FROSTBURG, MD. — Frostburg State rallied from a seven-point second-half deficit to earn a 54-52 win over Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference foe Pitt-Bradford, Saturday afternoon at Bobcat Arena.

With the win, FSU (5-7, 4-1 AMCC) ended a three-game losing skid while handing UPB (7-5, 4-1 AMCC) its third-consecutive loss.

The Bobcats were led by junior Keith Hazel (Weirton, W.Va./Weir) with 16 points including a team high eight rebounds. Senior Jade Belt (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) added 10 scores and seven boards for FSU.

The Panther scoring was paced by Dan Thomas with a game-high 19 points. Jon Hannon added a double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Mark Austin pulled down 11 boards.

After allowing the visitors to shoot 38.7 percent (12-of-31) from the floor in the opening half, Frostburg State held Pitt-Bradford to just seven baskets and a low 25.9 shooting percentage (7-of-27) in the second half.

FSU powered the comeback with a 12-of-30 (40.0%) shooting performance and eight second-half Panther turnovers to help swing momentum.

After Thomas put the Panthers up seven, 35-28, with 16:47 left in the game, FSU answered with seven-straight points to tie the game with 15:23 showing.

Pitt-Bradford extended its lead back to five, 41-36, at 12:46, but the Bobcats used the next five minutes to bring the score to a 46-46 deadlock.

Junior Jermaine Kapombe (Washington, D.C./Friendly) hit a jumper at 5:40 to give Frostburg State its first lead of the afternoon, 48-46.

Thomas would give the Panthers the lead two more times, the final at 2:22 after a three-pointer, however, senior Dale DeBerry (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) tied the game with a layup at 1:26 and FSU used a pair of free throws and solid defense down the stretch to earn the victory.

The opening period proved to be in favor of Pitt-Bradford as it raced out of the gates for an 11-0 lead just under three and half minutes into the game. FSU rebounded with a 13-3 run to narrow the gap to 14-13 at 9:24, but UPB extended its lead to nine, 24-15 at 5:38.

The Bobcats would successfully bring the score to 29-24 with the visitors still leading as the game headed into intermission.

FSU returns to the court on Wednesday, January 10 when it hosts AMCC opponent Penn State Altoona at 8:00 pm.