PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- After a ten-day lull without any contest, UPIKE was able to withstand some first quarter sharp shooting from Milligan and defeat the Buffaloes on Saturday, 74-68.

Sunday was arguably the Bears' most balanced game offensively this season, with five different players scoring at least nine points, led by Brianna Burbridge's 14. Meanwhile, Emily Baker recorded her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bears shot just above their season average at 44.6 percent overall, but it was its volume and consistency at the free-throw line that helped carry UPIKE to the win. Pikeville made 23 of its 32 free throws in the game, compared to Milligan's 17 attempts. 

However, it was not the Bears' best night from beyond the arc, making just one of ten attempts. Milligan on the other hand, seemingly couldn't miss from deep early on, going 4 for 5 in the first quarter. That performance helped the Buffaloes build a five-point lead after the first quarter.

After that, the Bears defense buckled down and held the Buffaloes to just 28 percent, while the UPIKE free throw game began. A 10-2 run to begin the second quarter erased that early deficit. From there, the lead changed hands six times before the Bears took a one-point lead into halftime.

That trend would continue in the third quarter with five more lead changes as neither team was able to pull away from the other. But a pair of free throws each from Shelbi Knauer and Burbridge in the final 15 seconds of the quarter gave the Bears its biggest lead yet headed into the fourth.

UPIKE wouldn't squander that lead, despite Milligan's best efforts. Buffalo senior Mackenzie Raizor would not allow Milligan to go away quietly and was a force each possession she was on the floor, scoring 18 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, both game highs. 

Emily Kiser was also a spark off the bench for Milligan with 15 points, five of which came in the final quarter including an and-1 basket that was part of a 5-0 run that cut the lead to one. However, the Bears responded with a 7-0 run of its own as the Buffaloes were forced to begin the foul game. UPIKE hit six of nine free throws in the final minutes to ice the game.

UP NEXT

The UPIKE women have one more non-conference game left, a matchup at future MSC member Thomas More on January 2, in Independence, Ky.