Williamsburg, KY – The University of the Cumberlands women's basketball team shot 60% from the field and had three players in double figures as the Patriots defeated Johnson 97-70 Saturday afternoon at the O. Wayne Rollins Center.  With the win the Patriots improve to 6-2 on the season, while the Royals fall to 2-4.

Cumberlands came out strong from the opening tip as Summer Cramer and Kayla Bruner each drained a three-pointer to give the Patriots an early 8-3 lead.  Johnson used a 10-2 run to take a 13-10 advantage however Madison Meier and Shayla Simpson combined for the next give points putting UC back in front 15-13 midway through the first quarter.  The Royals hit back-to-back three pointers and converted 5-5 from behind the arc in the opening quarter to take 19-15 lead with 2:31 left.  Cumberlands closed out the quarter on a 9-4 run, including seven points from Simpson to hold a 24-23 advantage.

The two teams traded buckets for the first three minutes of the second quarter with UC holding a 36-31 lead.  On the Patriots next possession Callia Cropp found Abby Estes for a three pointer, which sparked an 8-0 run and gave Cumberlands a 44-31 advantage with 4:33 remaining.  The teams traded baskets, before Johnson scored the final six points of the half to cut the lead to 49-41.

The Royals cut the lead to six points with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter and that was the closest they got as the Patriots tallied ten straight points, including five from Cropp to extend their lead to 62-46 with 5:12 remaining.  Cropp notched UC's next seven points to give the Patriots a 69-54 lead with 1:27 left.  Simpson and Rhodes each add a field goal to extend Cumberlands lead to 73-57 after three quarters.

Hannah Lawson and Simpson each hit from long range to start the fourth quarter to give UC a 20 point lead.  After Johnson netted a bucket, UC used an 11-2 run to take a 91-65 lead with 4:08 remaining.  Cumberlands notched six of the final 11 points in the game for the 97-70 final.

Cropp led the way for the Patriots with 23 points, while Simpson added 19 points.  Lawson chipped in 16 points, while Rhodes finished with eight points and 11 rebounds.  Cropp, Simpson, Lawson, Rhodes, and Cramer dished out four assists apiece.

UC returns to action on Tuesday, November 27, as they host Simmons College of Kentucky in the O. Wayne Rollins Center.  The game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. with live video available here and live stats available here.

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