COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of Pikeville picked up an impressive win on Saturday, knocking off one of the two teams it is battling atop the AAC standings with an 82-69 decision on the road over Columbia International University.
 
Now standing 13-4 overall and 11-2 in the league, the Bears will turn their attention to the other, awaiting a Wednesday-night rematch with Union College.
 
The Bears got the win over the Rams thanks to impressive play in two big areas: They won the rebounding battle 40-29 over a team that came in with a plus-5.6 rebounding edge on the season, and for the second straight game was solid at the free-throw line, hitting 19-of-24 for 79.2 percent.
 
CIU led 6-5 before the Bears had their first prolonged run of the game. They scored the next eight points to start a 22-6 run to take the early advantage.
 
Junior Kyonte Thomas, sophomore Keian Worrix, Thomas again and sophomore Bradley Bunch all scored to go up 13-6. After the Rams got consecutive baskets from grad student Darrian Oates and junior Jaylon Jeter, senior Issac Stanback had layups on either end of a three by sophomore Keynan Cutlip to stretch the lead to 20-10 with 12:53 left in the half.
 
Following a jumper by junior Brandon Hunt, the Bears were off running again. Cutlip had back-to-back layups before a three by senior Jeremy Dillon, putting the Bears on top 27-12 with 10:57 left.
 
The Bears led 47-34 at the half.
 
The teams played an even second half, but it wasn't without its ebbs and flows. An Oates jumper with 6:59 left pulled the Rams within six, 64-58, to end an 11-4 run that took 5:26 off the clock.
 
A pair of free throws by senior DiAnthony Heathcock put the Rams within five, 68-63, with 3:37 left.
 
But the Bears regained their poise and scored the next nine points. Worrix began the stretch with a corner three and ended it with two from the line, coming with 1:09 left to stretch the lead back to 77-63.
 
Thomas and Cutlip paced the Bears on offense with 21 points each. Thomas was 11-of-13 from the charity stripe.
 
Stanback was lethal again, scoring 16 while grabbing a season-best 14 rebounds, giving him eight double-doubles on the season. Bunch followed his career-high scoring game on Thursday with 12 points and eight rebounds.
 
Oates had 17 points to lead the Rams. Junior Christian Howard and Heathcock had 13 points apiece. Howard led the team with eight rebounds.
 
The Bears and Bulldogs will meet on Wednesday night at the Appalachian Wireless Arena. The game is a rematch of the season opener between the teams, which Union won 84-81 in overtime in Barbourville. The game is the nightcap of a doubleheader and will begin at 7:30 p.m.