PIKEVILLE – The University of Pikeville women’s basketball team lost 72-46 Thursday night at the East Kentucky Expo Center to a sharpshooting University of the Cumberlands squad.

The Bears lost despite holding a lead for much of the first half.

Having led for most of the opening 10 minutes, the Bears found themselves tied 23-23 with the Patriots. It was at this point that Cumberlands turned the game with a 22-5 run that lasted until halftime.

Junior Jill Herman and freshman Ashley Mullins co-led the Patriots with 15 points each, followed closely by junior Jackie Alexander’s 13. Latvian senior Dace Bicane recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Patriots, who shot 27-of-49 as a team and were 7-of-16 from behind the arc.

Freshman Peyton Wright’s 15 points led the Bears (5-9 overall, 2-5 in the Mid-South Conference), as did her seven rebounds. Wright was the only Bear to hit double digits, with junior Brogan Conley adding nine points in addition to three rebounds.

The most telling stat of the night was the assists column, where the Patriots had 17 assisted baskets to the Bears’ seven.