UPIKE Athletics

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Milligan (Tenn.) University came to town and held the University of Pikeville to 36.4 percent shooting on Saturday afternoon and pulled out a 78-64 win.
 
The Buffs moved to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in the AAC. The Bears slipped to 1-1 overall and in the conference.
 
While the Bears were struggling from the floor, Milligan found the UPike Gym to its liking, sinking 51.8 percent of its shots.
 
UPike led 9-8 after graduate student Halie Padgett sank two free throws for Milligan with 6:38 left in the first when the Bears went on a run.
 
Sophomore Allie Stone got it started with a layup, and after grad student Bailey Frazer sank a free throw, a Julia Parker jumper pushed the Bears out to a 14-8 lead with 4:44 left in the opening frame. The Buffaloes cut it to 15-14 before UPike got a layup from sophomore Jaidy Mejia-Andrade and two free throws by Parker to lead 19-14 after a period.
 
Two Morgan Stamper free throws early in the second quarter gave the Bears a 23-16 lead before Milligan began a comeback. Padgett got it started with a layup before senior Madi Runnels sank a jumper. Two free throws by Padgett gave the Buffaloes a 24-23 lead with 6:22 left in the half.
 
A three by freshman Rachel Bush slowed the Milligan run, but it picked right back up with five straight layups. Senior Jaycie Jenkins got it started, followed by buckets by senior Emma Harig, junior Tessa Gibson, Runnels and freshman Lina Lyon.
 
When it ended, the Buffs had turned in an 18-3 run to take a 34-26 lead with 3:14 left before the break.
 
UPike calmly got its offense on track down the stretch. A 10-point run was keyed by a pair of Stone three-pointers to put it back on top 36-34, but Milligan scored the last five of the half and led 39-26.
 
Milligan continued its run with layups by Jenkins and sophomore McKenna Myers to start the second half to push it to nine straight.
 
The Buffs led 48-41 when the Bears ran off seven straight. The first five came from India Blyth and when Stone scored, the game was tied at 48 with 3:51 left in the third.
 
The game was tied at 50 and then 52, but the Bears could never move in front. When Jenkins hit consecutive three-point shots to end the period, the Buffs were in front to stay.
 
Stone was the only Bear to reach double figures, scoring 26. India Blyth followed with nine. Stamper had eight points and 11 rebounds, six of them off the offensive glass.
 
Jenkins hit 4-of-5 from the arc to finished with 21 for the Buffs to go with 12 rebounds. Longmire and Padgett had 14 markers each.
 
The Bears will be back in action on Tuesday night, playing host to Kentucky Christian University in their first game at the Appalachian Wireless Arena. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m.