Marietta, GA- Senior guard Silvia Veloso set a new program record as she led RV Cumberlands to take down Life University 94-54 on Saturday afternoon. Veloso recorded 12 steals to break the record for most steals in a single-game in the DakStats era. She set the previous record last season with 11 steals against the Virgin Islands. Cumberlands improves to 6-0 for the first time since the 2015-16 season, complimented by a 2-0 record in the Mid-South.
 
The Patriots scored first as Carla Covane found Vilma Covane in the paint to put UC up 2-0. Abbi Douglas scored the next six of the Patriots' eight points giving UC a 9-3 advantage. Back-to-back three pointers by Hannah Lawson and Reagan Begole put the Pats up by ten before Veloso scored the final couple baskets to close out the quarter, UC up 19-7. Cumberlands defense held the Running Eagles to 2-12 from the field and 0% from behind the arch. V. Covane snagged four rebounds in the first quarter of play.
 
With three steals already, Veloso added her fourth in the opening seconds of the quarter before sprinting down court to score off the turnover. Raegan Hubbard put up two points in the next play off an assist from Douglas to put the Patriots up 23-9 over the Running Eagles. With 4:46 remaining in the half, Addison Wilson knocked down a basket from behind the arch to extend UC's lead to 25. The Cumberlands bench continued to get involved as Olivia Federle and Kaylee Mathis scored in the final minutes of the half to give the Patriots a 42-21 lead headed into the locker room. UC held Life to the fewest points scored in the first half since they held Cumberland to 21 in February this year.
 
The second half opened with consecutive baskets from V. Covane and Veloso, extending Cumberlands' lead to 25 points. At the 2:54 mark, Veloso stole the ball from Life and turned it into a basket to break the program record for most steals in a single game. Hubbard and Lawson combined for the final ten points, to put UC up 75-38 ahead of the final quarter. The Pats scored 32 in the third quarter, the most by the Pats in any quarter this season.
 
A block by Hubbard to open the fourth quarter allowed Mathis to find Channing Lewis in the paint, giving UC a 37-point lead. Abby Estes got in on the scoring action, knocking down a long three with 8:17 left to play. Haley Baxter scored off a rebound from Destiny Haworth to give the Pats their largest lead of the game at 41, with less than two minutes to go. With a final score of 94-54, Cumberlands defeated Life, marking the third game this season they have tallied at least 90 points.
 
The Patriots defense shined in today's game, not allowing any fast-break or second-chance points, and only conceding eight points off turnovers. The Pats held strong from start to finish, not once giving up the lead and maintaining a double-digit advantage from the 2:17 mark of the first quarter.
 
In addition to her record breaking 12 steals, Veloso led the team in points with 19 and added seven rebounds and two assists. Lawson and Hubbard also finished the game in double-digits with 16 and 11 points, respectively. Hubbard added five rebounds and four blocks, while Lawson added a team-high five assists. V. Covane had an impressive defensive performance, leading the team in rebounds with 11 and a pair of steals. Lewis and Douglas finished with four steals apiece.
 
The Patriots get a ten-day break before they get back in action when they host the Georgetown Tigers for their final game of 2020. The conference match up against will take place on Tuesday, December 29, with tipoff set for 5:30pm. Live stream will be available here, while live stats are available here.
 
For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics. Please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter- @UC_Patriots and @UCPatsGameday, Instagram- @UCPatriots, Youtube- Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.