GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- Georgetown got 23 points and 13 rebounds from Jessica Foster and 6-5 Teonia McCune blocked five shots to help the Tigers hold off 15th-ranked University of Pikeville 75-63 on Thursday night in Davis-Reid Alumni Gym.

Kandice Porter led UPIKE with 14 points and 12 rebounds and Kelah Eldridge chipped in with 12 points and four assists.

The Bears had a hot start, cooled off, then battled back to lead by one with less than five minutes on the clock. But the shots suddenly stopped falling as the Tigers closed the contest scoring the final 13 points to register the 12-point win.

Georgetown (11-11, 6-4 MSC) controlled the backboards 57-40 and outshot the Bears 42 to 33 percent from the field. While the Tigers went 7 of 19 from behind the arc, UPIKE struggled, making just two of its 16 attempts.

In the opening quarter UPIKE (19-3, 5-3 MSC) couldn't miss a shot and Georgetown got every rebound on the offensive end. At the end of the frame, the Bears were outshooting the Tigers 61-40 percent, but were being outrebounded 17-4. The easy put backs for Georgetown allowed it to stay close at 24-22 heading into the second quarter.

Dinyell Calvert scored the Bears' first point of the frame with a free throw, but from there they went ice cold. It was bad timing because Georgetown was just heating up, going on a 9-0 run to lead by six with five minutes left before halftime.

The lead grew to as many as seven points before the Tigers took a 60-55 advantage into the locker room. Emilie Ziese's jumper with 1:55 on the clock was the last made basket of the half.

It was a lot of the same in the third period as the Tigers continued to control the game, keeping a seven-point lead at 58-51 with 2:38 on the clock. A quick 4-0 spurt for UPIKE got it within three, but once again both teams went cold to end the quarter as the Tigers led 60-55 heading to the final quarter.

Finally, after over 25 minutes of frustration, things started going in the right direct for UPIKE as it opened the fourth with a 6-0 run to regain the lead at 61-60 for the first time since it was 25-22. It was still the Bears in front at 63-62 on a pair of Porter free throws with 4:48 to play, but then the well went dry.

After fighting back in the game, the Bears failed to score again as the Tigers rallied for a 13-0 run to close things out. 

Up Next

No. 15 UPIKE travels to Portsmouth, Ohio to take on No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio) at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday in the NAIA National Game of the Week.

-UPIKE-