PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Despite a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds from Aundrea Matchen and Kandice Porter matching a season high with 19 points, 17th-ranked University of Pikeville couldn't slow down No. 5 Shawnee State's (Ohio) Ali Zieverink enough to steal a win, falling 70-64 on Monday.

Zieverink, the reigning Mid-South Conference Player of the Year, lived up to her billing with 22 points and 16 boards, while Abby Feutcher added a double-double from the point guard position with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Shawnee State outshot the Bears from the field 45.6 to 31.2 percent and outrebounded them 52-39. The 52 boards were the most given up by UPIKE this season.

In the first half, SSU (20-3, 8-1 MSC) jumped out to a 32-19 lead while blistering the nets at 53.3 percent. UPIKE responded with an 11-0 run to get within two, but a 12-5 spurt by SSU to close the half put it up by nine at halftime.

UPIKE (19-2, 5-2 MSC) never led or tied the game, but made a run at it to start the third quarter by scoring the first 10 points to get within one at 46-45. 

But a few minutes later Shawnee State pushed back ahead by eight on a Feutcher three and continued to hold a nine-point lead with five minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Starting with a Devin Conley layup, Porter followed with two free throws and a jumper to finish off a 6-0 UPIKE run that had it within three in the final minute and a half. The Bears forced a Shawnee State turnover on its next possession, but went 0 for 4 on the other end.

While SSU finished off the game going 4 for 6 from the stripe, UPIKE failed to hit another field goal as Prisha Rogers' free throw with 12 seconds left ended the scoring.

It's the first loss at home in 18 games for Pikeville and just the second overall loss this season. Both losses have come within the top five of the NAIA after also losing at No. 1 Campbellsville.

Up Next

UPIKE travels to Georgetown at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 4.

-UPIKE-