EDINBORO Fighting Scots (3-0, 0-0 PSAC West) at PITT-JOHNSTOWN Mountain Cats (2-1, 0-1 PSAC West)

DATE: Saturday, November 23, 2013
TIPOFF: 3:00 p.m.
SITE: The Sports Center (2,400)
RADIO: WFSE 88.9 FM
Live Stats: http://136.142.229.91/stats_basketball/xlive.htm
 
Game Notes – Edinboro at Pitt-Johnstown

Edinboro Season Stats, Pitt-Johnstown Season Stats


SERIES RECORD
Edinboro leads 17-4

LAST MEETING
1997-98: Edinboro 95, Pitt-Johnstown 83
Four Fighting Scots scored in double-figures led by Warren Chance's 28 markers to give Edinboro a 95-83 victory at McComb Fieldhouse. Amos Upshaw chipped in 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Jesse Ogden shot 7 of 14 from behind the arc, totaling 24 points for the game. The 22-5 Scots were ranked sixth in the region at the time, while the 20-4 Mountain Cats ranked fourth.  
 
HEAD COACHES
Edinboro: Pat Cleary (Edinboro '99)
Record at Edinboro: 3-0, 1st year
Career Record: 3-0, 1st year

Pat Cleary (Edinboro '99) is in his first year as head coach of the Fighting Scots, taking over for his predecessor Greg Walcavich, who spent 24 years at the helm of the Edinboro program. Cleary previously worked as an assistant under Walcavich for 16 years, first as a student aide before becoming a full-time assistant coach. He is credited for recruiting many of Edinboro's top contributors in recent years. The first-year head coach takes over a team that finished 18-10 a year ago and reached the PSAC Tournament Semifinals. Cleary has led the Fighting Scots to a 3-0 record so far this season with wins over Thiel, Penn State Greater Allegheny, and Urbana.

Pitt-Johnstown: Bob Rukavina  394-270 (25th year)
Record at UPJ: 394-270, 25th year
Career Record: 394-270, 25th year


Bob Rukavina, Pitt-Johnstown is in his 25th-year in charge of the Mountain Cats' program. He has led Pitt-Johnstown to four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and seven 20-win seasons in that time. Rukavina currently ranks 31st in Division II among active coaches in career wins with 394, and is the winningest coach in school history. Prior to coming to Pitt-Johnstown, he was the head coach at Community College of Allegheny County - South Campus.


Probable Starters 
Edinboro                                                                                            Pitt-Johnstown
#2 Henri Wade-Chatman (G, 6-2, So.)                                  #3 Nate Snodgrass (G, 6-1, So.)        
#11 Johnathan Logan (F, 6-8, Sr.)                                         #10 Andrew Cressler (F, 6-4, Sr.)
#15 Jonny Marsh (G, 6-0, Jr.)                                                  #11 Bill Luther (F, 6-7, Sr.)
#21 Xavier Churnac (F, 6-5, Sr.)                                             #23 Paul Weatherly (F, 6-4, Sr.)
#55 Bryan Theriot (C, 6-9, Sr)                                                 #50 Ian Vescovi (F, 6-9, Jr.)
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Edinboro
Bryan Theriot (C, 6-9, Sr.) – earned first team All-PSAC West accolades a year ago after averaging 18.1 ppg. and 8.9 rpg. Was named a preseason All-PSAC choice. Shot 55.4 percent from the floor and 87.2 percent at the line. Averaging 12.0 ppg. and 7.0 rpg through two games this season. Had double-double consisting of 18 points and 10 rebounds in Edinboro's 98-65 win over Penn State Greater Allegheny on Friday.

Jonny Marsh (G, 6-0, Jr.)  – is a first-year player for the Fighting Scots, after transferring from Niagara County Comm. College. Set season-high with 34 points in win over Urbana last Monday night. Earned first-team all-region honors at NCCC in 2012-13, averaging 16.9 ppg and made 82 of 193 3-pointers. Leads the Fighting Scots in scoring, averaging 21.0 points per game.


Pitt-Johnstown
Andrew Cressler (F, 6-4, Sr.) – Cressler enters Saturday's contest as the Mountain Cats' leading scorer at 14.7 points per game. Scored season-high 17 points in Pitt-Johnstown's 93-47 rout of Penn State New Kensington on Nov. 14.  
Ian Vescovi (F, 6-5, Jr.) – is nearly averaging a double-double at 11.7 ppg. and 9.3 rpg for the Mountain Cats. Recorded a double-double of 19 points and 10 boards in Pitt-Johnstown's PSAC West loss at Indiana (Pa.) on Wednesday.


THE GAME STORIES
• The Fighting Scots have started 3-0 for the second straight season, after beginning the 2012-13 campaign at 5-0. Edinboro defeated Thiel and Penn State Greater Allegheny at home, before topping Urbana on the road last Monday by a score of 88-73.
 
• This game marks the first-ever PSAC contest between Edinboro and Pitt-Johnstown, after the Mountain Cats joined the conference prior to this season. Pitt-Johnstown was previously a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The last time these two teams faced each other was in 1998.
 
• The Pitt-Johnstown game is also the first PSAC game of the year for the Fighting Scots. Edinboro finished 13-9 last season in conference contests, and reached the PSAC Tournament for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Scots defeated Mercyhurst in the first round, before falling in overtime to Indiana (Pa.) in the semifinals. Pitt-Johnstown lost its inaugural game in the PSAC to Indiana (Pa.) this past Wednesday, 76-62.
 
• Center Bryan Theriot is closing in on both 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. The senior currently has 493 career boards and 953 career points. Theriot sits at 23^rd on Edinboro's all-time leading rebounders list and ranks 28^th among the school's all-time leading scorers.
 

NEXT FOR THE FIGHTING SCOTS
Tuesday, November 6 vs. Penn State New Kensington– 7:00 p.m.