Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford men's basketball was back in action in the KOA Arena on Saturday afternoon as they were able to stop a 4-game losing streak with a dominating 91-48 win over Carlow.
Both teams struggled to find their footing early, but after Carlow opened the scoring after nearly 2 minutes of play, the teams scored on six straight possessions. Xavion Boone Roberson started the scoring with a short jumper and then after Carlow answered, Gus Napoleon hit a corner three to put Pitt-Bradford in front. Trey Davis answered another Carlow basket with a layup before the Panthers locked down the Celtics and scored four more in a row on a Napoleon jumper and two Jamarion Butler free throws. Carlow ended the rally with two from the line, but Jesse Laster kept the momentum with the Panthers, throwing down a powerful putback slam dunk.
After a Pitt-Bradford timeout, the teams split 8 points until the Panthers went on a 16-2 run to open up a 19-point lead. LAster started the rally with a putback layup and then Butler converted a Davis steal into a fast break dunk. Davis followed a timeout with a three-pointer and Napoleon added a midrange jump shot before Carlow was able to score again. Butler turned another Davis steal into a slam dunk to resume the Panther run which included a Napoleon steal and layup and another Laster putback. Coby Farley made a three and Laster threw down another putback slam to send the game to the break with the Panthers leading 45-24.
Pitt-Bradford continued to lock down after halftime, as they kept the Celtics off the scoreboard for the first 2 minutes of the 2nd half. In that span, Boone Roberson started the scoring again with a short jumper and Trey Davis hit another long ball to push the lead to 26. The Panthers took a timeout after Carlow cut into the lead with a 6-2 run. After the timeout, Pitt-Bradford responded, going on a 12-0 run. Coby Farley scored 6 points in the run, while Butler added four and Davis made a layup. Carlow scored 4 points around a defensive stop, but the Panthers continued to add to their lead as Farley made a deep three-pointer and LAster made two free throws and another putback dunk.
With 5:26 remaining, the Panthers began to deepen the rotation. Logan Joncas hit a corner three to push the lead to 40 and then assisted a Laster three a few possessions later. Matt Pannes scored the next four for the Panthers as he made a finger roll layup through contact to convert a three-point play and then added another free throw. Mason Emerson closed the game for the Panthers, as he added a free throw and a putback layup in the last minute.
Jesse Laster finished the game with his second double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 14 rebounds. He also added 3 assists and blocked 3 shots. Jamarion Butler was the Panthers' leading scorer, pouring in 18 points, while also collecting 7 rebounds. Trey Davis added 16 points and also had a game-high 5 steals. Coby Farley scored 13 points off the bench, while Gus Napoleon also reached double-figures with 11 points.
The Panthers move to 12-11 on the season, with an 8-8 record in AMCC play. They will be on the road for the last time during the regular season on Wednesday, as they will travel to Penn State-Altoona for a matchup that will be crucial in deciding the final playoff standings. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Altoona.
