Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford men's basketball team saw an 18 point lead slip away in the second half but responded to hold on and defeat Wells 75-68 on Saturday.
- The contest got off to a slow start as both teams were unable to score for the opening 2:25. The Panthers were finally able to break the ice after 4 minutes when Caden Beldin hit a jump shot. The Beldin jumper started a rally that saw the Panthers score 18 of 22 points, as they built an early 10-point advantage. Nathan Schneider scored 6 in the run, while Isaiah Archie added 4. Pitt-Bradford continued to gain momentum over the next five minutes as they pushed the lead to 18. The highlight of the half came at 6:21 when Beldin grabbed a rebound and found Trey Oyler on a quick outlet pass. Oyler ran the break and lobbed a pass to Archie who threw it down for a two-handed alley-oop, forcing the Express to call timeout.
- Following the timeout, the Express went on an 11-6 run over the final 6 minutes of the half. Schneider and Greg Archie made layups while Kameron Holmes hit two free throws to slow the comeback attempt.
- After the break, Wells continued to battle back, quickly getting the Panther advantage to single digits. after just two minutes. The Panthers pushed back, as Schneider and Beldin made layups and Trey Oyler hit a three to get the lead back to 10. Pitt-Bradford maintained this lead using a 12-1 run to erase the deficit and take a one-point lead.
- The teams traded baskets until a six-point run from the Panthers reopened their advantage. Isaiah Archie made layups on consecutive possessions and Beldin ended the rally with a layup of his own. Down the stretch, the Panthers made 12 of 14 free throws to put the game away.
Nathan Schneider once again led the Panthers as he scored 23. He also notched his second straight double-double as he grabbed 11 rebounds. Freshman Caden Beldin also finished with a double-double, scoring 12 points and collecting 12 rebounds, including 5 on the offensive end. Isaiah Arche scored 17 points for the Panthers, finishing 6-14 from the field. Trey Oyler also finished in double figures for the Panthers as he scored 10 points, which included making 7 of 8 from the charity stripe.
The Panthers move to 2-0 on the season with their second straight road win to start the season. They will return to KOA Arena on Tuesday, November 16th, as they host Juniata at 7:00 p.m.