4Pulaski, TN – The Patriots took on the Tigers of Stillman College Friday afternoon in an offensive showcase. UC took the victory 101-78 after a dominant second half effort that saw the Pats outscore their opponents 42-25. Cumberlands move to 2-0 on the season.
Anthony Johnson led the way, scoring a career-high 34 points. The junior finished with four assists, three steals, and went 9-9 from the free throw line. DJ Jones also had an impressive game, finishing with 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Brady Bell was the final Patriot to finish in double digits, scoring 18 points, shooting 3-4 from deep.
Cumberlands jumped out to an 8-4 lead behind buckets from Robertas Jonaitis and a three from Johnson. Bell caught fire over the next three minutes, knocking down three threes to increase the lead to five before the Tigers cut the game to one. Another Johnson basket and two free throws from Brant Smithers made it 23-20 before Stillman retook the lead with just under 12 minutes to play.
A Smithers three halted the Tiger run, as both squads traded baskets to keep it a one-possession game. Jones knocked down a mid-range jumper to tie the game at 39-39 before a pair of Johnson FT's gave UC the lead once again. A Bell dunk and a Tajahri Cave pushed the lead to six while Johnson added two more FT's to his total. Both teams traded scores for the final four minutes of play as UC took a 59-53 lead into the half.
Three dunks started the second half with a bang for the Pats to increase the lead to 12. A four-point play from Jones sparked a 10-0 run that brought the score to 75-57 with 14:30 on the clock. UC's defense continued to put pressure on the Tigers, forcing one of eight turnovers they forced in the second half, leading to back-to-back buckets from Ryan Davidson and Tanner Walton. Davidson knocked down a three along with another lay in from Jones to make the score 82-65 with just over 10 minutes remaining. Four points from Johnson and Cave pushed the lead to 19. Five more DJ Jones points gave UC a 22-point advantage, which then grew to 25 after another Davidson three, moving UC over the 100-point mark for the second-straight game. The final buzzer sounded with Cumberlands on top 101-78.
UC will be back in action tomorrow as they take on UT Southern to finish their time at the Joe Hardin Classic. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 PM ET / 2 PM CT in Pulaski, TN.
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