KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Johnson University used a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 60-50 win over the University of Pikeville in a big AAC game on Tuesday night.
 
The Royals led 40-38 after UPike got a layup from Alexis Moore to start the final frame. But over the next 2:45, three Royals did the damage, and when senior guard Jordan Heifner sank a free throw with 6:38 to play, the lead has swelled to 49-38.
 
Johnson's win helped break a three-way tie atop the league standings, as it improved to 9-1 overall and 7-1 in the conference.
 
UPike saw a modest four-game win streak come to an end and is now 7-3 on the season, 6-2 in the league.
 
The top shooting team in the AAC at all three levels, the Bears were limited to 31.5 percent overall. It did sink 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from the arc, but was only 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) from the line.
 
Junior guard India Blyth led the Bears with 14 points, hitting three three-pointers and going 3-of-4 from the line. Moore followed with 10 points and six rebounds.
 
The Bears finished with 41 rebounds, with two players, junior Jaidy Mejia-Andrade (12) and junior Katie Collopy (10) having more than half of them.
 
Johnson had two players in double figures also. Sophomore Hannah Jones had an impressive double-double, scoring 16 while pulling down 15 rebounds. Heifner followed with 15 points while stuffing the stat sheet with five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
 
The Bears will have a week off for finals before returning to action for the final time before Christmas. They'll travel to Midway University on Tuesday, Dec. 17, for a 1 p.m. game.