CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. -- Third-ranked Campbellsville shot out to a 20-point lead at halftime behind defense and rebounding before going on to hold off a surging University of Pikeville women's basketball team 67-57 on Thursday at the Powell Athletic Center.

UPIKE ended the third quarter down by 20, but utilized a 9-0 run during the final 10 minutes to get as close as seven. But the Tigers closed the game with seven more makes at the line and forced 18 UPIKE turnovers to hold on.

Both teams shot under 40 percent from the field and only made a combined five 3-pointers.

Jamie Castle paced Pikeville with 13 points and Elisbaeth Latham added 12 with seven rebounds as well.

Lexxus Graham led Campbellsville with 11 as she was the only Tiger to finish in double figures.

After leading for the first three minutes, the Bears (8-11, 0-4 MSC) went the next four without any points in the first quarter, allowing the Tigers to go on a 9-0 run and lead by as many as eight points during the drought. Both teams shot 50 percent from the field in the opening 10 minutes, but the Bears' seven turnovers gave Campbellsville multiple easy baskets in transition.

Up by just six at 19-13 early in the second, Campbellsville (18-2, 4-0 MSC) pulled away with a 16-3 run over the next six minutes. UPIKE had made the period's first field goal on a Latham layup 10 seconds in, but wouldn't add another until the 4:49 mark on another lay in by Castle.

Hailey Anderson going 1 for 2 from the stripe in the final minute of the half ended the scoring for UPIKE as it took a 20-point deficit into the locker room at halftime. Campbellsville's dominant 26-12 showing on the glass and forcing 11 turnovers led to it attempting 13 more field goals than the Bears in the half.

It was a much-needed 12-3 start to the second half for the Bears, including a 10-0 run that got the 20-point halftime deficit down to 11 midway through the third quarter.

The comeback stalled there however as Campbellsville got two straight buckets from Madison Faulkner and added four freebies down the stretch before eventually pushing the lead back out to 18 on a long jumper by Savannah Gregory.

Just before the buzzer sounded on the quarter, Faulkner made two more free throws to end up right where the frame began, down 20 at 55-35.

Campbellsville's lead hovered around 17 points for the first six minutes of the fourth quarter until a pair of short Latham jumpers, a Castle triple and free throws by Kayla Mullins cut it to eight with 56 seconds to play. The 9-0 UPIKE run brought them the closest it had been since the 4:49 mark of the second quarter.

Aundrea Matchen added a layup off a missed free throw a few seconds later to cut CU's lead to seven, but that's the closest it got as the Tigers secured the win from the stripe.

UP NEXT

UPIKE has a quick return home to face Georgetown at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday in the East Ky. Expo Center.

-UPIKE-