RIO GRANDE, Ohio -- It was a pretty even night between the 17th-ranked University of Pikeville women's basketball team and Rio Grande on Tuesday, except for one important category - the 3-point line. The Bears outshot the RedStorm 10-2 from behind the arc on their way to a 79-63 win on the road.

Kelah Eldridge and Devin Conley were the leaders, knocking down three 3-pointers each to finish with 15 and 11 points, respectively. Aundrea Matchen and Brianna Burbridge added 11 points each, while Burbridge also cleaned up on the glass with seven rebounds.

Rio Grande (2-2) got 17 points and 11 rebounds from Brooke Marcum and Jasmine Smith chipped in with 12 points. Sharday Baines made both of the RedStorm's threes.

The teams both shot around 41 percent from the field, both hit 17 free throws and UPIKE was slightly better rebounding at 38-35. If you had to look elsewhere than the arc, turnovers played a role, as Rio Grande gave up 23 to UPIKE's 18.

While the gap there wasn't overly significant, what the Bears did with those takeaways was. Using 12 steals, UPIKE turned them into an 18-6 lead in points off turnovers. Add in the 30-6 gap in points from made threes and you get to the 16-point road win.

UPIKE (5-1) trailed just once in the game at 6-5 on a steal and layup by Alexis Payne less than three minutes into the first quarter. Shortly after, Taylor McGlade made a pair of free throws to jumpstart an 11-0 run for the Bears. The RedStorm got back within three late in the quarter but UPIKE ended the frame on a three by Conley to keep its momentum.

The RedStorm continued to hang around in the second quarter, getting with six twice, but the Bears kept answering, including Kandice Porter nailing a three and Burbridge making two free throws in the final two minutes to lead by 14 at halftime.

Even with UPIKE continuing to knock down timely threes, Rio Grande still got the deficit down to single digits at 72-63 with 1:42 to play. But time eventually ran out and shots stopped falling as the Bears ended the game on a 7-0 run to finally put Rio Grande away.

UP NEXT

UPIKE heads to Winona Lake, Ind., on Friday and Saturday to take part in the Hoops for Hope. The Bears open play against Spring Arbor (Mich.) at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, followed by Grace (Ind.) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

-UPIKE-