Point Park men’s basketball stays undefeated after beating 2021 national champs Shawnee State on Saturday, December 2. The men’s team was an absolute highlight in the first half, as the whole team seemed like they simply couldn’t miss. 

The men’s team, who was led by Jo Valrie, were consistently getting stops on defense and turning them into easy points. Jo Valrie was five for five in this game from behind the arc and finished with 32 points. The Pioneers ended the first half up 20 with a score of 53-33. The second half seemed much different, as Shawnee State came out firing. They ended up shortening the gap in points between the two teams, eventually ending up only down by three with a chance to tie. Shawnee State missed the game-tying shot, and the Pioneers squeezed out a three point victory. With this win, and their previous win vs. Rio Grande, they would remain undefeated and be first in the River States Conference (RSC).  

The women’s team looked to get back on track after losing 3 straight games recently – a radical difference from their 4-0 beginning of the season.With their game vs. Shawnee State, they looked to figure things out. That they did. It was a decent battle throughout, leading to an eventual 14 point win. This was a much-needed victory for the Pioneers, as they lost to Rio Grande and another loss would put them below in the conference. 

Gillian Piccolino was a superstar in the Shawnee State matchup, as she went for 31 points – a  career-high for her already impressive career. The women’s team is now 5-3, filled with some new momentum in hopes of staying as a top team in the RSC.