Pikeville, KY – Following a pair of tough road losses UPIKE women's basketball bounced back Thursday night at home, taking down Freed-Hardeman 80-73. In the first ever matchup between the two squads, it was a tightly contested battle for 40 minutes.

The first quarter featured excellent shooting and high energy from both teams as the Bears shot 56% from the floor while the Lions managed 66% in the first ten minutes. The pace slowed as the game progressed and UPIKE would wrap up the win going 27-60 from the field for 45%. Rebounding proved to be crucial for the Bears who pulled in 36 rebounds, out-boarding Freed-Hardeman by 15. The Bears also pulled the edge in ball distribution, dishing out 20 assists to the Lions nine.

The first three quarters belonged to Mary Englert who was an all-out workhorse for the home team. The junior finished just short of her season high with 18 points while grabbing four rebounds and tacking on four rebounds. Englert hit several key threes in the game, going 3-7 from beyond the arc. In a tumultuous fourth quarter the hero was
Alexis Reed who dropped 11 in the final period, hitting eight free throws and even splashing a key three pointer that reclaimed the lead for UPIKE in the final five minutes. Reed finished 8-8 from the line and 4-8 from the field, totaling 19 points to lead the Bears offensively.

UPIKE went off to a 7-0 run in the first before the Lions found rhythm and made it a ballgame headed into the back half of the period. The teams traded buckets for most of the quarter and two free throws in the final minute put Freed up 21-20 going into the second quarter.

Englert kicked off the second quarter with a deep pull up three on a nice dish from Fatma Aouinet. The Bears grew their lead to four before the Lions fought back, making it a ballgame at the 4:55 mark with a layup to make it a one possession game. Englert answered with a statement three on the next possession that kept the Bears ahead. UPIKE ended the period on a run that sent them to the locker room with a 41-36 lead.

It was smooth sailing for the Bears for the opening minutes of the third as they continued to control the pace, consistently creating productive possessions with buckets from Brianna Burbridge, Morgan Stamper, and Sierra Feltner. A 6-0 run brought the Lions within one point with 5:37 to go, which they used to take a lead on the following possession. Reed drilled her first three of the game with 2:48 to go in the quarter to tie the game at 58 all but Freed got the last word and UPIKE trailed 55-52 after three complete.

A Feltner layup reclaimed the lead for UPIKE with 8:03 remaining in the contest and the teams would fight within one point for several minutes. The momentum shift came at the 3:15 mark for UPIKE as Reed hit a huge three to put the Bears up 67-64. Coach Williams' squad capitalized from the line in the final minutes and eventually claimed the 80-73 win at the final buzzer.

UPIKE women's basketball quickly turns around for another home contest against Bethel on Saturday, January 9^th. Tip-off between the Bears and Wildcats is slated for 1:30 PM in Appalachian Wireless Arena.