COLUMBIA, S.C. – All five starters reached double figures in the scoring column as the University of Pikeville rolled to a 78-65 win over Columbia College on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bears improved to 14-3 on the season and 7-2 in the Appalchian Athletics Conference in their first-ever meeting with the Koalas, which fell to 9-6 and 2-5 in the first-ever season of men's basketball.
 
Columbia took an early 8-5 lead when Chandler O'Bannon followed a Thomas Whitley three-point shot with a pair of free throws.
 
The lead was 16-11 before the Bears had their first prolonged run of the game. Five different players scored as they scored 13 unanswered points, and when Cade Looney scored on a layin, UPike had a 24-16 lead with 7:40 left in the half.
 
The teams traded scores the remainder of the half, which saw UPike hold a 30-27 lead.
 
The Bears opened the second half with a 12-2 run. Again four players scored in the stretch, and when Keynan Cutlip had a layup with 15:47 left, UPike was on top 42-29.
 
Columbia wouldn't get it to single digits again, while the Bears' grew their lead to as many as 21, which came with 5:29 left when David Robinson hit a three to end a 7-0 run and give the Bears a 67-46 lead.
 
Looney led the balanced attack with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting. He added five rebounds. Cutlip had 15 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Keian Worrix and Bradley Bunch had 11 points each. Bunch had seven rebounds, helping his team to a 35-30 edge on the glass.
 
LA Walker followed with 10 points and six rebounds.
 
Columbia got 15 points from Kendall Brasfield. Thomas Whitley followed with 14 and a team-best seven rebounds. Mac Washington added 11 points.
 
UPike is slated to return home on Tuesday night, hosting Bluefield (Va.) University at the Appalachian Wireless Arena. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.