Point Park drops RSC East road matchup at Ohio Christian, comes home 15-5, 8-3 RSC

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio -- Point Park University women's basketball absorbed an 88-72 setback at Ohio Christian University in a River States Conference game on Tuesday night. 

It was a matchup of teams both with 15 wins at the start of the night and both chasing RSC East Division leader Rio Grande (Ohio). Ohio Christian improved to 16-5, 7-3 RSC while Point Park still holds a slight edge over the Trailblazers for second in the division at 15-5 overall, 8-3 RSC. 

Ohio Christian got hot for a run at the end of the first quarter and the start of the second to take control. Point Park was playing from behind from then on, and the Pioneers got as close as 70-64 with under 5:00 to go in the game. 

But the Trailblazers hit a couple of big 3-pointers as they had all night and then made their free throws down the stretch to put the game away. Ashley DeWeese had 33 points for OCU with five treys on the night. She hit a pair of big ones after Point Park got within six points.

Gabriella Legister had a huge game for Point Park with 26 points and 16 rebounds. She was battered much of the night and was sent to the foul line 12 times. She made 10 from there on her way to another double-double. 

Emma Pavelek scored 12 points for the Pioneers as the only other Point Park player in double digits. Ohio Christian had the edge with three players having big games. In addition to DeWeese's 33, Haley Cox put up 22 points, and Emma Koons pitched in 21 and 10 boards. 

Point Park shot 38 percent overall with Ohio Christian shooting 46 percent. The Trailblazers also had the advantage at the arc marking 10 of 25 with Point Park making just 6 of 21. 

The Pioneers won the rebound battle, 39-29, but lost the turnovers, 21-17. The turnovers were costly ones as OCU turned many of them into points going the other way. The Trailblazers led in points off turnovers, 31-11. 

OCU's run at the end of the first quarter had them up 25-13 after 10 minutes. They put an 8-2 run on top of that to start the second and were still up, 47-35, at the half. 

After an even third quarter, the Pioneers were still down 12 entering the fourth. Four straight free throws -- two each by Alexis Giles and Fatim Sarr Ndow -- pulled Point Park within 70-64 at the 4:31 mark. 

Point Park will look to bounce back with another RSC East road contest coming up on Saturday. The Pioneers visit WVU Tech for their first matchup of the year versus the Golden Bears.