HIALEAH, Fla. -- The 14th-ranked University of Pikeville men's basketball team made its final game near the beaches of Miami count, blowing past St. Mary (Kan.) 92-56 on Friday in the final outing of a two-game trip south.

Clint Nwosuh showcased some of what he can add in the second semester with a team-best 16 points to go along with four assists and two rebounds. Darrion Leslie logged a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds with four assists and three blocks, while Marshall Bennett chipped in with a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards.

Daniel Afeaki added to the Bears' post presence with six points and eight rebounds, helping UPIKE (14-3) shoot 58 percent from the field. The Bears were also at 42 percent (8-19) from long distance, led by Nwosuh with four triples. UPIKE was good from the stripe as well, connecting on 13 of 15 free throws.

The game didn't look like an eventual rout after the first five minutes with the Bears and St. Mary knotted at 4-4. Flash forward another five minutes though and it was a different story with UPIKE up by eight after a 10-2 run. By the 6:49 mark of the first half it was an 18-point lead at 28-10.

By halftime UPIKE was up 45-23 and things only got worse for St. Mary (12-6) from there.

The lead had swelled to 28 points with 13:36 to play before a 12-5 burst by the Bears made it 71-36 just under the 10-minute mark. UPIKE went on to lead by as many as 36 points before the final buzzer.

BEAR NOTABLES

Clint Nwosuh: 16 pts, 4 ast, 2 reb

Marshall Bennett: 14 pts, 10 reb, 2 ast

Darrion Leslie: 13 pts, 13 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk, 1 stl

Daniel Afeaki: 6 pts, 8 reb

UP NEXT

UPIKE returns home to Pikeville where it will face Simmons at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday in the East Ky. Expo Center.

-UPIKE-