Lions Open Conference Play Against Pitt-Greensburg

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's basketball team opens Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) play against Pitt-Greensburg on Saturday, Dec. 7. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.

Coverage:

Video | Live Stats | Game Notes

Behrend News & Notes:

* The Lions last played on Tuesday, Nov. 26, falling to Baldwin Wallace by a score of 88-75
* Junior transfer Dolan Waldo (Pittsburgh, PA/Bethel Park) finished with a career-high 18 points on six field goals, two three-pointers, and four free throws made, trumping his previous career-best of six points. Along with his team high in points, Waldo registered four rebounds and two assists
* Waldo was one of four Lions to record double-figures against the Yellow Jackets
* Tommy DiRienzo (Pittsburgh, PA/Bethel Park) (16 points), Matthew McDonough (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) (15 points), and Mason Blankenberg (Ontario, NY/Wayne) (12 points) delivered double-digit point performances. McDonough also secured a career-best six rebounds
* DiRienzo is currently first on the team and fourth in the conference with 19.7 points per game, while McDonough (15.0 ppg) and Blankenberg (13.0 ppg) stand second and third on the Lions in scoring
* Blankenberg has pulled down a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game and Isaac DeGregorio (Allison Park, PA/North Catholic) has tallied 2.7 assists per game

Meet the Opposition:

* Pitt-Greensburg currently holds a 3-4 overall record, falling to Penn State Altoona in the conference opener on Wednesday (82-72)
* Sophomore Trent Rozich recorded a double-double against the Lions with a team-high 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Michael Bigley tallied 20 points and six rebounds
* Guard Matthew Marinchak leads the Bobcats and is eighth in the AMCC in scoring (16.9 ppg). Rozich sits third in the conference with 8.4 rebounds per game to go along with 14.0 points per game and also has delivered a team-high 4.0 assists per game
* Bigley is the third Bobcat to register double-figure scoring (13.1 ppg)
* Pitt-Greensburg ended last season with an 11-7 conference record to earn the fourth seed in the AMCC Tournament, grabbing a first-round win over Pitt-Bradford (86-75) and falling to the reigning conference champions La Roche in the semifinals (81-76)
* The Bobcats were picked to finish third in the 2024-25 AMCC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
* Marinchak and Rozich were named Preseason Players to Watch
* Head coach Chris Klimchock is in his fourth season at the helm of the men's basketball program

Series History:

* Behrend leads the all-time series 39-16, dating back to 1997-98
* Both teams have split the last four matchups with Behrend taking the second game last season against Pitt-Greensburg (76-51)