The Pioneers women’s basketball team dropped its first conference game of the year last Friday night, but bounced back 17 hours later in the River States Conference (RSC) Game of the Week to improve its conference record to 5-1.

The Midway University Eagles, a team that finished 0-31 last season, handed Point Park University its first conference loss of the year on Friday night.

“I believe we took them more lightly than what we should have,” sophomore guard Kaitlyn Smith said.

Point Park only trailed by eight at halftime, but Midway came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders. The Eagles shot 47 percent from the field in the last 20 minutes of the game.

Getting out-shot was not the biggest predicament for the Pioneers in this game. The team was out-rebounded 55-27, allowing Midway to pull in 17 offensive boards.

“We got out rebounded by 28 rebounds and that is uncalled for,” head coach Tony Grenek said. “When you get out rebounded by 28 that means you have no pride.”

The team has been averaging 73.5 points per game this season, but managed to put up only 53 against a stingy Midway defense and ended up on the wrong side of this one 76-53.

Only two Pioneers reached double figures in scoring. Junior guard Maryssa Agurs and senior forward Ja’Nia McPhatter had 13 each. Junior center Baylee Buleca dropped six points, consisting of nine rebounds and four blocks.

Point Park entered the game ranked fifth in the National Athletic Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) DII in scoring defense, allowing 54.9 points-per-game, but gave up a whopping 76 Friday evening.

There was no time to hang their heads, as they had to get back to the court the following day in the

RSC Game of the Week against the Indiana University Kokomo Cougars.

It was the game of the year thus far for freshman guard Tyra James from Toledo, Ohio.

The Pioneers were up by seven at the half, but James caught fire after halftime and helped Point Park outscore the Cougars in the third quarter 29-13.

James helped her team get a bounce back victory, 81-54, and would finish the game with a career-high 31 points, draining seven out of her ten 3-point attempts. James was just two-for-nine from long range the previous night.

The 5-foot-9 guard played 18 minutes in the 40 minute contest. James was one three-pointer away from tying the Point Park single-game record for most three-pointers made in a game set by current assistant coach April Austin on Dec. 30, 2011 against Rio Grande.

“I was just letting it fly,” James said. “[The record] would have meant a lot as a freshmen. I have three more years to make up for it.”

James has started in only two games thus far. Coach Grenek has kept her in a “sixth man” type role for the majority of the season.

Unlike the night before, the Pioneers were strong on both ends of the court in the second game of the weekend.

The defense forced 18 turnovers and had impressive performances from Agurs and McPhatter, who had 11 points apiece. McPhatter also added four assists and three steals to her statistics. Buleca gathered in 10 rebounds and had three blocks.

The Pioneers lost senior forward Carly Forse for the rest of the season after suffering a right elbow injury against Carlow on Dec. 12, the game after she registered her 1000th career point with Point Park. Point Park is 2-3 since losing Forse, who never missed a start in her previous three years.

“We have players who will step up and lead the team to success this year,” Forse said.

With the big bounce back win after the loss to Midway, the Pioneers are now 15-4 overall this season with a 5-1 conference record and are currently in second place in the East division of the RSC.

The team will travel to IU East and Ohio Christian this weekend for a pair of conference matchups Friday and Saturday.