Box Score

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Bluefield was held to a season-low 64 points, Thursday evening, as #3 University of Pikeville knocked off the visiting Rams 97-64 at the East Kentucky Expo Center in Mid-South Conference action.
 
Bluefield (9-8, 3-7 MSC) shot 25-for-68 (36.8%) on the evening, while the Bears (18-2, 9-1 MSC) were 39-for-68 (57.4%), including knocking down 11-of-26 (42.3%) from beyond-the-arc. The 97 points and 11 three-pointers were both opponent highs for the season.
 
Kearsten Marion tallied 13 points to lead BC, while Josh Nesbit chipped in 12 and a team high 6 rebounds.
 
Five Bears scored double-digits, led by John Nunnally's 21 points, including a 5-for-8 performance from beyond-the-arc. Keala King had 18 more along with a game-high 12 rebounds. Chris Cantino (15), Bruce Reed (10) and Josh Whitaker (10) also broke into double-figures.
 
Pikeville controlled the glass, pulling down 53 rebounds to 26 for BC. The Bears took 18 offensive boards and turned them into 18 points. The Bears also outscored BC in the paint, 50-34.
 
Bluefield found itself in an eight-point hole early as the Bears ran out to an 11-3 edge.
 
The Rams closed the deficit to one with a 9-2 run, capped by an Ederson Exume bucket with 13:25 left in the first half.
 
Bluefield stayed within reach for the next several minutes, but over the final five minutes of the first half, UPike closed on a 14-6 run to take a 41-29 lead at the half.
 
After intermission, the hosts picked up where they left off, and outscored BC 29-11 in the first 8:24 of the second half to extend the lead to 30, 70-40.
 
BC made the deficit 26, but couldn't get any closer the rest of the way as UPike grabbed the 97-64 win.
 
Bluefield is back at it on Saturday, traveling to face Barber-Scotia College at 3 p.m.