MEN’S BASKETBALL

The #15 HU men’s basketball team’s season came to a shocking end Tuesday afternoon in first round action the NAIA National Tournament. As the top seed in the Alexandria bracket, the Foresters struggled to find any sort of rhythm to which Pikeville took full advantage to the tune of a 71-66 upset.

It was Huntington’s second lowest scoring output of the season, nearly 20 points below their season average. The obvious culprit in HU’s demise was what went on downtown. The Foresters came into the contest knocking down nearly nine three-pointers a game at a clip of 38.5 percent but on this given day, Alford’s crew went 4-for-25 for 16.0 percent.

Despite their shooting woes, HU still managed to lead the majority of the first period which included an eight-point discrepancy of 17-9 midway through the frame. By halftime the difference was 31-28 with Huntington on top.

After the Bears tied things up at 33-33 to start the second half, Zach Goodline and Landen Jordan put the team on their back by scoring nine of HU’s next 12 points to sprint in front 45-37 by the 15-minute mark. It felt like the heavy favorite was turning a corner but within three minutes things started to derail for the Foresters as Jordan took a permanent seat on the bench after fouling out with more than 12 minutes to go.

Pikeville spent the next four minutes pulling even with Huntington for a 56-56 deadlock with eight minutes to go. HU would take a brief lead at the six-minute mark before the Bears bullied their way back on top and then hung on for the win with the final score proving their largest lead of the contest.

Goodline topped all scorers with 22 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Lane Sparks added 15 points. Jordan chipped in 13 while Ben Humrichous tossed in 12 and grabbed a team-leading eight rebounds.

Pikeville was led by Teddy Parham’s 19 points while Korbin Spencer and Devin Collins finished with 13 points each.

HU wraps up the year with an overall record of 24-8.