CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — The shots weren’t falling for the second-ranked University of Pikeville men’s basketball team as it lost for the first time this season, 99-78 at No. 19 Campbellsville on Saturday at the Powell Athletic Center.
The Bears shot just 33.8 percent from the field and hit 4-of-21 3-point shots as it couldn’t get over the hump on the road despite cutting a 12-point first-half deficit to two at halftime. Campbellsville hit at 53.6 percent from the field and hit eight threes.
Rebounds went in favor of the Bears 49-41, including a 23-12 advantage on the offensive glass, but the Bears managed just six assists and faced 10 block shots from the lengthy Tigers. Damontre Harris, CU’s 6-11 center, had seven blocks himself.
Kenny Manigault finished with a team-high 20 points and 11 rebounds, as well as a pair of steals. K.K. Simmons and Jackson Hussey also tallied double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Eric Gaines led Campbellsville with 22 points and Harris finished with 12 points and 13 boards.
“It’s a bad effort, got to give Campbellsville a lot of credit, just not a good effort today,” said UPIKE head coach Kelly Wells. “We fouled them almost every time down the floor or gave them good shots. But it’s about them today, no doubt the best team in our league.”
UPIKE grabbed a 6-5 lead on a layup from Manigault in the first four minutes, but Gaines immediately answered with a dunk to give the advantage back to the Tigers. It stayed with them the rest of the half, including a 12-point lead at 34-22 which matched the Bears’ largest deficit of the season.
Campbellsville’s lead was still 11 with 5:31 on the clock, but the Bears had a furious rally left in them to close the first half for the second straight game. An 8-2 run started it as Hussey hit a 15-foot jumper and four free throws to cut the deficit to five at 41-36.
The Tigers went on a quick 4-0 burst to go back up by nine, but would score just two more points over the final three minutes. UPIKE took advantage, finishing a 9-2 run with a slam at the buzzer by Brooks to go into the break down just two at 47-45.
Manigault was only on the court for 11 minutes due to early foul trouble but made his presence known with 11 points and eight rebounds to pace the Bears. UPIKE shot 43.8 percent from the field in the half, while the Tigers hit at 50 percent, but hit just 4-of-18 tries from three.
While it was good to see the Bears get back in the game, it didn’t take long for the Tigers to go back up by double digits. Hitting 17-of-29 shots in the second half helped as the Bears made just 11-of-42.
Eight minutes in Gaines finished a lob and the lead was back to 10 and swelled to 18 six minutes later. Elliott Young dropped a three with just under a minute left to tally the largest deficit of 22 points.
UPIKE will have a week off before hosting Cincinnati-Clermont at 4 p.m. ET next Saturday in the East Ky. Expo Center.
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