Marietta, GA – UPIKE women's basketball notched their third straight win Monday night over the Running Eagles of Life University, surging early in the second half on their way to a 93-85 victory. Win number nine on the season improves the Bears to 5-4 in the MSC, and avenges their loss to Life in game two of the 2019-20 season series.

The stat sheet tells an impressive story that includes a trio of  Bears in double-digits and two finishing with double-doubles for the first time this season. First was Mary Englert who directed the Bear's early second half push, finishing with 20 points going 6-10 from the field. Brianna Burbridge managed her ninth double-double of the season going 7-12 from the field for 21 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, adding four assists. Sierra Feltner finished with a season-high 14 rebounds, scoring 15 points as well to record her first double-double. Feltner was a lethal passing threat, leading the team with seven assists.

As a team, UPIKE shot 42% from the floor and 34% from beyond the arc. The Bears took a huge advantage on the boards as well, outrebounding the Running Eagles 53-39 with 25 coming off the offensive glass.

Englert jumpstarted the Bears offense within the first thirty seconds with a Morgan Stamper-assisted three pointer. Stamper followed up two possessions later with a layup of her own as the Bears built a quick 5-0 lead less than two minutes into the quarter. Life answered with a 6-0 run and adapted their offensive attack, eventually taking a 13-9 lead with 5:00 to play. The teams traded threes for the rest of the period, but it was the Running Eagles who took a 32-22 lead headed into the second quarter.

The Bears powered through an 11-4 run in the opening minutes of the second, dealing damage to the Life lead in a stretch that featured threes from Sierra Feltner and Julia Parker. A tough bucket from Fatma Aouinet with 3:07 made it a one point game as UPIKE trailed 40-39. It remained a one-point contest until Life hit a three at the 1:08 mark to extend their lead to four. UPIKE managed a lengthy possession within a minute to play that resulted in a two by Aouinet as the Bears hit the locker room trailing by three with the score at 46-43.

For six minutes of the third UPIKE piled it on the Running Eagles, going on a 10-2 run in which seven points came at the hands of Englert. Englert was a dynamic defensive force, causing turnovers and commanding the fast-break to launch UPIKE ahead. With 2:00 left in the third, the Bears sat comfortably with a 66-56 lead.

The fourth quarter saw the Bears maintain defensive pressure and keep the Running Eagles at bay as the Bears all but coasted to their third straight win. Life would break to within single digits in the final minutes but the push was not enough as UPIKE claimed the 93-85 victory at the buzzer.