New Orleans, LA – The fifth-seed Cumberlands women's basketball team hit four three-pointers in the third overtime to pull knock off 12^th-seed Midway 117-107 in the first round of the NAIA Tournament Tuesday afternoon at The Den.  It was the longest NAIA Tournament game in program history and set the NAIA record for most combined points in a postseason game as the Patriots advance to second round, where they will play 13th-seed John Brown on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Kassie Monday led all scorers with 35 points, which tied her career-high, and a career-high 13 assists along with five steals. Channing Lewis notched her second straight double-double, including a career-high 18 rebounds to go along with 19 points.  Monday's 35 points and 13 assists as well as Lewis' 18 rebounds are new Patriots NAIA tournament records.  Amerah Steele finished with 19 points as Lakin Burke tallied her first collegiate double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds.  Kaylie Monday and Destiny Haworth chipped in 10 points apiece as Monday also added six assists and four steals.

 
Midway opened the game on an 8-2 run, before Kaylie Monday found Kassie Monday on the wing for a three to cut it to 8-5.  Channing Lewis netted the next four points for the Patriots, before Kaylie Monday hit a pull-up jumper to pull UC within a point at 12-11 with 4:00 minutes left.  Cumberlands tied the game at 13-13 after a pair of free throws from Destiny Haworth, however, the Eagles scored the next six points to take a 19-13 lead.  Amerah Steele added a three-pointer and in the closing seconds of the quarter Kassie Monday hit a jumper to cut the deficit to 23-20.

Steele added an offensive put back before Lewis sank a pair from the charity stripe to give UC it's first lead of the game at 24-23 with 8:32 left.  Lewis than found Kaylie Monday for a layup before adding a putback of her own over the next minute of play.  Midway went on a 7-3 run before Kassie Monday hit a jumper to put UC back in front 33-32 midway through the quarter.  The lead changed six times over the next four minutes until Joy Kendrick grabbed an offensive board and hit a jumper in the closing seconds of the quarter to give UC a 41-38 lead at the break.

Cumberlands opened the third quarter with Kassie Monday finding Lewis for a layup on their first possession.  After Midway tied the score both Kassie Monday and Kaylie Monday added jumpers to put UC back in front 47-43 with 8:15 remaining.  Lewis netted five of the Patriots next seven points extending their lead to 54-49 with 3:53 left in the period.  The Eagles ended the quarter on a 7-2 to even the score at 56-56.

Midway opened the fourth quarter on a 5-2, before the Patriots got the ball into Lakin Burke on consecutive possession to put UC in front 62-61 with 6:31 remaining.  The teams traded free throws before Kaylie Monday notched a steal and laid it up making it 66-63 midway through the fourth quarter.  The Eagles scored six unanswered points before Haworth found Kaylie Monday for a jumper to pull UC within a point at 69-68 with 1:52 remaining.  After the game was tied at 70-70, Steele kicked out to Kassie Monday, who drained a three-pointer to give the Patriots a 73-70 lead with 1:02 left.  Midway tied the game at 73-73, before Steele's shot missed the mark sending the game into overtime.

The Patriots took a 77-75 advantage two minutes into the first overtime behind buckets from Steele and Lewis.  The Eagles tied the score twice before Burke converted a three-point play giving UC an 82-79 edge with 1:55 left.  Midway went on a 6-1 run to take an 85-83 lead with 2.6 seconds left.  Out of a timeout which advanced the ball into the front court, Casey Coleman lobbed a pass to Burke, who took one dribble and laid it in to tie the game at 85-85 and force double overtime.

 
On the opening possession of the second overtime Kaylie Monday found Steel for a three-pointer putting UC in front early.  The Eagles scored eight unanswered points before Kassie Monday found Burke on the block for a layup cutting the deficit to 93-90 with 2:40 remaining.  Kassie Monday and Burke each sank a field goal, before Kassie Monday nailed a three-pointer with :25 seconds left to tie the game at 97-97. The Patriots defense made a strong stand forcing the third overtime.

 
The Patriots came out firing in the third overtime period as Haworth and Brittni Allison combined to hit three from long range putting Cumberlands in front 106-98 with 3:30 remaining.  Midway pulled within five points before Kassie Monday scored nine straight Patriots points to extend the lead to 117-106 before notching a steal to let UC run out the clock and earn their first tournament win since 2010.   Allison finished with three assists and a three point in the final quarter as Monday also chipped in 11 points.

 
This is the Patriots first postseason overtime win since 2009 when they defeated Freed-Hardeman 105-99 in double overtime. UC improves to 2-2 in the NAIA Tournament overtime games in program history.  Cumberlands also set a program record for most points in a NAIA Tournament game.  UC finished the day 23-26 from the foul line.

The Patriots will play in the second round of the NAIA Tournament Wednesday, March 8, at 8:30 p.m. EST with the winner of that game advancing to NAIA Round of 16.

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