HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The final tuneup of the preseason saw the University of Pikeville put a pre-Halloween scare into the Marshall Thundering Herd before finally falling 78-68 on Wednesday night in the Cam Henderson Center.
 
UPike led at the half and, for a significant stretch of the game – 15:42 stretched over both halves – outscored the Herd 33-20. The key was on the defensive end, as the Bears held Marshall – picked fifth in the Sun Belt Conference preseason poll – to 8 of 28 from the field and 1 for 11 from outside.
 
The night opened with a three-pointer by sophomore Zion Blevins, last season's AAC freshman and defensive player of the year, putting the Bears on top 44 seconds in.
 
Over the next seven minutes, the Herd took control, and when junior Luke Rasmussen scored inside with 12:17 left in the half, it wrapped up a 16-2 run to give the home team a 16-5 lead.
 
But from there on, it was all UPike. Trailing 20-11, sophomore Jace Copley hit back-to-back threes and a layup by sophomore Aden Barnett had the Bears within one at 20-19 with 7:26 left.
 
That began a 16-4 stretch that lasted 7:55. Copley had eight and Barnett seven while the Herd was 2 for 13 from the field. When it ended on a free throw by junior Jaylan Rigdon with 1:29 left, UPike led 27-24.
 
At the break, the Bears were on top 29-27.
 
UPike opened the second half with consecutive baskets, a three by Copley and a jumper by Taye Williams, to go up seven, 34-27 with 18:42 remaining.
 
But a 9-0 run by the Thundering Herd in a two-minute stretch put them on top 40-37 with 15:03 to play. Four different players accounted for points.
 
The Bears were undaunted, and scored seven unanswered  points, and when Jackson Bauman found Copley for another three, the guests were in front 44-40 with 13:42 remaining.
 
It was Copley's fifth three on nine tries, giving him 18 points.
 
Marshall then had the outburst it needed. Over a 3:25 stretch, the Herd scored 14 unanswered points, hitting 7 for 8 from the field while the Bears missed four straight shots. When it ended, the lead was 54-44 midway through the half.
 
Copley finished with seven three-pointers and a game-high 24 points. He also had a team-best eight rebounds for the Bears. Blevins followed with 17 points, hitting 8 of 12 shots from the floor.
 
The Bears battled the Herd despite making only 6 of 12 from the free throw line.
 
Even down the stretch, the Bears weren't ready to stop. Three consecutive layups – two by Blevins and one for Bauman – had them within six, 72-66, with only 2:28 to play.
 
The Bears open regular-season play on Tuesday, Nov. 3 when they travel to Cumberlands. Game time is 7 p.m.