Trailing 53-44 to start the fourth quarter, the University of Pikeville had a shot to win with three seconds remaining roll off the rim and Bryan (Tenn.) College held on for a 69-68 win.
 
UPike's comeback saw it with an opportunity to win a game in which it last led with 5:44 left in the first quarter.
 
A three-point play by freshman Molly Brown put the Lions on top 65-54 midway through the fourth quarter when the Bears ran off 10 consecutive points to pull within one. Freshman Kyra McAlarnis nailed a three-point basket to start the run and when freshman Anika Stehbens did the same with 2:26 left, the Bears had clawed back to 65-64.
 
Brown sank two free throws with 1:30 left to push the lead back to three. But that's when UPike senior guard Allie Stone nailed a three from the corner to tie the game at 67 with 1:10 left.
 
Stone, who has been playing through an injury since November 22, finished the game with seven points on the night she passed Nateria Hinton to move into 6^th place on the school's all-time scoring list.
 
Brown, who had a game-high 25, scored what would prove to be the winning basket with 53 seconds left on a layup. UPike pulled within one when senior Jaidy Mejia-Andrade sank a free throw with 33 seconds left, but that was the final point of the game.
 
UPike took a 5-4 lead with 5:44 left in the opening period before the Lions went on a 9-3 run that took 2:33. Senior Kadee Ferrell had four points to pace three scorers in the stretch, and when freshman Alyssa Petty scored with 2:54 left, Bryan led 13-8.
 
While the Lions led the remainder of the half, UPike cut into the advantage early in the second quarter with a 7-2 run. Sophomore Hazley Matthews had the final five points, and when she nailed a three-point shot with 6:30 left in the half, the Bryan lead was down to 21-19.
 
The Lions closed the half with 14 of the final 19 points. Brown had half the points for Bryan, and closed the half with consecutive layups to push the lead to 35-24 at the break.
 
Sophomore Jaaliyah Warren led three Bears in double digits with 17 points. Stehbens and Mejia-Andrade finished with 10. Mejia-Andrade had 13 rebounds to record her first double-double of the season.
 
For the Lions, Petty joined Brown in double figures with 12, while Ferrell had eight points and 10 rebounds.
 
UPike will be back in action on Saturday afternoon when it visits Brenau (Ga.) University for a 2 p.m. tip.