Pikeville, KY – The #24 Cumberlands women's basketball team rallied in the second half to knock off Pikeville 78-74 behind a pair of career performances from Kassie Monday and Lakin Burke.  The win is the Patriots first win at Pikeville since February 24, 2018 and moves UC to 7-2 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

Monday netted a career-high 35 points, shooting 60% from the field, to go along with six assists in the game.  Burke, who was making her first collegiate start, finished with a career-high 16 points on an 8-12 shooting performance.  Channing Lewis grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds along with 10 points for her second double-double of the season.  Kaylie Monday chipped in five assists, five rebounds, and six points in the win.

Patriots strike first as Kassie Monday works the ball inside to Lakin Burke for a layup before she laid in a putback as UC took a 4-0 advantage. Pikeville responded with a 7-2 run, before Monday drains a shot from long range to put Cumberlands in front 9-7 with 6:16 remaining in the first quarter. Monday netted her seventh point of the opening quarter to even the game at 11-11 midway through the period.  Pikeville went on a 12-0 run, over a three-minute span, to take a 23-11 advantage with 1:09 remaining.  Mackenzie Babb comes off the bench and drains a three pointer, before making a steal which resulted in a Monday layup, however UPike takes a 26-16 lead into the second quarter.

The two teams have come out trading baskets over the first two minutes of the quarter.  UC cut the deficit to eight points as Whitney Caldwell found Burke inside for a layup making it 30-22 with 7:16 remaining.  UPike responded with five unanswered points, before Monday drove and laid it up to cut it to 35-24 midway through the quarter.  Channing Lewis found Kaedlee Potter for a bucket to spark a 6-0 Cumberlands run cutting the deficit to 37-30 with 2:32 left.  The Patriots close out the half 6-5 run to pull within six points, 42-36, at the break.

Lewis got the scoring started in the third quarter for UC with an offensive rebound and putback.  The Patriots continued to pick up the defensive intensity limiting the Bears without a field goal until the 6:24 mark.  Kassie Monday netted seven straight Patriots points to bring UC within one possession at 49-47 with 3:24 remaining.  Burke netted the next four points to even the score at 51-51 before Kaylie Monday notched a steal and found Kassie Monday for a layup to put Cumberlands in front 53-51 with 1:57 left.  It was the Patriots first lead since the 6:16 mark in the first quarter.  Kassie Monday and Burke combined for Cumberlands final four UC points of the quarter to give the Patriots a 57-56 edge into the fourth quarter.

Pikeville opened the fourth quarter on a 6-2 run, before Destiny Haworth found Burke for a layup to bring the Pats within one.  Two minutes later, Lewis and Casey Coleman converted consecutive layups to make it 66-65 Pikeville midway through the quarter.  Two minutes later, Kaylie Monday found Kassie Monday for a three-pointer, giving Kassie a career-high 32 points and putting UC in front 70-68.  The Patriots extended their lead as Lewis grabbed a defensive rebound and in the transition Kassie Monday found Kaylie Monday for a layup to make it 72-68 with 1:44 left.  Kassie Monday and Lewis combined to converted six free throws, for the 78-74 final.

The Patriots return to the court Saturday, December 3, when they host Shawnee State.  Tip-off is set 1 p.m. with live video available here.

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