Pitt-Greensburg Edges Behrend Men's Basketball

Courtsey of John Leisering

ERIE, Pa. - The Penn State Behrend men's basketball team closed the regular season Saturday with a 70-69 setback to visiting Pitt-Greensburg. The Lions left the court with an overall record of 10-15 and an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) mark of 5-9. The Bobcats improved to 12-13 and 8-6 respectively and won both meetings during the 2022-23 campaign. 

Ironically, the teams will play for the third time Tuesday when they battle in Greensburg in the first round of the AMCC playoffs. The victor will head to AMCC top-seed LaRoche for the final four next weekend.

The game was tight throughout with Pitt-Greensburg holding a 42-40 lead at intermission. With Behrend trailing 70-67 in the closing minutes, senior Seth Myers (Erie, PA/General McLane) hit a jumper with 19 seconds left but, after a defensive stop, a subsequent last-second attempt wouldn't fall.

Stefan Milinkovic (Fairport, NY/Fairport) led the Lions with 14 points in 12 minutes of action. Reggie Priah (15) and JoJo France (14) paced the Bobcats.

With both teams assured a spot in postseason play, both coaches substituted liberally. The Lions used all 16 players on the roster. All but two scored. No one played more than 20 or fewer than seven minutes. The Bobcats relied on 10 players, eight of whom scored. Behrend got 40 points from its bench; the Bobcats had 27.

The final stats, like the score, were very close. Behrend shot 45 percent from the floor, hit seven triples, converted 8-of-12 at the line, grabbed 34 rebounds and had 11 turnovers. Pitt-Greensburg shot 46.6 percent, made nine from beyond-the-arc, cashed 7 of 12 from the line, pulled down 35 rebounds and committed 11 turnovers. 

Behrend finished the regular season with three straight setbacks and losses in five of its last six contests. 14 of the total 25 games were decided by eight points-or-less (3-11). The two defeats to the Bobcats were by a combined four points. 

Before the game, Behrend paid tribute to three seniors: Steven Humphries (Lake Charles, LA/North Allegheny), Austin Ryan (Moon Township, PA/Moon), and Myers.