PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The men's basketball team of the University of Pikeville now has its second six-game win streak of the season after an 94-68 win over Truett McConnell University on Saturday afternoon.
 
UPike opened the season with wins in its first six outings and, after dropping its only game, has now won its last six. It stands 6-1 in the conference as well.
 
Truett McConnell is now 3-4 overall, 1-3 in the AAC.
 
UPike gave up the first bucket of the game to freshman Preston Tuggle before scoring seven unanswered points. Truett scored eight straight points to take a 17-16 lead with 12:48 left on a three-point shot by senior Raul Arias-Ortega.
 
Only 14 seconds later, the Bears regained the lead when junior Keynan Cutlip nailed a three-pointer. The game was tied at 19 and again at 21 before junior LA Walker nailed a three with 10:52 left to put the Bears on top 24-21.
 
The home team was never equaled again.
 
UPike finished the game shooting exactly 50 percent from the floor while hitting 39.1 percent from the arc. It also shot 27-of-31 (87.1 percent) from the line.
 
Truett, meanwhile, hit 42.4 percent overall and only 25 percent from the arc. Finally, it was 46.2 percent from the line.
 
Cutlip and Walker led the Bears with 17 points apiece. Cutlip was 3-of-5 from outside while Walker handed out four assists.
 
Junior Bradley Bunch followed with 16 points and freshman Jaylan Rigdon added 13. Bunch, Rigdon and graduate student Cade Looney led the team with seven rebounds each as UPike edged Truett 38-34 on the glass.
 
Arias-Ortega came off the bench to pace Truett with 19 points. Senior EJ Smith followed with 14 points and six rebounds, while Tuggle scored 10 with five rebounds.
 
UPike will be on the road Tuesday night, visiting Johnson (Tenn.) University. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.