Williamsburg, KY – Twelfth-ranked Pikeville started the second half on a 26-4 run to defeat the 18^th-ranked UC men's basketball team 79-58 Thursday night at the O. Wayne Rollins Center.  With the win the Bears improve to 19-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while the Patriots move to 16-4 overall and 4-2 against the MSC.

Pikeville opened the game on a 7-0 run and took a 9-2 lead before Bernard Samuel found Chance Morton for a three to cut the deficit to 9-5, just over three minutes into the game.  The teams traded baskets until the 10:50 mark when Kaashif English three-point play cut the deficit to 17-12.  Both team hit three field goals over the next four minutes to keep it a five-point game.  Less than a minute later Anthony Eaves hit from behind-the-arc to cut the deficit to two points with 6:03 remaining.  Pikeville outscored UC 5-4 over the next two minutes to have a 28-25 advantage with 3:48 left in the first half.  Travon Labranche hit a free throw, before Eaves' three-pointer at the 1:21 mark gave Cumberlands its first lead of the game at 29-28.  The Bears scored the final four points of the half to take a 32-29 lead into the break.

Pikeville started the second half on a 26-4 run, that spanned nine minutes, to take 58-33 lead.  Labranche drained a three-point at the 10:48 mark to convert UC's first field goal of the half.  That basket sparked a 12-2 run to cut the deficit to 60-45 with 8:11 remaining.  The Bears responded with a 13-5 run, over the next four minutes, to extend their lead to 73-50.  UC outscored Pikeville 8-6 in the final four minutes for the 79-58 final.

Leading the way for the Patriots was Malik Colvin-Seldon who tallied 14 points and five rebounds.  English added nine points, and five rebounds, while Will Gary chipped in seven points and five rebounds. 

The Patriots return to the court Saturday, January 27, when they travel to Portsmouth, OH to take on Shawnee State.  Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and live video is available here, while live stats are available here.

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