PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Fourth-ranked University of Pikeville made a season-high 41 free throws to help prove the difference in an 89-86 win over Lindsey Wilson on Thursday in the East Ky. Expo Center.
On any other night, the Blue Raiders’ 20-of-26 showing from the stripe would have been noteworthy, but UPIKE more than doubled them up, knocking down 41 of 52 freebies. The rest of the action was pretty even as the Bears shot 51.2 percent from the field and LWC hit at 50.8 percent. Rebounds went 32-27 in favor of UPIKE.
Lindsey Wilson’s biggest strength was its bench, outscoring the Bears’ 39-26, but UPIKE tallied a 14-4 advantage in second-chance points. The Bears also swatted a season-high six blocks to help ease the pain of continuous drives to the basket by Julian Edmonson who scored 32 off the bench.
Kenny Manigault had a bid night for the Bears (16-1, 5-1 MSC), scoring 23 points to go along with nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and four steals. K.K. Simmons added 16 points and hit three 3-pointers, while Trey Rakes tallied 12 big points off the bench, including 5-of-6 makes from the free-throw line.
While Edmonson was the Blue Raiders’ highlight, Bryan Wallace wasn’t bad either with 20 points and D’on Hall added 10 points and eight boards.
After a tight start to the game, UPIKE went on a 5-0 run at the 10-minute mark to take a nine point lead at 22-13. But 17 of the next 24 points went Lindsey Wilson’s way, leading to it taking a one-point lead on Halls layup off a turnover.
From there the score was tied four times before the Blue Raiders ultimately took a 40-37 lead into the break after Edmonson converted two points off another UPIKE giveaway.
Lindsey Wilson (10-9, 1-5 MSC) stayed in front for the first 12 minutes of the second half, enjoying leads as high as eight points. Trailing 67-61, UPIKE went on a 10-2 run that ended with it taking a 71-69 lead after two made free throws by Michael Eneh.
UPIKE never trailed again. It was up 80-77 with two minutes to play when Simmons was fouled on a three. Simmons made all three freebies to put the Bears up six. LWC trimmed the deficit to three points three more times, but UPIKE went 9-of-11 from the stripe in the final minute to hold on for the win.
Rakes’ layup with 3:29 on the clock was UPIKE’s last made field goal in the game. From that point on the Bears shot 13 free throws as their only offense until the final buzzer.
Malik Jacobs also deserves mention for the second-half rally put together by the Bears. After entering the game with 15 minutes to play and UPIKE down by eight, Jacobs scored off a missed Manigault free throw, hit two freebies of his own and tipped in a missed 3-pointer to trim the deficit to two at 59-57.
The Bears, winners of 34 straight games at home, are back in action at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday against Cumberland (Tenn.) in the East Ky. Expo Center.
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