PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The University of Pikeville will head to Georgia for the final game before Christmas break on a four-game win streak after a 76-67 win over the University of Rio Grande on Saturday afternoon at the Appalachian Wireless Arena.
 
UPike is now 10-3 on the season and will play the Roadrunners of Dalton State on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Rio Grande is now 7-5 on the season and suffered its third straight loss.
 
Rio Grande cut Pikeville's lead to 4-3 on a layup by senior Edwin Gutic with 18:54 left in the first half before the Bears took control of the game.
 
Over the next 6:41, UPike scored 17 of the next 18 points. It did so by shooting 6-of-9 from the floor and hitting a pair of threes, while keeping the Red Storm scoreless from the field on nine field goal shots, four of them being threes.
 
Junior Kyonte Thomas had seven and sophomore Keian Worrix five, and when it ended, the lead was 21-4 with 11:53 left in the half.
 
The Red Storm cut the deficit to 11 on three occasions, but the Bears were in front 38-23 at the half.
 
Rio Grande got it to seven with seven seconds left when junior Eythan House tossed in a three-pointer but could get no closer.
 
Thomas led the Bears with 24 markers. He added five rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Bradley Bunch followed with 22, hitting 5-of-8 from the arc.
 
Senior Issac Stanback had his sixth double-double of the season, scoring 13 and pulling down 10 rebounds.
 
Sophomore guard Keian Worrix, who had five points, matched Thomas with five assists.
 
The Red Storm was led by sophomore Trent Hundley with 18 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Trey Robertson followed with 17, while House came off the bench for 11 points.
 
Senior Miki Tadic had nine points but led the Red Storm with 10 rebounds.