Bears use free throws to hold off Tigers

Box Score

 University of Pikeville used the free throw line to salt Saturday's game away and hold off a rally by Georgetown College in Mid-South Conference men's basketball.

The No. 16 Tigers (5-1, 1-1) trailed by six with just more than a minute remaining. The Bears (5-0, 2-0) got fouled shooting a three, stepped to the line and made all those. They went on to make eight of nine in the final 1:19 to keep the lead and win 72-66.

Derrin Boyd led the charge with 19 points, while Jermaine Patterson was a spark off the bench again with 15. Kyran Jones dominated the glass with 14 rebounds, adding 12 points as well. Jayrese Williams chipped in with 11 points.

The game started slowly. Georgetown scored the first basketball two-plus minutes into action. Pikeville responded on the very next play, but the game stayed at 2-2 for nearly three minutes. The Bears broke up the tie with their first two free throws and never trailed again. The lead grew to as much as 10 in the second half. GC twice pulled within a point, the final time coming late in the second half. Boyd hit a three to cap a 9-2 run and a 52-51 game.

It was a cold day for each team from three-point range, GC hit five while the home team hit six. Each attempted 20-plus from downtown.

Pikeville connected from the charity stripe all day, going 18-of-21, while GC struggled with 11-17. The visitors did connect on four-of-five down the stretch, but it was too little too late.

The Tigers are back in action 6 pm Friday hosting Wilberforce University in the Central Bank Jim Reid Classic. Friday's action starts with a 4 pm neutral site game between Midway University and Greenville University.