Campbellsville, KY – The 12th-ranked Patriots men's basketball team used a dominant second half to remain unbeaten Friday evening, storming past Brescia University (Ky.) 90-52 in the opening game of the Campbellsville Classic. Cumberlands outscored the Bearcats 50-15 in the second half to secure their seventh straight win of the season, improving to 7-0 overall.
 
Kyle Duke led the way with 23 points, shooting 8-15 from the field and 5-7 from three while also adding five assists and four rebounds. Brady Bell was on fire from deep, going 5-6 from three to finish with 15 points, while Andrew McConnell added 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Ikemba Otuonye gave UC a huge lift off the bench with 13 points and nine rebounds, and Anthony Harris filled the stat sheet with nine points and seven boards. Javecckio Thomas chipped in six points and five rebounds, while Tanner Walton and Malachi Robinson each added four and three points, respectively.
 
The first half saw both teams trade punches early before Duke found his rhythm from beyond the arc, hitting a pair of threes to push UC ahead 14-7. Bell followed with a deep three of his own, and Thomas threw down a dunk in transition to make it a double-digit lead midway through the period.
 
Brescia battled back to trim the deficit to three late in the half, but a timely three from Bell and a strong finish from Thomas in the closing seconds helped Cumberlands take a 40-37 lead into the locker room.
 
The Patriots completely flipped the script in the second half, coming out with intensity on both ends of the floor. McConnell opened the period with a layup before Bell hit back-to-back threes to ignite a 13-0 run that gave UC a double-digit cushion. Duke and McConnell connected on threes to extend the lead to 20, and Otuonye went to work inside with a series of put-backs and layups as Cumberlands dominated the glass.
 
Anthony Harris threw down a pair of dunks, and Tanner Walton capped the Patriots' explosive frame with a three-pointer that stretched the lead to 30 with under 10 minutes to play. UC's defense held Brescia to just three field goals and 17.6 percent shooting in the second half, outscoring the Bearcats 50-15 over the final 20 minutes.
 
Cumberlands shot 44.2 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from beyond the arc while grabbing a season-high 49 rebounds, including 20 on the offensive end that led to 21 second-chance points. The Patriots forced 17 turnovers, turning them into 22 points, and recorded 18 assists on 34 made baskets.
 
Cumberlands (7-0) will close out play in the Campbellsville Classic on Saturday, November 15, when they face Truett McConnell (Ga.) at 2 PM inside Powell Athletic Center.
 
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