BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- One final time, the University of Pikeville and Georgetown College gave the Mid-South Conference tournament one for the ages.
Unfortunately for the Bears, it went to overtime, where, with Teddy Parham Jr. sidelined due to fouls, it was all Tigers, 90-81.
The loss ended UPIKE's basketball run in the Mid-South Conference. In 23 seasons in the league, the Bears won four tournament championships, three regular-season titles and, most memorably, the 2011 NAIA Div. I national championship.
The first half was played within a nine-point window, with Georgetown taking a 13-9 lead with 15:26 left on a three-pointer from the top of the key by junior Cam Brooks-Harris. The Bears battled back to regain the lead when grad student Jacob Brown scored on a tip-in with 8:26 on the clock to make it 18-17.
The Bears broke a 23-23 tie with five straight points. A layup by freshman Keynan Cutlip broke the tie, followed by a free-throw line jumper by junior Korbin Spencer. He then added a free throw with 4:42 left to make the lead 28-23.
The lead was five again, 32-27, after sophomore Mark Vance Jr. scored on a reverse layup with 3:00 to play, but Georgetown scored the last six of the half. The first four came from Jabrion Spikes, and when junior Tommy Thomas scored from the baseline with three seconds left, the Tigers took a 33-32 lead to the break.
Saddled with two early fouls, Teddy Parham Jr. played only four first-half minutes.
The Tigers extended their run by scoring five of the first seven in the second half to take a 40-34 lead. UPIKE responded with seven straight, the final five by Parham, to take a 41-40 lead with 16:37 left.
It would be short-lived. Georgetown scored 14 of the next 16 to take the game's first significant lead. Senior Jake Ohmer was the key, scoring 10 in the stretch, and when Brooks-Harris scored inside with 12:38 left, the Tigers led 54-43.
Just when it looked like the Tigers were in control, the Bears went on a 16-3 run that took nearly five minutes to regain the lead. Parham got things going with six fast points on a three-point play and a three from the left wing. The Bears went 5-of-6 from the line before Parham nailed a three and drew the foul.
The four-point play put the Bears in front 60-59 with 7:49 to play.
The teams battled the rest of the way. With 1:02 left in regulation, Thomas put the Tigers on top 74-72 with a pair of free throws.
Twenty seconds later, Parham tied it with two of his own.
Both teams had chances to win, including two Tiger free throws that came when Parham fouled out with 27.1 seconds left. They missed both tries.
The Bears had two shots of their own but could convert neither, and the game went to overtime.
From there, the Tigers took over. The first four came from freshman Tae Dozier. After Cutlip split two free throws with 3:26 left, Georgetown scored eight more to push its lead to 11.
The Bears got as close as six after a three-point play by Vance but got no closer.
Parham, despite fouling out and sitting the final 16 minutes of the first half, had 30 to lead the Bears. He went 14-of-14 from the line and added five rebounds.
Vance had 13 off the bench to go with six rebounds, while Spencer had 10 points and a team best 10 rebounds.
Ohmer paced the Tigers with 27 points. Brooks-Harris followed with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Dozier had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Bears will now await their placement in the NAIA playoffs with a record of 19-13. The Tigers are 26-4 and will play in Monday night's championship game.
--UPIKE--
