GEORGETOWN, Ky. – Rze Culbreath and Darrion Leslie scored 13 points each and both shot over 50 percent from the field to help the 14th-ranked University of Pikeville men's basketball team outlast No. T25 Martin Methodist for its first ranked win of the season on Saturday.
UPIKE hit just 6 of 25 3s and shot 43 percent from the field, but made up the difference by hitting eight more free throws that the RedHawks which shot 47 percent.
Martin Methodist led by as many as seven points in the first half at 31-24 with 3:38 on the clock, but the Bears answered with a 9-0 run, taking a two-point lead on Chase Parsley's jumper. By halftime the RedHawks had bounced back out to a 38-33 lead.
It took less than three minutes for the Bears to regain the lead on a 3 by Jordan Perry and they never trailed again.
It got interesting with 5:28 to play when the RedHawks cut the deficit to one after a quick 4-0 run, but UPIKE slammed the door shut with a 9-0 spurt of their own, ending with a layup by Rodney Hawkins. The Bears' lead was still nine with 41 seconds to play before a jumper by MMC's Will Smith ended the scoring.
UPIKE led the battle of the boards 35-29, had six less turnovers and had three extra steals.
MMC was led by Smith with 15 points and Connor Peach added 14 off the bench.
UP NEXT
The Bears head to Bluefield at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday for their first true road game of the season.
-UPIKE-
