PIKEVILLE, Ky. — The Bears had been pent-up for too long and were ready to run as newcomers Macari Brooks and K.K. Simmons poured in 22 points each to help the University of Pikeville rout Grace Bible (Mich.) 100-63 on Monday in the home opener at the East Ky. Expo Center.
A strong contingent of curious fans ready to see a UPIKE team with nine new faces left knowing the team could shoot better than ever and rattle the rims. Rebounding may have been the lone weak spot, as Grace Bible finished with a 36-31 advantage, but it’s hard to be picky when the Bears were plus-21 in turnovers.
The inability to hold on to the ball was the story of the game. Both teams shot well from the field, the Tigers hit at 47.6 percent and the Bears were at 50, but UPIKE tallied a 44-11 advantage in points off turnovers. Grace Bible wrapped up the game with eight assists and 31 giveaways, compared to a 22 and 10 showing from the Bears.
Brooks and Simmons, a pair of junior transfers, stole the show offensively, but they also got a boost from a pair of veterans in Kenny Manigault with 17 points and redshirt junior Kevin Kornegay adding 11. Manigault was the leading rebounder for UPIKE with seven, while Trey Rakes finished with a game-high five assists to go along with eight points on a pair of 3-pointers.
Grace Bible was led by Jared Bradford and Cameron Cramer with 12 and 10 points, respectively, while three different Tigers came down with five rebounds.
Nearly 10 minutes into the first half, UPIKE’s lead was only 10 points at 23-13, but a 10-0 run over the next three minutes turned the tide in the Bears’ favor. Brooks picked off a pass and went in for a layup to give UPIKE its biggest lead of the half of 27 points before going into the break leading 50-26.
Grace Bible cut the lead to 22 with a jumper from Paul Tenharmsel early in the second half, but the rally didn’t last as the Bears posted a lead as high as 45 points with five minutes to play.
With the first regular-season contest out of the way, UPIKE looks ahead to exhibitions at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday at Kentucky and at Tennessee on Monday at the same time.
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