GRAYSON, Ky. – Wednesday night saw several members of the University of Pikeville women's basketball team head home, and they made the most of it with a 94-66 win over Kentucky Christian University.
 
The Bears were on fire from the outside most of the night, finishing 16-of-33 from behind the arc for 48.5 percent. That was better than they shot overall, finishing at 46.6 percent from the field.
 
KCU, on the other hand, made only 35.5 percent of its shots and finished 5-for-18, or 27.8 percent, from the arc.
 
The Bears came out of the gates smoking hot, hitting six first-period three-pointers. They nailed four of them in the opening 3:37, building a 13-2 lead.
 
Sophomore guard Allie Stone had the first four on a three and a free throw. After KCU got on the scoreboard when sophomore Bellamee Sparks scored inside, the Bears got consecutive threes from sophomore India Blyth, Stone and senior Julia Parker to push the lead to double digits less than four minutes in.
 
KCU (4-15, 2-12 in the AAC) got within seven before the Bears got rolling again. Stone again got things started with a three and then a layup. After freshman Jada Johnson scored for the Knights, the Bears were back to work with a bucket by graduate student Bailey Frazier.
 
When senior Bailey Birchfield nailed a three with 1:06 to play, the Bears had used a 10-2 run to lead 23-9.
 
UPike (14-6, 10-4) scored the first eight of the second period, getting a layup from Birchfield before freshman Rachel Bush had a three-point play. Sophomore Sheridan Robbins nailed a three with 7:38 left to push the lead to 31-12.
 
The Bears led 42-28 at the half.
 
The Knights managed to pull within 11 in the early stages of the second half, but could get no closer. The lead grew to as many as 31 points in the closing minute of play.
 
Stone led the Bears with 21 points and also paced the club with five assists. Parker was 4-for-5 from the arc and had 14 points. Birchfield came off the bench for 12 points in the win.
 
Frazier and senior Morgan Stamper had 10 points each. Frazier had five rebounds and blocked five shots, while Stamper pulled down nine rebounds.
 
Sparks led the Knights with 16 points and added eight rebounds. Senior Abby West followed with 12 points and four assists. Johnson added 11 points and grabbed five rebounds.
 
The Bears, playing for the first time in 11 days, will be off until Monday, Jan. 29, when they host Johnson (Tenn.) University at the Appalachian Wireless Arena. A makeup of last Saturday's postponement, the game will be the second of a doubleheader and is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.