Lebanon, TN – Steven Fitzgerald netted a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the (RV) Patriots men's basketball team to a 76-73 win over Cumberland Thursday night.  With the win Cumberlands improves to 12-4 overall and 6-4 in conference play, while the Phoenix move to 5-5 overall and 4-4 against the MSC.

Fitzgerald notched his first double-double of his Patriot career after shooting 9-11 from the field, including 4-6 from deep.  Tevin Olison added 17 points, while Josh Williams chipped in 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists. 

Williams got the scoring started for UC draining a three-pointer before hitting Ismiell Etenne in the paint for a lay-up to five the Patriots a 5-2 lead three minutes into the first half. A 5-2 run by the Phoenix evened the score, however, consecutive buckets from Williams and Isaiah Thompson put the Patriots back in front 11-7 with 13:13 left. The two teams traded baskets for the next four minutes until an Austin Hall jumper put Cumberlands up 19-15 with 8:40 remaining.  The basket started an 10-0 run for the Patriots, that included seven points from Fitzgerald, to take a 29-15 advantage with 4:21 remaining.  UC closed out the first half on a 6-2 run to take a 37-24 lead into the break.

The Phoenix opened the second half on a 5-2 run before Fitzgerald knocked down a three-pointer, one of his four in the game, to push the lead back to 13 points.  Cumberland utilized a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to eight, but Fitzgerald and Williams with a combined five points to make it 49-38.  The Patriots went on a 9-1 run, including seven from Olison, to push the score to 58-41 with 10:31 left.  The 17 point lead was UC's largest in the game, as Cumberland start to cut into the deficit.  UC added five points from Olison and a three-pointer from Jahi Hinson to take a 67-51 lead with 5:53 remaining.  From that point the Phoenix went on a 19-6 run to cut the lead to 73-70 with 47 seconds left.  In the closing minute, Olison went 3-6 from the charity stripe to give the Patriots a  76-73 lead with 5 second left.  Cumberland had a chance to tie but Mytrevious Vaughn's three-pointer was off the mark for the three point win.

The Patriots  return to the court Saturday, January 16, when they travel to Columbia, KY to face MSC foe Lindsey Wilson at 5 p.m. Live video is available here, while live stats are available here.

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