PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Campbellsville's Dii'jon Allen-Jordan traveled in the paint with his team down one and three seconds left on the clock to help the fourth-ranked University of Pikeville men's basketball team hold on for a 79-76 win over the 22nd-ranked Tigers on Thursday in the East Ky. Expo Center.

About 10 minutes earlier, Allen-Jordan and the Tigers were ahead by 11 and looked on their way to avenging an earlier loss to UPIKE at home. But a 20-5 spurt by the Bears followed over the next five minutes, turning a double-digit deficit into a four-point lead when Michael Lewis finished a layup off a nice dish from Colt Chapman.

From there it was a back-and-forth affair with the lead changing hands 10 times before UPIKE (22-3, 9-3 MSC) took the lead for good at 77-76. Christian Leach had driven into the lane with less than 10 seconds to play, but he was stopped with a double team. The senior somehow found his classmate Chapman cutting underneath for the go-ahead basket.

Allen-Jordan, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, looked on his way to drawing a foul or getting a layup before taking one too many steps. Leach made a pair of free throws after the turnover, leaving Campbellsville (18-8, 5-7 MSC) with a half-court shot from Sekou Harris as its last option, but the heave was off the mark.

K.K. Simmons led all scorers with 23 points, including two 3-pointers, and Leach chipped in with 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Leach helped the Bears' bench outscore the Tigers' 26-13, while also helping UPIKE post a 40-32 lead on the glass.

The teams shot nearly identical from the field at around 45 percent, but Campbellsville did hit five more 3-pointers (10-5) and two extra free throws (16-14). UPIKE made up for the difference by taking care of the ball, committing eight turnovers, compared to 14 from Campbellsville. The Bears turned those Tiger mistakes into a 23-7 advantage in points off mistakes.

UPIKE's 11-4 advantage on the offensive glass also led to a 12-5 advantage in second-chance points.

Campbellsville led for most of the first half, going up by eight at 13-5 on an Allen-Jordan jumper and later by six at 31-25 on a three by Elliott Young. A furious end of the half rally helped change UPIKE's outlook as it went on a 7-2 run in the last three minutes.

The Bears took a brief 32-31 lead during the run with a Jackson Hussey steal and layup before Ron Scott's jumper gave Campbellsville a one-point lead at halftime.  

Up Next

UPIKE hosts St. Catharine for senior day at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb, 13 in the East Ky. Expo Center.

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