BECKLEY, W.Va. -- No. 22-ranked Point Park University men's basketball won at WVU Tech, 90-74, on Saturday to earn a pivotal River States Conference East Division game. 

The Pioneers (21-2, 10-2 RSC) remained first place in a crowded top half of the RSC East and handed the Golden Bears (15-6, 8-4 RSC) their second divisional loss in a row to drop them to third place. Right behind Point Park is Shawnee State (Ohio) (16-6, 10-2 RSC) with an earlier loss to the Pioneers. 

Jo Valrie scored 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Jalen Stamps put up 28 points and eight assists in Saturday's effort over WVU Tech. Nathaniel Van added 17 points and nine boards while 7-2 center Jags Jhawar did the work down low with eight points (4 for 6 field goals), eight rebounds and four blocks. 

Point Park worked a couple of seven-point leads in the early going at 11-4 and 15-8 only to have the Golden Bears tie things up at 15-15 and later lead 22-20. But the two-point lead was the biggest one for WVU Tech all day as the Pioneers came alive to build their lead, keep it and eventually pull away.

Stamps, who was 5 for 11 from deep, answered WVU Tech with a 3-pointer to put the Pioneers up for good, 23-22. The 3-point shooting continued as Jordan Stowe and Van both hit from long range, and Stamps put two more treys on top of that. All of a sudden, the Pioneers were ahead, 37-27, with just under 5:00 left in the first half. 

A steal by Stowe and a layup by Jhawar (off an assist from Valrie) was added on the next play for good measure. Van capped off the first half with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make the score 49-32 at the break. Stamps assisted on the play as the Pioneers were 7 for 13 from the arc the first 20 minutes.

WVU Tech won the first five minutes of the second half to cut the lead in half, 60-51. But Point Park responded with a 14-4 run to pull away for good. Valrie started that spurt with a 3-pointer, one his his two treys and eight points during the outburst. That made the score 74-55 at the 11:05 mark.

WVU Tech got within 14 points a couple of times, but defensive stops and drives by Stamps answered each time, 80-64 and 90-74. Point Park pushed the lead to as high as 23 points with 4:00 left, 88-65. 

Point Park made 12 of 27 from the outside and led in second-chance points, 20-6, as two key areas. Rebounds were 37-30 in favor of the Pioneers with 14 offensive boards. 

Next up for Point Park is a home game versus Rio Grande (Ohio) on Tuesday, Feb. 6. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. at CCAC-Allegheny.