• Edinboro wraps up a three game road swing on Wednesday at Pitt-Johnstown after a much-needed bye on Saturday. The Fighting Scots begin the second half of PSAC West action looking to snap a string of four losses in the last five games. That has dropped Edinboro to 11-7 overall and 8-6 in the PSAC West.
• Picked to finish eighth out of nine teams in the PSAC West in the coaches' preseason poll, Edinboro is currently in fourth place in the Western Division, a half-game ahead of Pitt-Johnstown (8-7) and two games ahead of Mercyhurst (6-8). The top six teams in each division qualify for the PSAC Tournament.
• In the last three weeks, Edinboro has suffered three losses in the final seconds, to Kutztown, Indiana(Pa.), and last Wednesday to Mercyhurst on a 3-pointer with 13.2 seconds remaining.
• Pitt-Johnstown comes in with a 10-9 record and is 8-7 in PSAC action. The Mountain Cats had a four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with a 72-62 loss at Gannon. That streak included an 88-85 win on overtime over Slippery Rock and a 102-85 upset of 20th-ranked West Chester. UPJ was picked to finish sixth in the PSAC West after finishing at 19-11 a year ago under veteran head coach Bob Rukavina. 
• The contest features two of the top scorers in the PSAC, with Edinboro's Keshawn Liggins leading the conference in scoring (23.3 ppg.) and ranking third in rebounding (10.6 rpg.), and UPJ's Isaac Vescovi averaging 21.8 ppg. That is tied for fifth in the PSAC. Vescovi and Dale Clancy both are 1,000-point scorers for the Mountain Cats. Meanwhile, Jaymon Mason is now second in career scoring at Edinboro. 
• Edinboro returns home to play California(Pa.) on Saturday, February 3. It will mark the first home for the Fighting Scots since January 17, and the the first time the student body will be in session for a game since November 19. Edinboro has played seven straight home games with the students on either Thanksgiving or holiday break.
• The Fighting Scots and Mountain Cats are mirror images of each other in scoring offense and scoring defense. Edinboro ranks eighth in the PSAC in scoring offense (79.3 ppg.) and ninth in scoring defense (75.1 ppg.). UPJ is ninth in scoring offense at 78.6 ppg. and eighth in scoring defense (74.4 ppg.). UPJ leads the PSAC in field goal percentage (49.7 pct.). Edinboro is tied for second in 3-pointers made per game (9.4) and third in 3-point field goal percentage (37.8 pct.).
• The Fighting Scots have relied on a trio of players for the majority of the offense. The threesome of Keshawn Liggins, Anthony Coleman, and Jaymon Mason combine for over 56 points per game. Liggins recorded his 11th double-double against Mercyhurst with 24 points and 14 rebounds. He leads the PSAC and is eighth in Division II in scoring at 23.3 ppg., along with third in the conference and 13th nationally in rebounding at 10.6 rpg.  He was recently named to the Bevo Francis Award Watch List and on Monday was selected the Division II Bulletin Player of the Month for January.  Anthony Coleman and Jaymon Mason add 17.0 and 15.9 ppg., respectively. The threesome has combined for 30-or-more points ten times.      
• Jaymon Mason has moved up to second in career scoring at Edinboro. The redshirt senior guard now has 1,818 points. He needs 137 points to break the career scoring record of 1,954 points, held by Tyrone Mason, his father.

Edinboro on Radio/Video

• The Edinboro-Pitt-Johnstown game can be heard on WFSE-FM 88.9.   
• In addition, this year Edinboro is part of the PSAC Network. All men's and women's home basketball games will be streamed live through Stretch Internet. 

• Edinboro leads 21-9: Edinboro has won four of the last six meetings.
• First Meeting: 1969-70 – Edinboro 115, UPJ 55
• Last Meeting: 2017-18 – Edinboro 82, UPJ 78   
• Current Streak: Edinboro won the last meeting
• Cleary vs. UPJ: 4-5

• Keshawn Liggins made three free throws in the final 73 seconds and Mike Beck added another as the Edinboro men's basketball team held off visiting Pitt-Johnstown. Edinboro was playing its third game in six days.
• Edinboro appeared to take control of the contest early in the second half, building a 14-point lead at 57-43 with 13:25 left in the second half. That came courtesy of a 15-6 run as Liggins scored 10 points.
• UPJ roared back, scoring the next 13 points in a span of two minutes to close to 57-56. Dale Clancy scored five of those points, and the Mountain Cats scored five of the points off offensive rebounds and four more on a pair of steals. Jack Frank halted the run, making one-of-two-free throws, but UPJ grabbed its first lead of the half at 59-58 with 9:16 to play on a layup and free throw by Levi Masua.
• The game was tight the rest of the way, with neither team leading by more than four points. The final ten minutes featured five ties and six lead changes.
• Jaymon Mason's drive with just under three minutes to play gave Edinboro a 78-74 lead, but UPJ knotted the score at 78-all at the 2:03 mark on baskets by Isaac Vescovi and Josh Wise. Edinboro came down and missed on its next possession, but Liggins recorded a steal and was fouled. The 6'5" senior made both free throws with 1:13 to play to give the Fighting Scots the lead for good at 80-78.
• The Fighting Scots forced another UPJ turnover, but they came down and missed a 3-pointer with 37 seconds to play. Vescovi would miss a short jumper, with Liggins, the PSAC's leading rebounder, grabbing the board. He was fouled and converted the first to give the Scots an 81-78 lead with nine seconds to play. While missing the second, he saw a stretch of 24 consecutive free throws broken.
• UPJ had one last shot at tying the game, but Clancy's 3-pointer was off the mark and Mike Beck rebounded the miss. The senior swingman missed the first, but made the second to give the Scots a four-point advantage with just two seconds left.
• Four Fighting Scots scored in double figures, led by Liggins' 21 points. He made 8-of-14 field goals, including a three, and was 4-of-5 at the line. Mason added 17 points, in the process moving into second place in career scoring with 1,748 points. The redshirt senior guard added five rebounds and seven assists. Anthony Coleman, the third member of Edinboro's Big Three, added 12 points.
• Alex Jay came off the bench to add 11 points and six rebounds. The 6'3" freshman played 21 minutes, as head coach Pat Cleary took full advantage of his bench with the Scots playing their third game in the last six days. Trey Staunch contributed nine points in 15 minutes, while Jaryn Simpson had three assists and three steals.
• UPJ also had four players in double digits, led by Josh Wise with 19 points. He scored 15 of those in the second half. The 1,000-point tandem of Isaac Vescovi and Dale Clancy added 18 and 15 points, respectively, with Clancy adding five assists. Masua finished with 11 points.
• Edinboro shot 48.4 percent from the floor (31-of-64), including 9-of-27 3-pointers, and went 11-of-14 at the line. UPJ shot 54.0 percent from the floor (34-of-63), and came in at 60.0 percent (21-of-35) in the second half. The Mountain Cats converted 5-of-16 3-pointers and were 5-of-6 at the line. Edinboro held a slight 33-32 advantage on the glass, with Frank of Edinboro and Olando King Jr. of UPJ clutching eight apiece. Edinboro turned the ball over 11 times and UPJ 13.
  
   

• Pat Cleary was introduced as Edinboro's tenth head coach on March 26, 2013 after head coach Greg Walcavich announced his retirement. Cleary served as Walcavich's assistant coach for 14 years.
• The 9-2 start is the best since Cleary took over as head coach. 
• Cleary's first three teams improved each year since his appointment, with his 2015-16 team earning the third seed in the PSAC West Tournament with a 15-11 overall record and 14-8 league mark. A year ago the Fighting Scots came in at 8-18 overall and 6-16 in the PSAC West, with injuries forcing the Fighting Scots to suit up as few as seven players in February.
• He guided Edinboro to the PSAC Tournament for the first time in 2014-15 with a 14-13 record, a four-game improvement over his first year, after being chosen to finish eighth in the PSAC West preseason poll. His first Boro squad finished 10-16 in 2013-14.

• Rukavina, who earned his 450th win at Pitt-Johnstown with an 88-67 victory at California University (PA) on Feb. 15, 2017, is in his 29th season with an overall record of 463-328.  He entered the 2017-18 season ranked among the leaders of active Division II coaches in wins (453) and winning percentage (.587).
• Prior to Bob Rukavina's arrival in 1989, Pitt-Johnstown had only four winning seasons since its inception in 1969. He has led the Mountain Cats to four NCAA Tournament appearances and seven 20-win seasons.
• He was named the 2015-16 PSAC West Coach of the Year after UPJ finished with an 18-11 record and posted a first-round PSAC Tournament win over Seton Hill.
• UPJ has made four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and has posted seven 20-win seasons, including four in a row from 2005-06 through 2008-09.
• In 2007-08, Pitt-Johnstown became a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC).  That year, Rukavina guided Pitt-Johnstown to a 23-8 overall record and the WVIAC regular season title with a 17-3 conference record.  He was named the 2007-08 WVIAC Coach of the Year, while leading the Mountain Cats to their third NCAA Tournament appearance.  In 2008-09, Pitt-Johnstown won the WVIAC Tournament title and advanced to its second straight NCAA Tournament.
• Pitt-Johnstown joined the PSAC to begin the 2013-14 season. Rukavina has guided the Mountain Cats to three consecutive conference tournament berths, including back-to-back appearances in the quarterfinals in 2016 and 2017.

• Edinboro returns to action at Pitt-Johnstown after receiving a much-needed bye in the schedule this past Saturday.The Fighting Scots enter the contest with an 11-7 overall record and are 8-6 in the PSAC West under fifth-year head coach Pat Cleary. They have already bettered last year's win total of eight victories. They are currently fourth in the PSAC West, one-half game ahead of Pitt-Johnstown. After playing five of their last six games at McComb Fieldhouse, the Fighting Scots are wrapping up a string of three straight road games. That stretch began with an 88-82 loss at Slippery Rock, followed by an 80-79 setback at Mercyhurst last Wednesday. While losing five of their last seven games, four of the losses have been by a combined 12 points.
• Three of Edinboro's losses have come on buzzer-beaters in the last three weeks. The Kutztown setback came on a basket with 0.8 seconds remaining, as the Golden Bears prevailed 91-89. A week later, Edinboro again lost in the final seconds as IUP hit a 3-pointer with 1.8 ticks showing for a 70-67 win. Last Wednesday, Mercyhurst hit the game-winner with 13.2 seconds to play.
• Edinboro is averaging 79.3 ppg., ranking eighth in the PSAC in scoring offense. The Fighting Scots had topped the 80-point mark in five straight games before being held to 69 points by Gannon, the top defensive team in the PSAC. They were then held to 67 by IUP, another of the conference's top defensive units. A week ago, Mercyhurst came in ranked first in the PSAC and fourth in the country in scoring defense, but Edinboro would put 79 points on the board. The Fighting Scots rank ninth in the PSAC in scoring defense (75.1 ppg.).
• Keshawn Liggins, Anthony Coleman, and Jaymon Mason are combining for over 56 points per game. Each is capable of putting up big numbers. One of them has scored 30-or-more points in ten games, with Liggins reaching the mark in six contests. The latest came two weeks ago as he scored 36 points in the 86-73 win over Clarion. He dropped in a career-high 39 points vs. Seton Hill. Coleman posted a season-best 32-point effort at Gannon recently, and had 30 points in the upset of then eighth-ranked Shippensburg. When Coleman led Edinboro with 19 points at Lock Haven, it marked the only time Edinboro has not had a scorer reach 20 points.  Mason has now had 15 career 30-point games after scoring a season-high 33 points against Kutztown, his second 30-point effort of the year. He had 32 points vs. Daemen.
• Second all-time leading scorer and preseason All-American Jaymon Mason battled an early-season injury but is now healthy and playing up to his normal standards. The senior guard had a season-high 33-point effort against Kutztown, making 13-of-15 free throws. He had 32 points at Daemen, dropping in 6-of-12 3-pointers while going 10-of-11 at the charity stripe.  Mason is averaging 15.9 ppg., is second on the team with 60 assists, and has made 43-of-120 3-pointers. The senior guard moved into second place in career scoring in the first meeting with Pitt-Johnstown and now has 1,818 career points. He is also fifth in career assists with 375. 
• Keshawn Liggins was named to the Bevo Francis Award Watch List last week, and earlier this week was selected the Division II Bulletin Player of the Month for January. He had his 11th double-double at Mercyhurst with 24 points and 14 rebounds, adding five assists. He has pulled down 10-or-more rebounds in 12 contests. The 6'5" senior leads the PSAC in scoring (23.3 ppg.) and ranks eighth in Division II, and is third and 13th, respectively, in rebounding (10.6 rpg.). He scored a career-high 39 points vs. Seton Hill and 38 against Charleston. Liggins is a transfer from Idaho State and has been an ironman, ranking fifth in the country in minutes per game (38.3). His 11 double-doubles ranks third in the PSAC and eighth in Division II.
• Anthony Coleman is a multi-faceted scorer who can burn the opposition from deep, or drive strong to the basket. The transfer from Cincinnati State CC displayed the former vs. Gannon as he burned the Golden Knights for a season-high 32 points, making 7-of-12 3-pointers. The latter was in evidence against Clarion, as the 6'3" guard consistently drove to the hoop, ending the night with 24 points (8-of-12 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs). He added 10 rebounds for his first double-double. Coleman has had six games of 20-or-more points, including 30 points in an upset of Shippensburg. He is the top 3-point threat on the team, making 50-of-120 3-pointers. He ranks fifth in the PSAC in 3-point percentage (41.7 pct.) and is sixth in 3-pointers made per game (2.8).  
• The Fighting Scots posted the biggest win in Cleary's four-plus seasons as head coach, an 88-86 triumph over eighth-ranked Shippensburg, earlier this year. Edinboro had previously upset 16th-ranked Indiana(Pa.), 79-77 in overtime, in 2014-15. 
• A two-year starter at right tackle on the offensive lineman Trey Staunch is now making a now for himself on the hardwood. A former standout in football and basketball at West Middlesex High School, the 6'4", 265 lb. junior is playing a larger role each game. He has scored a season-high 14 points in each of his last two games, and is now averaging 6.3 ppg. and 2.5 rpg. in just under 15 minutes per game. He is an excellent free throw shooter, hitting 78.4 percent at the charity stripe. Staunch joined the basketball team at the conclusion of the football season.
• The combination of Jack Frank  and Staunch is providing the Fighting Scots with plenty of production in the post. Frank, a 6'8" junior, is Edinboro's second-leading rebounder at 6.8 per game. He pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds vs. California(Pa.) and added 11 vs. Clarion.
• Mike Beck scored 19 points in the win over Millersville, and had a 13-point effort against Clarion. The 6'4" senior is averaging 5.8 ppg. with 22 3-pointers in 64 attempts. His biggest contributions have come on defense, as he has been assigned some of the top scorers in the PSAC.
• The freshman tandem of Alex Jay and Jaryn Simpson possesses some impressive genes and have provided the Fighting Scots with valuable minutes. Jay is the son of Sarah (Bishop) Jay, who ranks fourth in career scoring for the Edinboro women's basketball team, Simpson's father Bronze, is one of the all-time leading scorers and rebounders at Gannon. Jay, a 6'3" guard, is averaging 3.8 ppg. in 13.8 minutes per game and has made 15-of-40 3-pointers. Simpson, a 6'1" guard, is also averaging 3.8 ppg. with 39 assists in 15.6 minutes per game.

• Pitt-Johnstown is in search of its fourth straight PSAC playoff berth and comes in with an 11-7 overall record and 8-7 in the PSAC. The Mountain Cats saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with a 72-62 loss at Gannon. They were picked to finish sixth in the PSAC West after posting a 19-11 record a record ago and reaching the PSAC quarterfinals for the second straight year. 
• Long-time head coach Bob Rukavina is the dean of the PSAC coaches, now in his 29th season as the head coach at UPJ. He has a 463-328 career record  
• UPJ has a 3-7 record in games decided by five points or less. However, the Mountain Cats have won their last three contests in that category, including wins over Mercyhurst and Slippery Rock. In addition, UPJ's last win was a 102-85 win over then 20th-ranked West Chester. All three wins came at the UPJ Sports Center.
• The Mountain Cats' lineup features a pair of 1,000-point scorers in Dale Clancy and Isaac Vescovi. Clancy, a first team All-PSAC West selection a year ago, is a senior guard who has scored 1,323 career points. He also ranks in the top ten in career assists and 3-pointers made. Clancy ranks third in the PSAC in assists per game and is sixth in steals per game. He is averaging 16.4 ppg. and has made 54-of-139 3-pointers.He has 96 assists and 37 steals.   
• Vescovi became the 29th UPJ player with 1,000 career points earlier this year, and now has 1,252 points. The senior forward ranks fifth in the PSAC in scoring at 21.5 ppg., adding 5.8 rpg. The 6'6" Vescovi ranks second in the PSAC in field goal percentage at 59.4 pct. (167-of-281). He also ranks third in the conference in free throw percentage at 91.0 pct. (61-of-67). Vescovi had 24 points on Saturday vs. Gannon.
• Like Edinboro, the Mountain Cats possess a trio of scorers, with Josh Wise averaging 15.5 ppg. He is a 6'3" sophomore guard, who adds 5.9 rpg., second on the team. Levi Masua is the team's leading rebounder at 7.2 per game. Masua is a 6'6" senior who also has a team-high 24 blocks.
• Pitt-Johnstown averages 78.6 ppg., good for ninth in the PSAC. The Mountain Cats are eighth in scoring defense at 74.4 ppg. They lead the PSAC in field goal percentage at 49.7 pct., and rank third in free throw percentage at 75.3 pct.
        

• CAREER SCORING: Second all-time with 1,818 points. 
• CAREER SCORING AVERAGE:  Fourth at 18.8 ppg.
• CAREER 3-POINTERS: Is second in career 3-pointers made with 210 3-pointers made and is second in career 3-pointers attempted with 547. Is also seventh in career 3-point field goal percentage at 38.5 percent 
• CAREER FREE THROWS MADE: Broke Bryan Theriot's school record of 402 free throws made in the season opener. Mason now holds the record with 468.   
• CAREER FREE THROWS ATTEMPTED:  Ranks first with 559 free throw attempts.
• CAREER FREE THROW PERCENTAGE:  Ranks sixth at 83.7 percent
• CAREER ASSISTS:  Is fifth with 375
• CAREER FIELD GOALS MADE:  Ranks seventh with 570
• CAREER FIELD GOALS ATTEMPTED:  Ranks fifth with 1,342