PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- West Virginia State's women's basketball fell 76-65 in their first meeting against Point Park as a NCAA Division II and Mountain East foe. The Yellow Jackets held minuscule leads of 2-0 and 4-2, but surrendered the lead midway through the first and couldn't recover. WVSU struggled shooting the ball against the Pioneers, managing just 31.6 percent from the field and 9-of-20 from the charity stripe.

The Yellow Jackets and Pioneers met last year for the first time while Point Park was still a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

State fell to .500 on the season at 6-6 and 2-5 in MEC play. Point Park improves to 3-11, 2-6 in conference games.

ZZ Russell scored 14 points, including a pair of treys, to go with two steals and three rebounds. Ashley Kerekes also contributed double-figures with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Point Park's Alexis Giles led all scorers with 22 points.

WVSU and Point Park battled closely throughout the first quarter, with multiple lead changes. WVSU opened with strong defensive pressure, forcing turnovers early and converting them into points, including a fast-break layup by Emily Anthony. However, Point Park responded with a 6-0 run midway through the quarter, sparked by Alexis Giles' three-pointer. Zakorrah Russell added four points for WVSU, keeping the score tight. Point Park's second-chance opportunities, including a three-pointer from Ari Bleda, gave them a slight edge. The quarter ended with Point Park leading 16-13.

WVSU briefly tied the game at 19-19 early in the second quarter, thanks to Kerekes' scoring and strong rebounding. Point Park answered with a decisive 10-0 run, extending their lead to 10 points, driven by baskets from Camille Fultz and Giles. WVSU responded with a 7-0 stretch late in the quarter, including a three-pointer by Russell, to narrow the gap. Despite their effort, Point Park capitalized on WVSU's turnovers, scoring 13 points off miscues. The half ended with Point Park ahead, 36-29.

Point Park extended their lead early in the third quarter with a quick 8-0 run, highlighted by two baskets from Fultz. WVSU responded with a 6-0 stretch, including a fast-break layup by Anthony and second-chance points from Kerekes. Despite the surge, Point Park's Giles hit a key three-pointer to stop WVSU's momentum and maintain a seven-point advantage. Russell added seven points for the Yellow Jackets in the quarter, including a driving layup and a jumper. WVSU struggled to close the gap as Point Park dominated second-chance opportunities, ending the quarter with a 58-49 lead.

WVSU opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run, sparked by a three-pointer from Shanley Woods and a steal leading to a layup by Russell, pulling the Yellow Jackets within six points. However, Point Park's Giles and Bleda responded with back-to-back three-pointers to extend their lead again. WVSU forced multiple turnovers late in the game but struggled to convert those into points. Despite a strong effort from the bench, led by Kerekes and Hallie Bailey, WVSU couldn't overcome Point Park's efficient free-throw shooting and dominance on the boards.

State returns to the Walker Convocation Center on Monday, Jan. 13 for a 5:30 pm non-conference matchup against the Virginia State Trojans.