BRADFORD, Pa. (Interstat) — Houghton will visit Pittsburgh-Bradford for a men’s NCAA Division III basketball game Friday at the Sport & Fitness Center in Bradford, Pa. The Highlanders and Panthers both enter the matchup with 0-0 records, making the contest an early opportunity for either side to establish momentum.

Houghton’s most recent previous result was a 78-74 loss at Alfred. The Highlanders will be on the road again against Pittsburgh-Bradford, which gives them a chance to begin the season with a win before a demanding upcoming stretch. Houghton’s upcoming slate includes a game at Franciscan, a road contest at Alfred State, home games against Morrisville State and Hilbert, road games at SUNY Fredonia and Buffalo State, a road game at Saint John Fisher, home games against SUNY Geneseo and Nazareth, and a road game at SUNY Brockport. The Highlanders will move between home and road assignments during that run, with several nonconference tests mixed into the schedule. The Highlanders’ schedule includes a stretch of road games and home contests that will test their depth early.

Pittsburgh-Bradford’s most recent previous result was a 110-97 loss at Pittsburgh-Greensburg. The Panthers will open their schedule at home and will try to use the Sport & Fitness Center setting to their advantage. Pittsburgh-Bradford’s upcoming schedule includes a home game against Franciscan, road contests against Bluffton and Waynesburg, a road game at Westminster (Pa.), a road game at Geneva, home games against SUNY Geneseo, Bryant & Stratton (Rochester) and Washington & Jefferson, and road games at Penn State Brandywine and Gwynedd Mercy. The Panthers also face a mix of home and road contests in that span, with several games set for their home court.

The matchup features two programs looking for a positive start to the season. Houghton will rely on its road experience from the previous result as it prepares for the Panthers, while Pittsburgh-Bradford will aim to settle into its home environment. The Sport & Fitness Center in Bradford, Pa., will host the contest, and both teams will be seeking their first win of the young season. Houghton and Pittsburgh-Bradford will each have opportunities to set an early tone before moving deeper into their schedules. Both teams will look to build momentum early in the schedule, and the contest offers each program a chance to test itself against an opponent with a fresh 0-0 record.

Interstat’s game simulator is projecting a final score of Pittsburgh-Bradford 93, Houghton 78. Interstat’s ELO system is projecting Pittsburgh-Bradford with a 90.5 percent probability to win.