Columbia, KY – UC traveled to Lindsey Wilson to take on the Blue Raiders on Thursday night. The Patriots fell 77-89, moving to 16-11 overall and 10-11 in the conference this season. The night was highlighted by Jahi Hinson who netted his 2,000^th career point, becoming just the second player in program history to do so.
 
Hinson led UC's scorers with 17 points while Steven Fitzgerald and Isaiah Payton both added 15 points and 5 rebounds. J.J. Ramey finished with 8 points and Kamari Kenemore and Lamar Harris Jr. scored 7 points apiece. UC's bench combined for 45 of the team's 77 points in the contest.
 
The game started back and forth from both teams, as the score was tied 18-18 with 10:48 left on the clock. Threes from Fitzgerald, Payton, and Ramey accounted for nine of the 18 while Hinson, Kenemore, and Harris each added a two-point bucket of their own as well. A lay in from Payton would give UC the lead before the Blue Raiders rattled off eight straight to take the 27-20 advantage with less than nine minutes to play.
 
A Brady Bell three interrupted this streak, but not for long, as LWC finished the half on a 17-6 run to go up 44-29 into the half. UC saw four points from Fitzgerald during this stretch along with another Payton layup.
 
The second half saw glimpses of hope for UC, sparked by 15 points out of Hinson, but they could never get over the hump. The Patriots scored the first six points out of the half off another Payton three pointer and a bucket and free throw out of Harris to cut Lindsey's lead to nine. A LWC basket put them back up double digits at the 17:46 mark of the second half. They held at least a ten-point lead all the way until 5:19 when a Hinson three pointer cut the lead to eight. Not only did this put the Pats within striking distance, but this was the bucket that gave the senior 2,000 points in his career.

 

With his last bucket, Jahi Hinson just surpassed the 2,000 point mark in his career as a Patriot! He is just the 2nd player in program history to achieve this accomplishment. pic.twitter.com/4xfUpAhFKp

— Cumberlands Men's Basketball (@UCMBB) February 17, 2023

 
Lindsey Wilson responded with a pair of free throws and a layup to stretch their lead back to 11, and didn't look back. The went ahead as much as 16 in the final four minutes, and ended up taking the game 77-89 at the final buzzer.
 
UC will have their final regular-season game at home on Saturday as they take on the Campbellsville Tigers. It will be Senior Day, as seven Patriot seniors will be recognized before the game gets underway. Gametime is set for 3 PM ET in Williamsburg, KY.
 
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