JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) scored a team-high 16 points, but the Gannon men's basketball team couldn't stick with Pitt-Johnstown in a 79-59 loss to the Mountain Cats on Saturday.

UPJ jumped to a 34-21 halftime lead and controlled the second half at UPJ Sports Center.

The Golden Knights are still seeking their first victory of the 2022-23 season as they dropped to 0-11 overall and 0-7 in the PSAC West. The Mountain Cats improved to 10-3 and 6-1.

Mims, a senior forward, was a bright spot for Gannon. He made 7-of-10 field-goal attempts and sank both of his free-throw attempts.

Gannon senior forward Zach Kent (Magnolia, Del./Blair Academy (N.J.)) made his first start and was effective early. He shot 4-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from the foul line to finish with 11 points. However, the 6-foot-10 Kent was limited to 12 minutes of playing time because of foul trouble, and he eventually fouled out.

Kent was coming off a 20-point, seven-rebound effort against Slippery Rock. After sitting out seven games with an injury, he is now averaging 12.5 points in 18 minutes per game.

Another Gannon forward, 6-foot-8 freshman Cenker Evran (Adana, Turkey/Turk Telekom), shot 5-of-7 from the field and finished with 10 points.  

Mims, Kent, and Evran combined to shoot 16-of-23 (69.5 percent) from the field. The rest of the team shot 6-of-37 (16 percent) from the floor.

Senior Donovan Forte (Cleveland, Ohio/Garfield Heights) also contributed 10 points for GU.

Gannon outrebounded UPJ 38-29 as Thomas Whitley (Laurel, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) led the way with eight rebounds.

However, GU's defense could not stop the ever-efficient Mountain Cats. UPJ shot 52 percent (26-of-50) from the field, including 54.5 percent (12-of-22) from 3-point range.

Gannon shot 36.7 percent (22-of-60) from the field and 16.7 percent (2-of-12) from 3-point territory.