Box Score PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The University of Pikeville scored eight unanswered points in the second half to take a measure of control and held off the University of Rio Grande 67-62 Thursday night at the East Kentucky Expo Center.
 
Pikeville improved to 16-10 on the season and 8-7 in the Mid-South Conference, ending a two-game losing streak in the process. Rio Grande fell to 12-15 overall and 3-10 in the league.
 
Rio Grande took a 51-50 lead with 10:50 to play on a basket by junior Darriel Hunter. Pikeville, however, regained the lead on a putback by senior Andrew Young with 9:48 to play. It turned out to be the bucket that started the 8-0 run and gave the Bears a lead they would never lose.
 
Junior Kenny Rhymes hit two free throws seven seconds later, and a pair of Chris McHenry layups – the latter coming with 7:00 to play – made it 58-51.
 
The Red Storm would get as close as three on a Brad Cubbie jumper with 31.1 seconds left, but the Bears put it away with a pair of free throws.
 
Neither team shot the ball very well at all. Rio hit 38.7 percent from the field and only half its 16 free throws, while Pikeville was solid from the line – 71.0 percent – but sank only 36.1 percent from the floor and made only 1-of-16 from the arc.
 
McHenry led the Bears with 21 points, hitting 11-of-14 from the line. He added four boards, three assists and a pair of steals. Junior Trevor Setty finished with a double-double, scoring 13 and pulling down 10 rebounds.
 
The Red Storm got a double-double from senior Shaun Gunnell, who had 13 points and 11 rebounds, five of which were off the offensive glass. Thanks to the efforts of Gunnell and junior Turrell Morris, who had 13 rebounds, Rio won the rebounding battle 47-41.
 
Sophomore Jermaine Warmack, who hit three three-point shots, added 12 points.
 
Pikeville will be home for its final non-conference game of the season on Saturday, entertaining WVU Tech at 4 p.m. Rio Grande will also play Saturday at 4 when it visits U.Va.-Wise.
 
 
-UPIKE-