Portsmouth, OH – UPIKE women's basketball found themselves locked in another ranked battle Thursday night, facing (12) Shawnee State for game two of the season series. Despite outscoring SSU in the first quarter and never allowing Shawnee a lead higher than eight, UPIKE fell 80-72. UPIKE splits the series with Shawnee and moves to 13-7 (9-7 MSC) on the season.

Both teams had a point to prove coming into Thursday night's matchup, after UPIKE had managed a blowout win over then-9^th ranked Bears in December. The second game of the series was a tough matchup that saw UPIKE head off to a hot start before playing on the tails of SSU the remainder of the contest. The Bears in orange were tremendous down the stretch but were just outmatched by SSU's mid-range attack.

BriAnna Burbridge was explosive, finishing with 26 points and eight rebounds on 12-20, adding three steals and a pair of blocks. Hailey Free made her mark from the free throw line, hitting six of six, adding three shots from the field to total 13 points in the contest.

The contest started out evenly matched, with the teams going shot for shot for the first four minutes of the contest with the biggest lead being three. UPIKE surged with under 1:30 to play, starting with a layup from Burbridge that was followed by a three on the next possession from Julia Parker. Parker splashed a two with 0:01 left and the Bears led 25-19 after 10 minutes played.

For the first four minutes of the period Shawnee State ate at the UPIKE lead and finally tied the Bears at the 6:21 mark. UPIKE grabbed the lead once more on a free throw from Hailey Free at 2:47 then once again in the final moments of the half with a shot for Burbridge making it 36-35 at the break.

Shawnee State gained the advantage back after 1:10 played in the third, but UPIKE's Morgan Stamper splashed a jumper at the 8:06 mark to return the lead to the Bears. Later in the quarter, SSU gained the advantage and would hold for the remainder of the quarter.

UPIKE paced with SSU in the fourth for the opening minutes, until Alexis Reed splashed a three with 6:00 to play to give the Bears a 64-63 lead. SSU answered on the next possession and mounted a 7-0 run, building momentum. SSU made good on their free throws down the stretch and would secure the 80-72 victory.

UPIKE women's basketball will return to the hardwood on Saturday, February 6^th as they face off with (4) Thomas More at home.