Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford men's basketball team will host Penn State-Altoona on Saturday afternoon, looking to end a 3 game losing skid and solidify their playoff positioning.
The Panthers are in their toughest stretch of the season as they have lost 3 in a row, including one overtime loss at Medaille. They are currently 8-10 overall with a 3-6 record in conference play. They sit in a tie for the 6th and final AMCC playoff spot. Without the AMCC's leading scorer Isaiah Archie on Wednesday, The Panthers fell behind Alfred State early. They were able to battle back, whittling an 18 point deficit down to just 4 points with 3 minutes to go, but fell just short as the visitors were able to connect from the free-throw line to put the game away. Nathan Schneider finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds, while Greg Archie added 14 points and Caden Beldin scored 12.
Nathan Schneider has been one of the AMCC's best this season, as he is 2nd in the conference in scoring and 1st in rebounding. He scores 20.6 points and collects 12.0 rebounds per game. Isaiah Archie is the AMCC's top scorer at 21.9 points per game, while Greg Archie adds 11.7 per game. Alex Rodriguez and Trey Oyler have been extremely efficient from beyond the three-point line as Oyler hits 47.9% of his threes and Rodriguez makes 45.1%.
The Lions are 13-5 this season and boast an 8-2 record in AMCC play. They are currently in 2nd place in the AMCC standings. Following a tough 1 point loss at Medaille over the weekend, the Lions came back in their midweek matchup, defeating Mount Aloysius 87-67. PJ Charles and KeJahn Rainey scored 15 each in the game, while Andruw Harman and Saivon Word added 11 apiece. The Lions boast a balanced offensive attack, as five different players average double figures. Robbie Hicks is the team's scoring leader, as he averages 14.2 points per game. Harman and Charles are extremely efficient for the lions as they both shoot over 50% from the field. Harman averages 12.8 and Charles scores 10.9 points per game. Varun Ajjarapu scores 11.7 per contest and Saivon Word averages 10.5 per game off the bench.
In addition to the action on the court, Pitt-Bradford is welcoming to special groups of fans. Both the Pitt-Bradford men's and women's teams will be recognizing their alumni at halftime, with a reception after the game. The Athletics department will also be welcoming athletic recruits from all 14 intercollegiate sports as they host the Hoops and Hospitality event in conjunction with the Pitt-Bradford admissions office.
The following regulations will be in place to align with Pitt-Bradford's COVID-19 mitigation efforts for indoor events. All spectators, game staff, officials, and team members not actively participating on the court are required to wear a mask at all times. Masks must be affixed to cover the wearer's nose and mouth. All spectators will be required to sign in upon their entrance into the facility, as the lists will be used in any contact tracing efforts that may become necessary. They will be required to provide a name and contact phone number to game staff.
The game is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. in KOA Arena.
