BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – A second-half rally gave the University of Pikeville a big road conference win Tuesday night, knocking off Union Commonwealth University 72-64.
 
The Bulldogs led most of the game, and a layup by Dallas Rufus with 12:22 left stretched it to 42-36.
 
A 7-2 stretch that took only 1:09 pulled the Bears within one on a layup by junior LA Walker. Union, however, stretched its lead back to six when Jeremiah Stroman scored inside to make it 51-45 with 7:15 on the clock.
 
Trailing by five at the six-minute mark, junior Bradley Bunch fired in a three-pointer, and on the next trip down court, junior Keynan Cutlip tied the game at 53 with 4:33 left.
 
With 4:02 left, Walker scored inside to give the Bears their first lead of the entire game.
 
Union (4-3 overall, 2-2 in the AAC) led one more time, 58-57, when Kenny Garth sank a three with 2:50 left. But 20 seconds later, junior Tyler Best answered with his own triple and the Bears never trailed again.
 
The Bears led by eight three times in the final 26 seconds, as they hit 10-of-11 from the line in the final two minutes to seal the win.
 
Bunch paced four players in double figures for the Bears with 27 points. He hit three of his team's six three-point shots and grabbed 12 rebounds in the win.
 
Walker followed with 16 points thanks going 8-of-9 from the line and added seven rebounds. Cutlip tossed in 15 with six rebounds.
 
Junior Keian Worrix had 10 points and handed out four assists.
 
Stroman led the Bulldogs with 20 points and eight rebounds. Rufas followed with 15.
 
UPike (8-1, 4-1) will now turn its attention to Kingsport, Tenn., where it will play in The Show this weekend. It will begin on Saturday afternoon, meeting St. Francis (Ind.) at 3:30 p.m. at the Meadowview Conference Resort and Convention Center.