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ATH09_201_ByerAndy_TMen’s Basketball Opens With 84-77 Overtime Win Over U.D.C.
     11/18/09... (Box Score)  The University of the District of Columbia erased a 17-point second half deficis to force overtime, but Andy Byer (Tire Hill, Pa.) scored seven of his team-high 18 points in the extra period to lead the Mountain Cat basketball team to an 84-77 season-opening victory, Wednesday night in the Sports Center.
     The Firebirds climbed out to 10-6 lead 4:08 into the game on Dyrek Jones' layup, but Pitt-Johnstown answered to tie it on back-to-back baskets by Danny Branch (Washington, D.C.).  After U.D.C. rebuilt the lead to 17-14, the Mountain Cats took control.   Noah Hartung's (Butler, Pa.) three-pointer capped a 16-4 Pitt-Johnstown run to give the Mountain Cats a 30-21 lead at the 5:15 mark.  Keith Brooks' jumper pulled the Firebirds to within four at 1:47 , but Pitt-Johnstown pushed the lead back to nine and took a 37-28 halftime lead on Byer's three-pointer with :04 on the clock.
     Pitt-Johnstown came out in the second half and extended the lead to 60-43 at 15:08 on Branch's dunk, before the Firebirds used 22-5 run over the next 11 minutes to knot the score at 65.  The Mountain Cats went back up by five with 2:17 to play, but U.D.C. clawed its way back to tie it at 73 to force overtime.
     In the overtime, Byer hit a long three-pointer from the top of key to give Pitt-Johnstown an 80-77 lead with 2:20 left.  The Mountain Cats never trailed again.  Byer wrapped-up the overtime with a jumper and a pair of free-throws to seal the victory.
     Byer led the Mountain Cats with 18 points on 5-9 shooting from the field, 4-6 from behind the three-point line and 4-4 from the free-throw line to lead five Pitt-Johnstown players who scored in double figures.  He also dished out a game-high nine assists, while Nick Novak (Murrysville, Pa.) had 17 points, three-rebounds and five assists.  Patrick Grubbs (Turtle Creek, Pa.) scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Branch scored 15 points.  Rudy Roberts (Cleveland, OH) collected 11 points and seven rebounds, and Hartung chipped in six points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
     Nigel Muson's game-high 29 points paced U.D.C.  Kenneth James and Chris Leach each socred 10 points, and Jones pulled down 10 rebounds for the Firebirds, who slipped to 0-2.
     The Mountain Cats tip-off the 2009-10 WVIAC schedule at Wheeling Jesuit (WV) University on Tuesday. Pitt-Johnstown will return home to start a five-game home stand against California University (PA) on Saturday, November 28 at 4 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the Lady Cats in the Sports Center.  The Lady Cats will take on Ohio Dominican University at 2 p.m.
Last Reviewed: April 28, 2008
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The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown