PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Life (Ga.) shot 50.9 percent from the field, the highest mark against the 14th-ranked University of Pikeville men's basketball team this season, to register a 77-64 win on Saturday in the East Ky. Expo Center.
It's just the fourth loss in the Expo Center in the last 71 games for the Bears who shot 37.5 percent from the field. On paper, UPIKE (20-6, 5-5 MSC) had plenty of advantages, including a 39-37 lead on the glass, two less turnovers at 15-13, bench scoring edge of 19-0 and 24-3 lead in second-chance points.
But in the end, making shots matters and Life (13-10, 9-2 MSC) made five more 3s at 10-5 and hit three more field goals on nine fewer shots. The free-throw line wasn't kind to the Bears either, making just 11 of 20 shots.
With the win, Life takes over first place in the Mid-South Conference standings after No. 3 Georgetown lost at Shawnee State (Ohio) on Saturday as well.
Jordan Perry provided most of the Bears' offense with four 3s on his way to a game-high 21 points and Darrion Leslie had a valiant 11 points and 11 rebounds, with a season-best 10 defensive boards. But the junior also had six turnovers as he had the ball in his hands a lot while playing a season-high 37 minutes.
Life, which played just seven players, got 21 points and 11 rebounds from Zach Landis and Mike Miller added 15 points and four assists. Leading scorer Dalarian Williams finished with 13 as he fought foul trouble all night and played just over 20 minutes.
HOW IT WENT DOWN
Five minutes into the game, UPIKE's Clint Nwosuh drilled a 3 to make it a two-point game at 11-9, but the basket started a 10-0 Life run over the next three minutes. The early run of unanswered points helped make sure UPIKE's initial 2-1 lead would be its only of the game.
The Running Eagles pulled ahead by as many as 14 points in the first half on back-to-back baskets by Ivan Benkovich and Williams. An 8-2 spurt by UPIKE got it within four with 4:54 on the clock after a Perry 3, but Life was able to finish the half up eight at 41-33.
UPIKE showed some life coming out of the locker room by scoring the first seven points, including another Perry 3 that cut the deficit to two at 41-39. About six minutes of trading baskets later, Life's lead was just one at 51-50 after yet another Perry 3, but the wheels quickly fell off the comeback effort.
For the next three minutes and change, the Running Eagles put together a 17-4 spurt that included three 3-pointers by Landis. Mike Miller added a 3 shortly after to get to the largest lead yet of 17 points and UPIKE was never able to get any closer than 13 points at 77-64 on the final free throw by Marshall Bennett.
UP NEXT
UPIKE will have a week off before travelling to No. 8 Campbellsville at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday.
-UPIKE-
