Box Score  

BLUEFIELD, Va. – Kearsten Marion had a clean look to send the game to overtime, but the attempt clamored off the rim leaving No. 3 University of Pikeville with the 80-77 road win on Thursday evening at the Dome Gymnasium.
 
Bluefield (6-3, 1-2) had its five-game win streak snapped with the loss, while the Bears (12-1, 3-0 MSC) remain unbeaten in conference play and have now won seven straight. However, Bluefield held the Bears to their second lowest point total of the season. UPike has broken the century mark five times this season, including its last four times out.
 
Marion and Josh Nesbit's 17 points apiece led the Rams' offensive effort, while Alex Lubsey and Kyle Grisby added 14 and 10 points, respectively.
 
Bluefield held a 39-34 edge on the boards, as UPike was outrebounded for the first time this season. Nesbit tallied a game high seven, while Chris Cantino and Kenny Manigault had five apiece for the Bears.
 
King paced the Bears with a game high 21 points, followed by 18 from Manigault, 15 from Reed and 11 from Whitaker.
 
Bluefield gathered a six point edge thanks to a 6-0 run early in the ballgame, taking an 18-12 advantage through six minutes of play.
 
Marion had a hand in each point, hitting a pair of jumpers and finding Nesbit for a hoop of his own.
 
BC upped its lead to 25-17 as Nequan Melvin completed the old-fashioned three-point play, but the Bears reeled off eight straight to make it 25-all with under seven minutes left in the first half. Two layins from Whitaker made it a 12-0 run for the visitors in a four-minute stretch.
 
The Bears held a 35-31 lead with under three minutes to play, but BC closed the opening 20 minutes on a 6-0 run. Eric Dukes hit a pair of free throws, while an Andrew Wilson jumper and a tipin from Devin Page closed the first half with BC taking the 37-35 lead at the break.
 
The game was nip-and-tuck throughout the entire second half, with neither team holding more than a six point lead.
 
Back-to-back hoops for the Rams earned BC a 47-42 lead early in the second half. Marion tallied a layin while Lubsey slammed one home on a fast break.
 
The teams traded buckets, before UPike reeled off a mini 8-2 run to take its first lead of the second half, 54-53, with 13:15 to play.
 
Over nearly a six minute stretch to follow, BC held a 13-8 edge and gained a 66-62 lead with 7:18 left on the clock.
 
But, the Bears showed their grit down the closing minutes and pulled off a 12-2 run over 3:28 to open up the second half's largest lead, 74-68.
 
Grisby knocked down a three to make it a one possession game once again, but a King layin upped the Bears' lead to five.
 
Back-to-back Lubsey dunks, including a lob pass from Marion, made it 77-75.
 
King hit a free throw for UPike for a three-point lead. A foul with under 30 seconds to play led Nesbit to the line for a pair, making it 78-77.
 
Manigault then knocked down a pair with 10 seconds left on the clock for the three-point margin once again. Marion's last second shot caromed off and concluded the game.

UPike outshot BC, 52 percent to 44 percent. Both teams only hit 3-of-16 from beyond-the-arc. The Bears knocked down nine more free throws (19-of-31) than the Rams (10-of-11). 

Bluefield is back at it on Saturday evening, taking on West Virginia Tech in South Charleston, W. Va. BC defeated the Golden Bears on Dec. 7, 97-62.
 
Conference play will continue for the Rams on Jan. 9, welcoming Cumberland University to the Dome Gymnasium.