PIKEVILLE, Ky. – UPIKE women's basketball picked up its first marquee win of the Mid-South Conference season on Monday, upsetting No. 21 Thomas More at home 69-62.

The Bears dominated the fourth quarter to secure the win, outscoring the Saints by nine in the fourth quarter and led for the seven minutes of the game. Pikeville opened the quarter on a 11-4 run to build said lead.

Conversely, UPIKE held Thomas More to 26 percent shooting and 17 percent in the final quarter.

As is becoming the season long trend, Pikeville's intense full-court pressure defense wreaked havoc again on Monday, forcing 20 Saints turnovers.

There was a battle of the bigs throughout the game between UPIKE's Brianna Burbridge and TMU's Emily Schultz. Burbridge was the better of the two, walking off the floor with her fourth double-double this season with 18 points and 10 rebounds on a methodical 8-10 shooting night.

Much like AJ Reed on Saturday, Kayla Mullins also filled the scoring column with 17 points by hitting nine of her ten free throw attempts. UPIKE shot well as a team from the stripe, going 17-23 on the night.

UPIKE had to withstand an opening blow from the Saints with a game-opening 10-2 run. Although Pikeville cut into that lead by the time the quarter ended, the Bears really made their presence felt with a 25-point second quarter to carry a seven-point halftime lead.

Thomas More opened the second half in a very similar fashion to the first, but this time with 3-pointers. TMU hit four three-pointers in the quarter to regain the lead before the fourth quarter began.

The win marks the second straight season that UPIKE has upset a ranked opponent, defeating Lindsey Wilson and Shawnee State last year.

UP NEXT

UPIKE women's basketball continues its five game in 11 day stretch with the toughest test of the season, a road matchup against No. 1 Campbellsville. Tip-off from Campbellsville is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.

-UPIKE-