PIKEVILLE, Ky. – UPIKE women's basketball looked like they were possibly on their way to a marquee win to snap its short losing skid.

Marian (Ind.) outscored Pikeville 32-16 in the fourth quarter to wipe out Pikeville's lead and steal a win at the Walters Auto Group Classic on Friday.

The Bears got in early foul trouble and Marian made the most of its frequent opportunities at the free-throw line to pull away. The Knights made 14 of its 17 free throws in the fourth quarter, which accounted for half of their 34 free-throw attempts in the game.

Both teams had their defenses ready to play as neither team shot above 38 percent from the floor in the game.

UPIKE held the lead for most of the first quarter, but Marian made a quick comeback with a 9-3 run in the final three minutes of the quarter.

The Bears answered that run with a bigger and longer run of their own to start the second quarter. Pikeville held Marian scoreless for the first eight minutes of the period and went on an 11-0 run in the process.

The Knights went 2-17 from the floor in the second quarter with six turnovers as UPIKE outscored Marian 15-5 to hold a four-point halftime lead.

Neither team was able to build much momentum in the fourth quarter as the two teams traded blows with each other. Both teams held the lead at one point, but never led by more than four.

Pikeville's offense was well distributed throughout the entire team. Mary Englert led the Bears with 16 points, but then seven different players had at least four points alongside her.

The Knights started the fourth quarter on a 11-2 run and nearly put the game out of reach at that point. UPIKE was able to get within seven points multiple times but never drew closer than that.

UP NEXT

UPIKE will look to end its losing streak Saturday at noon when it faces Simmons College of Kentucky at UPIKE Gym.

-UPIKE-