Lady Bears kick off season with win

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Leading 33-28, Pikeville College scored the first 11 points of the second half as part of a 19-4 run and pulled away from Virginia Intermont College 81-57 Tuesday night.

The Lady Bears won their regular-season opener thanks to a double-double from Marshall University transfer Natiera Hinton, who tossed in 22 and grabbed 11 rebounds, five of which were off the offensive glass. She also checked in with three steals and two blocks.

Hinton played a key role in the opening minutes of the second half, scoring eight in Pikeville’s 11-0 run. By the 12:51 mark of the second half, the lead was 52-32.

Hinton was joined in double figures by three teammates. Sophomores Whitney Compton and Lakia Bailey finished with 12 markers each, while classmate Lauren Potts finished with 10.

Pikeville (1-0) had some good numbers and some that were not as pleasing. They dominated the glass 55-40, with six different players pulling down at least a half-dozen boards. They also hit 16-of-18 (88.9 percent) from the free-throw line and shot 51.3 percent in the second half, while holding the Cobras to only 22.9 percent over the same stretch.

But they turned it over 24 times while forcing 22 from Virginia Intermont and put the Cobras on the line 26 times, where they made 16 (61.5 percent). And, they managed only 3-of-15 (20 percent) from the arc.

It was, however, a pleasing win for the Lady Bears, who are coming off a 6-24 campaign a season ago.

Virginia Intermont (0-1) was led by Nicole Collins, who poured in 26 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, half of them off the offensive glass.