Richmond, KY – The UC women's basketball team returned for the holiday break with a strong opening quarter and even took a one-point lead with 1:55 remaining before falling to Eastern Kentucky 79-72 Friday afternoon at McBrayer Arena.  It was Cumberlands first game after the holiday break and their second exhibition against a NCAA DI opponent this season.

Leading the way for UC was Abbi Douglas, who tallied a team-high 14 points and grabbed four rebounds.  Kassie Monday and Channing Lewis each netted 12 points in the game, while Destiny Haworth added 11 points.  Lewis grabbed a team-high eight rebounds as Monday clipped her career-high with seven boards and dished out six assists in the contest.  Making her first collegiate start, Whitney Caldwell clipped her career-high with nine points and five rebounds. 

Caldwell made the most of her opportunity, getting the scoring started with a three-pointer from the corner to put UC in front early.  The two teams traded baskets, before Haworth and Casey Coleman converted layups as part of a 5-0 run to extend Cumberlands lead to 10-4 with 5:17 remaining.  A couple minutes later Haworth forced a steal and in the transition connected with Abbey Estes from long range to push UC's lead to seven points at 13-6.  The Patriots closed out the first quarter on a 5-0 run that saw buckets from Shelby Moore and Monday to take an 18-10 advantage.

Cumberlands extended their lead to ten points, 20-10, as Caldwell dished the ball inside to Lewis for basket.  The Patriots continued to push the pace as Monday connected with Sydney Dalton and Douglas before hitting a jumper of her own as part of an 8-4 run giving the Patriots a 28-17 lead with 7:17 left in the second quarter.  The Colonels cut into the lead, however, UC quickly extended the lead back to 11-points as Caldwell drained her second triple of the game coupled with a Monday jumper in transition midway through the quarter.  Eastern Kentucky ramped up the pressure and closed out the half on a 20-4 run to take a 42-37 lead into the break.

The Patriots came out of the break strong with Lewis scoring the first seven Cumberlands points of the half to cut the deficit to 46-44 two minutes into the third quarter.  The Colonels went on an 8-2 run, however, Douglas converted five straight points, including three from the charity stripe to bring UC within three at 54-51 with 2:53 remaining.  The two teams continued to trade possession as the third quarter closed with three straight points from Lewis brining the Patriots within five at 61-56.

Both teams picked up the defensive intensity to begin the fourth quarter as neither team scored in the first 90 seconds.  After an EKU bucket, a Caldwell layup sparked a 6-0 run for the Patriots to cut the deficit to 63-62 with 7:15 remaining.  EKU used a 5-0 run to extend their lead, but the Patriots continued to battle as Moore forced a steal, her fourth of the game, and found Haworth in the transition to cut it to 68-64 midway through the quarter.  Haworth added another layup before Douglas converted a three-point play to tie the game 69-69 with 2:35 remaining.  EKU retook the lead and on the next Patriot possession Haworth nailed a three-pointer putting UC in front 72-71 with 1:55 remaining.  The Colonels netted the final eight points of the game, including six from the free throw line for the 79-72 final.

The Patriots will return to conference play Monday, January 3, when they travel to Pikeville, KY to face the Bears.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. with live video available here and live stats available here.

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