Greensburg, PA. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford men's basketball team was unable to come up with a victory at Pitt-Greensburg on Saturday, falling to the Bobcats 78-68. Despite the loss, other results in the conference secured the Panthers' spot in the 6-team AMCC Tournament.
The hosts were able to open the scoring on their first possession, but Nathan Schneider was able to score inside on two straight possessions to put the Panthers in front. The Bobcats made two early threes to stay ahead of the PAntehrs by 1, but Pitt-Bradford was able to rally, outscoring Pitt-Greensburg 17-4 over a 6-minute stretch to take a double-digit lead. Lennon Lindholm started the run with a midrange jumper and Jeremy Rodriguez followed that with a second-chance basket after a blocked shot. After the Bobcats answered a Gus Napoleon three with a layup, Lindholm hit his second longball of the game to put the Panthers up 7. Another Schneider layup forced a Pitt-Greensburg timeout, but the Panthers continued to roll after the short break as Rodriguez drove to the basket for two more and Lindholm made his third three to give the Panthers a 24-12 lead.
Pitt-Bradford was not able to hold onto the momentum for long, however, as the hosts scored twelve in a row in four minutes to tie the game at 24. Schneider temporarily slowed the Bobcat charge with a layup, but the hosts continued rolling after a timeout, scoring 10 more unanswered to take an eight-point lead. In the final minute, Caden Beldin was able to hit a three to end the half and send the game to the break with the Panthers trailing 34-29.
Pitt-Bradford was able to use the momentum from the Beldin three to start the 2nd half, as they scored eight straight of their own in the first two and a half minutes. Lindholm started the half with another three and then Beldin stole the ball and converted a layup to tie the game. He added a free throw to put the Panthers back in front and Lindholm converted another steal into a layup on the next possession. The teams traded the lead four times over the next four minutes as Phillip Wallace made a pair of buckets inside. After the Bobcats took the lead with 6 straight Schneider splashed a three to tie the game at 46, but the hosts answered with one of their own to take a lead they would not relinquish.
Another three-ball from Lindholm and an old-fashioned three-point play from Schneider kept the Panthers close for a few minutes, but the Bobcats were able to slowly build a double-digit lead over the next four minutes of action. Rodriguez and OYler each made late threes in the game, but the Bobcats were able to put the game away from the free throw line, making 10 in a row over the last three minutes of play.
Two late layups gave Nathan Schneider 22 points on the night to lead Pitt-Bradford. He also finished with 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Lennon Lindholm set a new career high, as he made 8-13 from the field, including 5-10 from three to score 21 points. Jeremy Rodriguez finished with 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, while Phillip Wallace finished as the Panthers' leading rebounder with 6.
The loss drops the Panthers to 11-12 on the season, with a 5-7 record in AMCC play. They are in a tie for 5th place with Penn State-Behrend. Due to losses below the Panthers in the standings, they have clinched a playoff spot. They will return to postseason play for the first time since the 2016-17 season. They will have another crucial game that will affect playoff seedings on Wednesday, as they host Hilbert at 7:00 p.m. in KOA Arena.
