Fateem Brockington netted a season-high 19 points, hitting a team-best four three-pointers, to lead the Pitt-Bradford men's basketball team past Penn State Altoona, 83-68, Wednesday evening.
The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Panthers as they avoided falling into a 1-4 hole to start conference play.
Pitt-Bradford neutralized the Lions' pressure by connecting for a season-high 13 three-pointers, including seven in the second half. Manny Welch, Sahlil Harris and Brockington delivered timely baskets over the final 20 minutes to turn a five-point game at the break into a 17-point lead.
Taken back initially by the game's frenetic pace, Pitt-Bradford settled in using a 9-2 scoring run to build a 21-15 advantage after the first 11 minutes. Penn State Altoona trimmed the deficit to three only to see the Panthers score seven straight, sparked by a pair of Zacc Kinsey baskets, to go up 30-20 with 4:36 left in the half.
The Lions rallied to tie the game at 34 before the intermission, but Pitt-Bradford scored the final five points of the period to lead 39-34 at the break.
Welch's long three stretched the margin to 10 early in the second half, and Brockington's layup a short time later made it 53-40. After Penn State Altoona cut the deficit to 59-54 with 9:57 remaining, Pitt-Bradford scored six of the game's next seven points to pull away for good.
Brockington's and-one play with 2:46 left put the finishing touches on the win and punctuated a 44-point second half effort.
Pitt-Bradford shot 42 percent from the floor and was 13 of 28 from behind the three-point line. The Panthers finished 10 of 16 from the line and scored 25 second-chance points, buoyed by Evan Greening's nine offensive rebounds. The Lions hit 44 percent of their attempts, and despite holding a clear size advantage, were outrebounded 45-39.
In addition to scoring 19 points, Brockington added six assists, and four of the Panthers' five starters finished in double-figures. Christian Kelly-Perkins totaled 15 points, Greening added 16, and Welch had 11. Greening pulled down a season-high 20 rebounds, and Dylan Niedermeyer chipped in with eight points, six rebounds and two steals.
Harris had a trio of emphatic blocks after having his fast-break layup viciously rejected off the backboard early in the second half.
Pitt-Bradford jumps to 4-6 on the season and 2-3 in the AMCC. The Panthers will host Penn State Behrend Saturday at 3 o'clock.
