PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- It wasn't a thing of beauty, but a win is a win, especially within the Mid-South Conference, as the 20th-ranked University of Pikeville women's basketball team outlasted No. 25 Lindsey Wilson 64-58 on Thursday in the East Ky. Expo Center.
Neither team found success shooting as the Bears (15-0, 2-0 MSC) hit at 38.1 percent and the Blue Raiders (13-3, 2-2 MSC) struggled even more at 27.5. It was a game where minor details made a difference, such as UPIKE hitting one more 3-pointer at 5-4 and finishing with one less turnover (21-20).
UPIKE could have helped itself out at the free-throw line, but made just 11 of its 22 attempts. On the other side, Lindsey Wilson used the stripe to keep itself in the game, knocking down 16 of 17.
The Bears only trailed once at 2-0 and built leads as large as 11 points in the first half, but other than that, it was a one or two possession game most of the second half.
Cameron McPherson's jumper with under four minutes to play got Lindsey Wilson within two at 57-55. But Kandice Porter got a layup on an out of bounds play the next trip, then following a pair of turnovers, Devin Conley grabbed a backbreaking offensive rebound and put back to push the lead to six.
There was 2:07 on the clock after Conley's bucket and the Blue Raiders didn't score again until Heidi Huffman sank her third 3-pointer of the game as time expired.
Aundrea Matchen, who hit a pair of threes herself, led all scorers with 23 points while Conley added 13 and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds. Porter also hauled in seven boards and scored five points to go along with two blocks.
Lindsey Wilson had just two players reach double figures as well, including McPherson with 13 off the bench and Chanel Roberts with 10. Billie Hearn led all players with 10 rebounds, although UPIKE edged LWC on the glass 47-46.
It wasn't all back-and-forth drama between the teams as UPIKE used a 7-0 run in the first period to go up by eight, followed by scoring the first four points of the second period to reach the largest advantage of 11.
The tide started to turn after Conley's second-period three made it a 25-17 Bear lead. LWC followed up with an 8-0 run to tie things up just before halftime, setting up the closely contested final 20 minutes.
Bear Facts
UPIKE's 64 points are the lowest output of the season…Lindsey Wilson's 12 assists and six blocks are the most for any UPIKE opponent this season…Prisha Rogers is coming along after becoming eligible in December, her four steals are a season best and she went 2 for 2 from the stripe in a game where the Bears needed them…Aundrea Matchen scored at least 20 points for the sixth time this season, but the first time since scoring 23 against Cumberlands on Dec. 3.
Up Next
Vs. No. 18 Cumberland (Tenn.) at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday in the East Ky. Expo Center. The Phoenix won at Cumberlands 55-49 on Thursday.
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