lot.
After pouring in a school-record 55 points on Saturday, Ryan
Race had 40 points on 18-for-29 from the field and also pulled down
12 rebounds.
Mark Austin was 9-for-9 from the field for 20 points and had 14
boards.
Rob Copley, who had exactly zilch at halftime, finished with 24
points on 10-for-10 from the floor and contributed seven assists.
Jon Hannon and Dan Thomas both handed out nine assists.
“He (Race) missed a few chippies or he would’ve had 50 again
tonight,” Moore admitted. “Copley didn’t miss a shot and four or
five of them were foul line jump shots. Austin shot it well and
rebounded well. They (Hannon and Thomas) handled the ball well and
got it to the open guy.”
The Titans (1-2) pretty much controlled the first four minutes
and led 13-10 with 16:48 remaining, but a 6-0 run gave the Panthers
an irreversible lead with 15:48 showing.
It was 20-all when a layup by Race started a 10-0 spurt. The
Titans clawed back to tie it once again at 48-48, but the Panthers
took a 60-54 advantage into the locker room.
The visitors hung around in the second half until a 7-0 run
opened some breathing room for the Panthers at 81-71 with 15:03
left.
Pitt-Bradford broke the century mark for the second consecutive
game when a no-look pass from Copley led to Race’s layin and a
101-89 margin at the 8:15 juncture.
The biggest lead of the evening occurred at the 5:23 mark when
Copley drilled a free throw for a 110-92 bulge. Then a layup by
Mark DeMonaco, who led Westminster with 33 points, put the Titans
in the 100s with 3:41 left.
The Panthers will try to avenge last Friday’s 92-72 defeat when
they host Nazareth College on Tuesday (7 p.m.).
