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Jack Frank vs. Penn St Shenago
Matt Durisko

Men's Basketball Bob Shreve, Sports Information Director

Fighting Scots Conclude Three-Game Road Trip at Pitt-Johnstown

Senior forward Jack Frank
EDINBORO Fighting Scots (4-8, 1-7 PSAC West) at PITT-JOHNSTOWN Mountain Cats (9-5, 4-3 PSAC West)  
Saturday, January 12, 2019, 3:00 PM | UPJ Sports Center | Johnstown, Pa.
LINKS: LIVE STATS | AUDIO-WFSE 88.9 l WATCH


ADDITIONAL LINKS
EDINBORO: ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
PITT-JOHNSTOWN: ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS

The Game Story
  • Edinboro wraps up a three-game road trip with the first of 14 straight games against PSAC West competition. The Fighting Scots played their final game against the PSAC East on Wednesday, suffering an 87-48 loss at Kutztown. Edinboro now travels to Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday before returning home for the lone game at McComb Fieldhouse in a stretch of six games. Edinboro comes in with a 4-8 overall record and is 1-6 in the PSAC West. Pitt-Johnstown's rally at Gannon came up just short as the Mountain Cats dropped a 64-61 decision for their second straight loss. They own a 9-5 overall record and are 4-3 in league play.
  • The contest is a rematch of last year's PSAC Tournament first round playoff game, won by Edinboro, 77-67. The Fighting Scots swept all three games against UPJ last year.
  • Edinboro suffered large graduation losses, and has been forced to play without second team All-PSAC West performer Anthony Coleman the last eight games due to an injury. The Fighting Scots were also without second-leading scorer DeAnthony Owens in the losses at Seton Hill and Kutztown.
  • Edinboro comes in averaging 70.8 ppg., which ranks15th in the PSAC. The Fighting Scots allow 79.4 ppg., good for 14th. They face one of the top scoring teams in the PSAC for the second straight game. In fact, Pitt-Johnstown is the top scoring team in the conference at 85.9 ppg.   They have scored 90-or-more points in five contests. UPJ ranks ninth in the PSAC in scoring defense at 74.5 ppg. The Mountain Cats also rank first in the PSAC in field goal percentage (50.7 pct.) and field goal percentage defense (39.1 pct.).
  • Head coach Pat Cleary was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year after leading Edinboro to an 18-11 record a year ago. It marked the finest year of his five-year reign after Edinboro had been picked to finish eighth in the Western Division. The Fighting Scots would finish 13-9 in PSAC action, good for fourth place. They went on to defeat Pitt-Johnstown in the opening round, followed by an upset of top-seeded Indiana(Pa.) in the quarterfinals. Edinboro would lose to eventual PSAC champion East Stroudsburg in the semifinals.
  • With three starters departing who combined for a total of 1,348 points, Edinboro was picked to finish seventh in the PSAC West in the coaches' preseason poll. Kutztown comes off a 26-4 record in 2017-18, earning a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Golden Bears were picked fourth in the Eastern Division preseason poll.  
On the Radio/Video
  • The Edinboro-Pitt-Johnstown game can be heard on WFSE-FM 88.9, with Chris Rosato providing the commentary.    
All-Time Series vs. Pitt-Johnstown
  • Edinboro leads 23-9: Edinboro has won five of the last seven meetings.
  • First Meeting: 1969-70 – Edinboro 115, UPJ 55
  • Last Meeting: 2017-18 – Edinboro 77, UPJ 67 – PSAC Tournament  
  • Current Streak: Edinboro won the last three meetings
  • Cleary vs. UPJ: 6-5
Last Meeting
February 26, 2018 – Edinboro 77, Pitt-Johnstown 67 at Edinboro, Pa. BOX | RECAP
  • Edinboro outscored Pitt-Johnstown, 16-5, over the last seven minutes to hand head coach Pat Cleary his first postseason victory. The Fighting Scots faced an uphill battle against a UPJ team that they had beaten twice in the regular season. UPJ came out hot, knocking down four three's to take a 12-5 lead five minutes into the contest.
  • The Mountain Cats would maintain the lead throughout the half, going up by as many as eight points at one point, 25-17, with just over nine minutes left in the half. Edinboro would pull even for the first time at 33-33 as Keshawn Liggins made one of two free throws with 25 seconds to play, but Drew Magestro knocked down the fifth 3-pointer of the half for UPJ with seven seconds left for a 36-33 halftime lead.
  • The second half turned into a typical Edinboro-UPJ game, as the lead changed hands 10 times and was tied on six occasions. From the 14:29 mark to the 4:26 mark, neither team led by more than three points.
  • Edinboro grabbed the lead for good with 6:50 remaining when Liggins converted a pair of free throws for a 63-62 lead. After several misses by UPJ, Jaryn Simpson grabbed a long rebound and went coast-to-coast for a 65-62 lead with 5:14 left.
  • Magestro's jumper pulled UPJ to within a point at 65-64, but Edinboro would finally extend the lead with the next five points on another Simpson layup on a fast break, plus Liggins going 3-for-4 at the line.
  • Magestro had one last gasp for UPJ with a 3-pointer with 2:12 left to close to 70-67, but Edinboro closed out the win with the final seven points. Trey Staunch, who dominated inside all night, converted a conventional 3-point play for a 73-67 lead, and Liggins ended the scoring with four straight free throws.
  • UPJ had no answer for the tandem of Liggins and Staunch. Liggins scored a game-high 26 points on a combination of drives, jumpers and putbacks, while Staunch muscled his way inside for a career-high 22 points.
  • Liggins made 7-of-14 field goals and went 12-of-14 at the line. He added 12 rebounds for his 16th double-double of the season, and handed out four assists. Staunch, meanwhile, was near-perfect while bouncing off the bench to make 8-of-10 field goals and 6-of-6 free throws. That came despite taking a shot to the nose that left him on the bench being tended to by trainers for several minutes. He added nine rebounds, seven of those on the offensive end.
  • While those were the only two Scots to reach double figures, numerous players stepped up. Simpson played 18 minutes off the bench and had seven points and five rebounds. Michael Sims, Jr. did not score, but helped shut down UPJ's standout point guard, Dale Clancy, in 16 minutes off the bench. Jack Frank pulled down eight rebounds.
  • Isaac Vescovi led Pitt-Johnstown with 18 points, adding six rebounds, before fouling out late in the game. Josh Wise added 15 points, Clancy 13, and Magestro 10. Levi Masua finished with nine rebounds.
  • Edinboro shot 42.9 percent from the floor (27-of-63), making 4-of-17 3-pointers. The Fighting Scots made 19-of-21 free throws. UPJ came into the game ranked fourth in the PSAC at 48.4 percent, but was held to 38.8 percent (26-of-67). The Mountains Cats made 7-of-20 3-pointers and were 8-of-11 at the line.
  • The Fighting Scots held a narrow 21-19 rebounding advantage at the half, but dominated the glass over the final 20 minutes to finish with a 47-34 advantage. The Fighting Scots had a 40-26 lead in the paint.
     
Head Coach Pat Cleary (Edinboro '99) -- 69-77, 6th Year
  • 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.
  • 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. Two years 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. 
  • The 2017-18 Fighting Scots were picked to finish eighth in the PSAC West Coaches' Preseason Poll. They would surprise the league with a fourth place finish at 13-9 in league play, and 18-11 overall. Edinboro would defeat Pitt-Johnstown in the opening round of the PSAC Tournament, then hand top-seeded Indiana(Pa.) a defeat in the quarterfinals. The playoff run came to an end with a loss to eventual PSAC champion East Stroudsburg in the semifinals. It marked Edinboro's first appearance in the PSAC Final Four since 2008.
  • Cleary was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year. The 18 wins were the most by the Fighting Scots since the 2012-13 team won 18 games.  
  • 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.
Scouting the Fighting Scots
  • Edinboro suffered its fourth straight loss on Wednesday with an 87-48 loss at Kutztown. The Fighting Scots shot 23.9 percent from the floor, the third time this year they have come in at less than 30 percent. The loss left the Fighting Scots with a 4-8 overall record and 1-6 in the PSAC West. The Fighting Scots were picked to finish seventh in the PSAC West in the coaches' preseason after finishing fourth in the division with an 18-11 record a year ago.   
  • The Fighting Scots have played the last eight games without Anthony Coleman, and the last two without second-leading scorer DeAnthony Owens (13.1 ppg.).  A second team All-PSAC West selection a year ago in his first season at Edinboro, Coleman averaged 15.2 ppg. and was one of the top 3-point threats in the PSAC. He scored in double digits in the first three games, and was well on his way to a fourth at Charleston. The 6'3" senior scored Edinboro's first seven points, but he would go out with an injury and not return. Coleman has not played since and is expected to miss an extended period with the injury.
  • Trey Staunch has been a huge constant this year after joining the basketball team at the conclusion of the football season. The 6'4", 280 lb. senior was named a second team All-PSAC West selection at offensive tackle. On the hardcourt, he has come off the bench to provide the Fighting Scots with plenty of inside muscle. Staunch has scored in double figures in nine of his 11 games, and comes in at 12.9 ppg. after leading the team, with 14 points at Kutztown. He adds 5.4 rpg. and is shooting 58.2 percent from the floor (57-of-98), third in the PSAC, bolstered by a 10-for-10 showing against Mansfield. Staunch had not played basketball since high school before joining the team last season.
  • Jaryn Simpson has emerged as Edinboro's leading scorer at 17.0 ppg., good for 13th in the PSAC, after averaging 3.4 ppg. as a freshman. The sophomore guard has scored in double figures in 10 of 12 games, with five games of 20-or-more points. He had a big effort a week ago at Seton Hill, scoring 26 points, making 4-of-9 3-pointers and 8-of-11 free throws. Simpson scored a career-best 34-points at Bloomsburg, making 10-of-18 field goals, including 5-of-9 3-pointers, and 9-of-10 free throws. While limited to eight points at Kutztown, Simpson contributed seven rebounds and four assists. He leads the team with 49 assists, has made a team-high 32 3-pointers in 93 attempts, and is even averaging 4.9 rpg. Simpson ranks second in the PSAC in free throw percentage at 88.9 percent (48-of-54).   
  • Freshman Turner Kurt made his first career start at Seton Hill and remained in the lineup at Kutztown. The 6'8" forward scored 13 points and pulled down six rebounds in his first career start. He is averaging 6.9 ppg. and 5.2 rpg.         
  • Simpson is one of two sophomores playing a huge role. Alex Jay has replaced Coleman in the starting lineup, and while not providing a great deal of scoring (5.6 ppg.), the 6'3" guard set a career-high for rebounds in each of his first three starts and has led the team in rebounding in five of the eight games he has started. He is averaging a team-high 6.4 rpg.
  • Daylon Harris dropped in 23 points while making 10-of-18 field goals and 3-of-3 3-pointers recently against California(Pa.). The junior from Western Nebraska CC has seen limited playing time the last two games while tending to a family emergency, but comes in at 7.3 ppg.    
Scouting the Mountain Cats
  • Pitt-Johnstown has lost two straight games after dropping a 64-61 decision at Gannon on Wednesday. The Mountain Cats had won four games in a row prior to an 86-73 loss to third-ranked Indiana(Pa.) a week ago. They come into the contest with a 9-5 overall record and are 4-3 in league play. That includes a 109-97 win over Kutztown. UPJ is undefeated at 6-0 at home.
  • Head coach Bob Rukavina is in his 30th season with an overall record of 477-336.  He entered the 2018-19 season ranked 23rd among active Division II coaches in wins. He has led the Mountain Cats to four NCAA Tournament appearances and seven 20-win seasons. Rukavina 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. Pitt-Johnstown joined the PSAC to begin the 2013-14 season. Rukavina has guided the Mountain Cats to five consecutive conference tournament berths, including back-to-back appearances in the quarterfinals in 2016 and 2017.
  • The Mountain Cats lead the PSAC in scoring at 85.9 ppg. In addition, they are first in field goal percentage (50.7 pct.) and field goal percentage defense (39.1 pct.). 
  • Incredibly, five of UPJ's top six scorers are freshmen. Two of the first-year performers are in double digits, but the leading scorer is junior Josh Wise. The 6'3" guard ranks ninth in the PSAC in scoring at 18.0 ppg. He adds 4.9 rpg. Wise is one of two starters back from last year's team after averaging 15.0 ppg. and 5.6 rpg. as a sophomore.
  • The next five scorers are freshmen. John Paul Kromka ranks second on the team in scoring at 14.6 ppg., while Fred Mulbah is third at 10.0 ppg. Kromka, a 6'7" forward, adds a team-high 7.6 ppg. and leads the PSAC in field goal percentage at 63.1 percent. He is also the league leader in blocks with 33. Mulbah led UPJ with 16 points at Gannon. The 5'9" guard leads the team with 66 assists, good for fifth in the PSAC, and 23 steals.
  • A third freshman, Calden Landis, falls just below double figures at 9.5 ppg. A 6'7" forward, he is shooting 57.3 percent from the floor in a reserve role.                 
Next for the Fighting Scots
  • After wrapping up a three-game road trip at Pitt-Johnstown, Edinboro comes home for one game against local rival Gannon before heading back out on the highway for two games. The Fighting Scots host the Golden Knights on Wednesday, January 16 at McComb Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.          
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Players Mentioned

Jack Frank

#21 Jack Frank

F
6' 8"
Junior
Keshawn Liggins

#3 Keshawn Liggins

G/F
6' 5"
Senior
Jaryn Simpson

#14 Jaryn Simpson

G
6' 1"
Freshman
Trey Staunch

#45 Trey Staunch

F
6' 4"
Junior
Anthony Coleman

#4 Anthony Coleman

G
6' 3"
Senior
Alex Jay

#15 Alex Jay

G
6' 3"
Sophomore
Jaryn Simpson

#11 Jaryn Simpson

G
6' 2"
Sophomore
Trey Staunch

#45 Trey Staunch

F
6' 4"
Senior
Daylon Harris

#3 Daylon Harris

F
6' 5"
Junior
Turner Kurt

#33 Turner Kurt

F
6' 8"
Freshman
DeAnthony Owens

#24 DeAnthony Owens

G
6' 4"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Jack Frank

#21 Jack Frank

6' 8"
Junior
F
Keshawn Liggins

#3 Keshawn Liggins

6' 5"
Senior
G/F
Jaryn Simpson

#14 Jaryn Simpson

6' 1"
Freshman
G
Trey Staunch

#45 Trey Staunch

6' 4"
Junior
F
Anthony Coleman

#4 Anthony Coleman

6' 3"
Senior
G
Alex Jay

#15 Alex Jay

6' 3"
Sophomore
G
Jaryn Simpson

#11 Jaryn Simpson

6' 2"
Sophomore
G
Trey Staunch

#45 Trey Staunch

6' 4"
Senior
F
Daylon Harris

#3 Daylon Harris

6' 5"
Junior
F
Turner Kurt

#33 Turner Kurt

6' 8"
Freshman
F
DeAnthony Owens

#24 DeAnthony Owens

6' 4"
Junior
G