PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- West Virginia State narrowly fell to Point Park, 76-75, in a thrilling back-and-forth contest at CCAC-Allegheny. The game featured six lead changes and seven ties, with both teams trading big runs and clutch moments.
WVSU falls to 6-7, 3-4 in the Mountain East. The Pioneers improve to 9-5, 4-4 in the MEC.
Jaedaun Slack led the charge for the Yellow Jackets with 20 points, four rebounds and two steals.
Nate Mims added 11 points and seven boards.
Arthur Cox and
Kenyon Giles contributed 10 points each.
Kaden Warner led all scorers for Point Park with 30 points.
WVSU outscored Point Park 36-16 in the paint and had a 17-6 edge in second-chance points. Despite strong interior play and defensive pressure, Point Park's 15 three-pointers and 70% free-throw shooting proved decisive. State committed six turnovers, but Point Park couldn't convert a single turnover into points.
In the first half, the Yellow Jackets capitalized on their defensive pressure, forcing 10 turnovers and scoring 21 points off those miscues. WVSU used a 9-0 run midway through the half to take their largest lead of the game at eight points. However, Point Park responded with hot perimeter shooting, hitting nine three-pointers in the half, led by Kaden Warner's 15 first-half points. At the break, WVSU held a slim 44-42 advantage, shooting 51.6% from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line.
The second half saw Point Park shift momentum, using a 6-0 run early in the period to grab a brief lead. The Pioneers relied on Warner and Brenden Williams, who added 18 points and seven rebounds, to stay ahead. WVSU's shooting cooled in the second half, dropping to 32.4% from the field and 42.9% from the free-throw line. Despite the struggles, the Yellow Jackets remained in contention with strong defensive efforts, highlighted by Martinez's eight rebounds and two steals.
Late in the game, WVSU mounted a comeback with a 7-0 run, fueled by Slack's second-chance points and a key layup by Cox. Martinez added a clutch three-pointer to give the Yellow Jackets a one-point lead with less than a minute remaining. However, Point Park's Warner was fouled on a drive and calmly sank two free throws with 23 seconds left to reclaim the lead for the Pioneers. WVSU had one final possession, but their shots in the waning moments clanged off the iron and a turnover gave Point Park the ball with just a second left. The inbound was tipped and the clock ran out before anyone could regain possession.
WVSU travels to Elkins to take on the Davis and Elkins Senators on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 PM.
