Box Score

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Just last month the University of Pikeville women's basketball team edged Union (Ky.) by two on a last-second three, on Tuesday the Bulldogs fired back, using a layup with nine seconds to play to win 89-88 at the East Ky. Expo Center.

Following a pair of Callisha Johnson free throws, Amber Taylor went coast-to-coast for a layup to give Union the one-point lead. Patrice Tonge had a good look just before the buzzer, but her shot rolled off and Cheyenne Madden didn't have time to try again after the rebound.

Johnson matched a season high in the loss with 39 points, shooting 13-of-20 from the field and hitting her only three, while Madden added 13 and Jayme Jackson and Kandice Porter both finished with 12. Jackson collected a double-double with 10 rebounds and Johnson added seven assists to her big scoring night.

Taylor had a big night as well for Union (9-5), scoring 32 points while hitting 10-of-11 shots from the stripe. That performance mirrored Johnson's as she went 12-for-13 from the line. Lydia Nash and Haley Perkins joined Taylor in double figures with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

A total of 61 free throws were shot in the game with UPIKE (5-7) going 27-for-37 and Union hitting 22-of-24 shots. With the Bears shooting 47.5 percent from the field and the Bulldogs at 49.2, there weren't a lot of rebounds as Union led the battle on the backboards 39-31.

Perkins' three gave the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead to start the game, but Johnson answered right away with a bucket that gave UPIKE a lead it kept until the two-minute mark of the first half.

It wasn't until Courtney Haney hit a free throw that the Bears got some breathing room with a 24-15 lead, but the Bulldogs stormed back to go back on top 37-36 on Reagan King's three from the corner with 2:15 left until halftime.

Union stayed on top through the final minute, avoiding a basket by Tonge at the buzzer to take a 42-39 into the break.

Taylor helped the Bulldogs to a strong start in the second half, adding a layup to give them a 48-43 lead. In a 30-second span UPIKE was able to recover, getting a three from Jackson and steal and layup by Johnson to knot the score at 48 with 16 minutes on the clock.

After trading baskets, Madden finished a 3-point play to give UPIKE a 51-50 lead, but it didn't last long as the game remained a back-and-forth affair.

Johnson connected on her second 3-point play of the game with 5:27 left to give UPIKE its largest lead of the half at 73-69. The Bulldogs came roaring back once again with a 4-0 run, but Johnson came through with a three at the end of the shot clock.

UPIKE was solid from the free-throw line in the final two minutes, hitting four straight to take an 86-81 lead with 1:29 to play. Union got a chance to comeback, however, with two straight offensive fouls called on the Bears to take an 87-86 lead on a basket by Nash.

Johnson drew a foul with 14.5 seconds left and hit both free throws to put the Bears up by one, but Taylor immediately answered with a layup and Tonge's counter on the other end bounced off the backboard a little too hard to preserve the win for the Bulldogs.

It's a long break for UPIKE as it won't return to the court until Dec. 30 against Virginia Intermont at home.