PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The Lindsey Wilson women's basketball team defeated the University of Pikeville (Ky.) 79-76 Thursday night at the Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville.

Lindsey Wilson improves to 13-4 on the season and 3-2 in Mid-South Conference play with the win. Pikeville falls to 6-9 on the year and 1-3 in MSC play with the loss.

Kayla Richardson led the Blue Raiders with 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field, including making both of her three-point attempts. Tara Arnold finished with 13 points while Cassidy Martin and Bre Elder added 13 and 11 points, respectively. Chanel Roberts led the team with eight rebounds while four other Blue Raiders each grabbed six total rebounds.

The Blue Raiders scored the first three points of the game before Pikeville went on a 6-0 run to take a 6-3 lead. Martin answered with a three-point shot to tie the game at 6-6.

Lindsey Wilson would hold a slight lead until Pikeville's Christin Haney made a field goal to give the Bears their second lead of the night at 20-19. Martin would retake the lead for the Blue Raiders after another three, but Pikeville would take it right back on the ensuing possession to lead 24-23.

The rest of the first half remained close as Lindsey Wilson would only trail by as many as four. With Pikeville leading 35-32 in the finals seconds of the half, Arnold banked in a three-point shot to tie the game at 35-35 heading into the break.

The Blue Raiders shot 38.7 percent from the field in the first half and made 4-of-10 three-point shots. Pikeville struggled from beyond the arc in the first half making just 1-of-9 attempts.

Lindsey Wilson opened the second half on an 11-2 run to give the Blue Raiders a 46-37 lead. After a Pikeville timeout, the Bears answered with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 48-46.

With the Blue Raiders leading 54-50, Martin was fouled as she made a three-point shot. She converted the free throw for the four-point play to increase the lead to eight.

Lindsey Wilson kept a slight lead but Pikeville would remain relentless as they cut the lead to one point at 64-63 after a three by Pikeville's Brogan Conley with 4:05 to play.

Pikeville trimmed the Blue Raider lead to 71-68 after two free throws. On the ensuing inbounds play, Elder launched a full court pass to Richardson streaking down the court and beat the defender for the basket.

After a Pikeville miss and intentional foul, Roberts made both free throws to give Lindsey Wilson a 75-68 lead.

The Bears would score the next five points to cut the lead to two at 75-73 with 35 seconds left. Pikeville allowed Lindsey Wilson to use most of the shot clock before Arnold hit a jumper in the final seconds to give Lindsey Wilson a 77-73 lead. Pikeville's Kelah Eldridge would make a long three-point shot with .4 seconds left in the game to cut the lead to one before fouling Martin. Martin would make both free throws as Pikeville was unable to get a desperation shot off to give Lindsey Wilson the 79-76 win.

The Blue Raiders shot 50.8 percent from the field including 40 percent from beyond the arc. The Bears finished shooting 36.9 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three-point range. The Bears were able to convert 25 offensive rebounds into 17 second chance points compared to just eight offensive rebounds for seven points by the Blue Raiders.

Pikeville was led by Conley who recorded a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Eldridge, Callisha Johnson and Cheyenne Madden each finished with 10 points, Madden just shy of a double-double with nine rebounds.

Lindsey Wilson remains on the road as they travel to Bluefield (Va.) College on Saturday for a 1 p.m. CT tipoff.