LATROBE, Pa. (Feb. 14) – The Saint Vincent women's basketball team has locked up the second seed in the upcoming Presidents' Athletic Conference tournament, but has unfinished business to tend to on Saturday at 2 p.m., when No. 7/8 Thomas More arrives at the Carey Center.
 
The Bearcats (19-5, 15-2) are the only team in the PAC to defeat the Saints (23-1, 17-0) in the last three seasons, a 68-65 win in Latrobe last season. Over that span, the Saints have gone 50-1 in the league and defeated SVC in the PAC Championship game each of the last two seasons.
 
Second-year mentor Jimmy Petruska, who boasts a 56-16 (.778) career-record, understands that his team has a shot to make a statement in the regular season finale: “On a national level, where we like to believe we can be and are competitive, this game is big,” said Petruska. 
 
“Anytime you can host a top-10 team nationally it has the makings of something special, and would help set the tone for the upcoming conference tournament if we could get a win.”
 
Despite two-straight championship game losses to Thomas More, Petruska feels that his team has the ability to end the Saints streak of seven-consecutive league titles. “This is a revenge shot for our team. We didn't perform well down there the first time we played. We don't view a win in this game as an upset, because we feel that we are right there on their level.”
 
Petruska has reason to be confident. The Bearcats come into the contest riding a nine-game winning streak, with the last setback occurring in January at Thomas More, a 63-50 defeat. His team also boasts one of the top players in the league, and a contender for the conference's Player of the Year award in Devin McGrath. The honor would mark the third-straight for Saint Vincent, after former All-American Brittany Sedlock took home the honor the last two seasons.
 
McGrath enters play this weekend having a career year. She ranks at or near the top of most categories in the PAC and leads the conference in rebounding with 10.6 rebounds per game. Additionally, she is tied for fourth in the league in scoring at 15.7 points per game. The 5-9 senior has posted 13 double-doubles on the year -- the most in the PAC -- placing her among the national leaders in the category. A complete player, McGrath is second in the conference in steals (72), fifth in assists (75) and tied for fifth in blocks (27).
 
“Devin is having a phenomenal year,” said Petruska. “She is the kind of player that makes her teammates better. She brings to the table that, 'Don't panic, we're going to get it done,' attitude.”
 
Throughout the season, several different players have stepped up to help compliment McGrath. Senior guard Melissa Mansur is first in the conference with 83 steals and third in the PAC with 82 assists. Sophomore guard Ally Schmidt is second in the league with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.2. Senior Jordan Clinton and junior forwards Taylor Mathers and Ariel Rocco combine to average 18.4 points and 12.2 rebounds each night.
 
Sophomore guard Elle Collins has seen a resurgence lately after struggling in the middle portion of the season. Entering this weekend, she is averaging 9.2 points per game after averaging nearly four three-pointers in each of her last four games.
 
“It's very encouraging as a coach to see multiple players step up because it is a sign of a good team and can be contagious,” believes Petruska.
 
Thomas More boasts their own Player of the Year candidate in senior guard Allison Long who is averaging 16.8 points per game, third in the league. She is also in the top five in the conference in assists, made three-pointers, steals and field-goal percentage. Long is joined in double figures by senior guard Katie Kitchen (10.6 ppg) and sophomore forward Jenny Burgoyne (10.4 ppg), while junior guard Devin Beasley is just under the threshold at 9.5 points a night.
 
Fans unable to make it to the Carey Center can listen to 1480-AM WCNS in Latrobe for Dow Carnahan's call, or they can view the PAC Sports Network's Game of the Week webcast at www.pacstream.net.