PIKEVILLE, Ky -- For the third day in a row, UPIKE men's basketball left UPIKE Gym the winner, this time after a 115-72 dismantling of Ohio-Eastern.

It was a true team effort from start to finish with no one single player controlling the game. In fact, each player on the active roster played at least nine minutes and scored at least three points.

UPIKE (11-2) again took some time to get settled in the game. The Bears never trailed but let the six-man roster of Ohio-Eastern hang around longer than coach Kelly Wells would've liked. 

Despite the Panthers making some impressive shots early, the defensive intensity was there for the Bears as they forced 15 first-half turnovers which resulted in 25 points for the Bears. 

Jovontae Carleton and Chase Parsley helped pace the Bears with some key buckets before halftime. Carleton led all first half scorers with 13 and Parsley hit three 3-pointers to help give the Bears a 23-point lead by halftime.

The Bears offense just became too much in the second half as they used a 20-4 run early in the second half to bust the game wide open. Things just snowballed from there for the Panthers, who eventually had to play the final 10 minutes with just four men after two of their six players fouled out.

The reserve unit got extended playing time with that man advantage and seized the moment as Dez Brown and Cheikh Ndiaye each scored a career-high eight points.

UPIKE had no trouble putting the ball in the basket all day, shooting 57.7 percent from the floor, plus a season best 83.3 percent (15-18) from the free-throw line.

UP NEXT

After the three games in three day sprint, the Bears will have some long rest periods with only three games in the next 34 days. The first of those will be another Sunday matinee against Bluefield at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 at the East Ky. Expo Center.

-UPIKE-