PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- A fast start for Shawnee State made things difficult for the fourth-ranked University of Pikeville men's basketball team, but a game-high 21 points from Jackson Hussey and free-throw struggles for SSU led to a 75-68 comeback win for Pikeville on Saturday.  

Three others joined Hussey in double figures, including 13 from Trey Rakes, 11 from K.K. Simmons and Michael Lewis tallied his third double-figure output of the season with 10. Colt Chapman grabbed 14 rebounds off the bench, one off his career high.

Both teams shot 45 percent from the field and SSU hit one more three at 6-5, but the biggest different was at the stripe where UPIKE (21-3, 8-3 MSC) hit 16 of 26 and Shawnee State struggled at 4 of 13.

Led by three quick baskets by Dante Dunston, SSU (11-13, 5-7 MSC) jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes. Pikeville clawed back within one at 10-9 on two Hussey free throws, but the run didn't faze Shawnee State as it used a 10-2 spurt to go up by nine at 20-11 with 9:55 on the clock.

Eight of the points were scored by Frederick Moore, who ended up scoring all 17 of his points for the game in the half. With Moore leading the way, SSU found itself up by as many as 11 points in the half when Ethan Moffatt drilled a three at the 7:18 mark. For the rest of the half, UPIKE outscored SSU 12-7, leading to just a six point deficit at the break.

After briefly going back up by 10 to start the final 20 minutes, SSU ran into trouble quickly as Pikeville outscored it 18-6 over a nine-minute span to take its first lead at 48-46 on a deep jumper by Rakes.

Following a pair of misses on Shawnee's next possession, Simmons took the lid off the bucket and nailed his first three to make the lead five as UPIKE transitioned to playing with a lead instead of clawing back from behind.

The lead didn't stay in Pikeville's hands though as SSU was able to tie things up at 58-58 with less than five minutes to play after Blake Yates and Devon Carter buried back-to-back threes. Standing in their way of regaining the lead though was all 6-9 of UPIKE's Lewis who had two tip-ins and a nice finish at the rim.

Rakes and Dmitri Reaves kept the momentum rolling as Rakes spun through the lane for a flashy layup and Reaves buried a three to make things more comfortable up seven. SSU cut it to five twice in the final two minutes, but could get no closer as Pikeville finished off the comeback win on the road.  

-UPIKE-