Montgomery, AL – The University of Pikeville women's basketball team improved to 3-2 Friday night, taking down Faulkner University, 81-67. Alexis Reed led the charge for the Bears, scoring a career-high 24 points while Morgan Stamper added her third double-double of the season with 12 points and a team-high 15 rebounds. Hailey Free and Bailey Frazier also had 10 points for UPIKE. Free and Mary Englert led UPIKE with three assists apiece.

After trailing at the break, the Bears used 53 second-half points to push past the Eagles. They return to the court tomorrow afternoon, concluding their trip to Alabama, as they take on the Talladega College Tornadoes.

Falling Behind
The Bears held a slight 15-14 advantage after the first quarter. UPIKE sprinted out of the gate during the second period, using a 9-0 run to take a 24-14 lead with 6:46 remaining in the half. Reed provided seven points in the Bears flurry.

However, Faulkner responded with a 16-0 run of their own to claim a 30-24 lead with just over three minutes to play in the second quarter. The Eagles would take a 34-28 lead into the half.

Running Away
After Faulkner led by as many as eight (39-31) early in the second half, the Bears began to make their comeback. Four Free points piloted an 11-3 charge to tie the game at 42-42 with 4:37 to play in the third.

Both teams would trade points, with UPIKE leading by one into the final minute of the quarter where five late Stamper points put the Bears ahead 56-50 heading into the final period.

This lead would grow to 10 at the start of the fourth (60-50), before the Eagles tried to make one final push. A quick 6-0 run would cut it to 60-56, but that would be as close as they would get down the stretch. The Bears would lead by as many as 15, before coming away with the aforementioned 81-67 win.

Inside The Box Score
After shooting under 40% in the first two quarters, UPIKE shot 52.94 % in the third and 46.15% from the field in the fourth quarter. They also knocked down six of their eight threes in the second half. They scored 36 points off the bench, 26 points in the paint, and 14 points off turnovers.

What's Up Next
As mentioned, UPIKE plays Talladega College tomorrow afternoon in Talladega, Alabama at 2:00 p.m. This will be the first time these teams have met since the Bears beat them 65-64 on Dec. 8, 2018.