Ryan Race went from questionable to unstoppable as Pitt-Bradford
ended a four-game losing streak with an 82-69 Allegheny Mountain
Collegiate Conference win over Medaille College on Tuesday.

Race, who is suffering from two bad ankles, didn’t start the
game but scored 28 points on 12-for-20 from the field and also
hauled in eight rebounds.

“Both ankles are hurting him (Race) and we rested him Saturday
(at Lake Erie College),” said Andy Moore, Pitt-Bradford head coach.
“He came out aggressively and was ready to play.”

The Panthers had trouble pulling away from the Mavericks (3-13,
2-7) until an 8-0 run at the end of the half gave the hosts a 48-40
advantage at the break.

“We didn’t play well defensively in the first half and they
(Mavericks) made some shots,” Moore recalled. “We’ve been
struggling with our confidence, but once we got going we played
better.”

Pitt-Bradford also had problems shaking the opposition in the
second half, but eventually built a 69-58 margin on a jumper by
Race with 9:06 remaining and hung on for the victory.

Dan Thomas registered 26 points and Louis Benton added 10 for
the Panthers.

“That’s the best game he has played since he’s been here,” Moore
said of Thomas, who is a 5-9 junior from Perth, Australia. “He
played hard, didn’t pick up a foul and shot the ball well.”

James McNeil led Medaille with a game-high 31 points on
14-for-25 from the floor.

“He (McNeil) is talented,” Moore admitted. “We tried to guard
him and he made a lot of tough shots.”

The Panthers (7-9, 4-5) host Pitt-Greensburg on Friday (8 p.m.)
and Frostburg State on Saturday (6 p.m.).

“We need to take these games one at a time and get back into the
conference race,” Moore stated.